This weekend is usually dedicated to the annual, now famous, convention of Chabad rabbis from around the world, which normally takes place in Brooklyn, and hosts more than 5,000 rabbis.
“Social isolation is difficult for everyone. However, during the pandemic it is especially difficult for the segment of the community living with disability,” said Shaya Gopin, director of the Friendship Circle.
Last Sunday Rabbi Berel stationed himself at North Point Park, the Monument and the USS Constitution, taking appointments from those who wanted to attend, and sounded the shofar in public safely and adhering to all COVID-19 protocols.
Rinat Levy Cohen hadn’t planned to leave the city. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, she, her husband and her 5-year-old son decided to decamp for less crowded surroundings.
For decades, Chabad-Lubavitch, an international Jewish organization that firmly believes Jewish traditions and customs is a birthright of every Jew and that every Jew should have access to them, has made High Holiday services available free of charge, a model other synagogues and organizations around the world are now looking at to replicate.
Chabad has opened a synagogue and Jewish community space in Islington, filling a gap of more than half-a-century.
Rabbi Shneur Brook hosted an outdoor Rosh Hashanah service on the Huntington Green, that included prayers for the well being of all humanity — a key theme of Rosh Hashana.
The home is referred to as a community house because it was constructed with the help of donations.
More than 50 people made a loose circle around him as the blasts from the horn mingled with the sounds of chirping insects and the whir of passing vehicles. Together, they marked the Jewish New Year by bringing the familiar ritual outside.
While these protocols are strict and rigid, the vibe and feeling of the actual services will be just the opposite of these strict regulations. The community time will be filled with warmth, inspiration, meaning, and it will be an uplifting experience.
The program is titled Bringing it Home: making judaism come alive through experiential and interactive learning.
Director of the Chabad at La Costa, Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort, discussed the upcoming start of Rosh Hashanah 2020 on KUSI’s Good Morning San Diego.