Dear Friends,

We are continuing to closely monitor the rapid developments around the Coronavirus pandemic day by day (sometimes hour by hour) in order to formulate an appropriate response and adopt best practices of care for our community. Last night we saw announcements regarding immediate closures of school from Berkeley Unified School District, OHDS, JCHS and our very own Gan Shalom, as well as the decision by several Orthodox communities throughout the nation to close services this Shabbat. In keeping with these important developments, we have decided to suspend all in-person shul activities at this time, and to close our building to the public, including all prayer services (Shabbat and weekday) effective immediately. We have reached this decision in consultation with major rabbinic organizations, including the OU’s Halakhic authorities. We believe that not closing the shul would render the school closures in our community essentially meaningless in limiting communal transmission.

It is with a very heavy heart that we are suspending so many of the most crucial routines of our daily lives. We do this only because of the compelling nature of our circumstance. These measures are adopted as a reflection of our overarching commitment to the sanctity of all human life, and we pray that these will be very temporary measures. Please take these days as a critical opportunity to intensify our prayers to the Rofeh Ne’eman (the Faithful Healer) that all those ill will be healed and that our community, and the entire world, will be shielded from any harm.

  1. People who need to pick up personal effects and religious items should do so this Friday, if possible. To continue to daven as a “Tzibbur” (community) we recommend davening in your homes at standard Shul davening times, so we know that our prayers will take place at the same time as the rest of our community, even if not in the same place. Read the parasha in keeping with our keriyat haTorah cycle. We will explore using technology to connect us during weekday davening times, even if a virtual minyan is not halakhically possible.
  2. We ask that our members NOT attend other minyanim in Shuls to which they do not belong, and NOT form private minyanim in households. This will undermine our communal effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.
  3. Classes and Learning: all classes at CBI will be held online. Please note R. Cohen’s Talmud class will not meet tomorrow in person or online; links for classes starting next week will be shared in the coming days.
  4. Taking Care of Our Employees: we recognize that these particular modifications will directly impact all regularly scheduled hourly workers at CBI, including our Shabbat educators and our kitchen staff. As a religious community, we understand the moral obligation that we have towards these individuals who are part and parcel of our CBI family. We have figured out their average earnings and we have informed each of them that for the coming month, even if they don’t come to work as a result of these urgent health measures, we will continue to pay their salary.
  5. Staying Connected:
    1. Besides offering classes online, we are setting up a CBI WhatsApp group on which our clergy will post daily words of reflection or inspiration during this difficult period. To join this group, please use this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GxGxiHlCAmG9nN6p2TseAd. We will also send out a video (to be viewed before Shabbat) with a recorded Shabbat drasha on Friday as well as a parsha sheet for learning over Shabbat.
    2. To join a WhatsApp group sharing ideas for caring and creative parenting during this time of hardship, please use this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/EY6NvTZzIykJ3bEBX73iow.  PJLibrary offers this helpful resource: https://pjlibrary.org/familyactivities?fbclid=IwAR38NTNVmtbdwsAdqRDZxpRwor7hTfRkGqsJYosXjygWczLsaVvYzr8xixk
    3. We are looking for volunteers to join a chesed callers group. We plan to identify any members of the shul who are in the at-risk group and to contact them regularly to see what sort of support they may need in the coming days or months (from practical support such as shopping to emotional support). To join this group, please sign up at this Google doc: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10VW50O0EefNy-hNTV_7lPrykwNCBSs4grDYNqv4ztxs/edit?usp=sharing
    4. We recognize that this situation will impact the financial well-being of some of our members as well as some of our beloved Jewish institutions. In the coming weeks and months, the shul’s Tzedakah fund will be used exclusively to aid our community. Please contact R. Cohen if you anticipate financial hardship in the weeks and months to come, we are here to offer support. You can make a donation here to help fellow congregants, indicate “communal chesed”.
      i.    https://www.cbiberkeley.org/connect/giving/ by Paypal, please pick the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
      ii.    @CBI-Berkeley on Venmo
      iii.    office@cbiberkeley.org by Zelle
      iv.    by check “Congregation Beth Israel” to 1630 Bancroft Way, Berkeley CA 94703
    5. We are in the midst of organizing CBI online support spaces with facilitators. Stay tuned for details.
  6. CBI Office: Our entire staff will be working from home and will be reliably responsive by email.

Even in the midst of uncertainty and darkness, chesed (acts of loving kindness), generosity, love and life are very much in our midst. With constant care (by meticulously following these guidelines) and steadfast chesed, together we will find ways to face this evil decree. May God bless the work of our hands and provide a refuah shleimah to a world in desperate need of God’s healing.