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Recommending shuls be closed for Shabbos!!!



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Goldie613




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 10:07 am
This just emailed from Achiezer - about halfway through they recommend having shuls be closed over Shabbos.

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Dear Community Members:

As we wrote yesterday at 4 PM, the current situation with COVID19 is fluid and subject to change at an hourly rate. Our goal has been to streamline all relevant updates and help keep you, the community, as safe as possible.

Most of the community is aware that the testing process has been lagging and hard to procure. The fact remains; as more testing becomes available, we will have more positive cases within the community. We are currently aware of several community members who are symptomatic, have been tested and whose results have not yet come back. While thankfully, none of these people are hospitalized or seriously ill, we promised to share all information.

We are in close contact with the Governor’s office, who advised us that they are ramping up testing throughout NYS. Just moments ago, the Governor formally opened the State's first drive-through COVID-19 mobile testing center in New Rochelle. The mobile testing center will test up to 200 people today, growing to 500 people per day in the coming days.

The State is also contracting with BioReference Labs to run an additional 5,000 tests per day – five times the state’s target goal when this outbreak first came to New York. This is on top of the testing that will be conducted at the 28 public and private labs across the state and the out of state labs that New York is already contracting with. This will hopefully all be up and running by mid-next week.

To those of you who have been denied testing by local Urgent Care Centers, please call (888) 364-3065 and request testing. You can also contact your own physicians as necessary, or 911/Hatzalah in case of emergency.

Finally, as stated all week, as we continue to lean on the guidance of infectious disease experts in the field, such as Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, despite his recommendation yesterday that following the CDC would be sufficient, Rabbi Dr. Glatt now recommends that the community shuls be closed for this Shabbos and, out of an abundance of caution, this should include home minyanim as well. His decision is based on new medical reports and updates from within the hospital he works in. We understand that all shuls may not follow this recommendation, thus we request that you refer to your Rav and/or shul leadership for specific details.

This recommendation is not meant to panic or alarm people but rather to ensure that we do everything in our power to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Finally, at the behest of our guiding physicians, please do not congregate in any meeting place or otherwise if you have even the slightest bit of cold, cough or illness. UNDERSTAND that you are putting others’ lives at risk.

We understand that you may have questions regarding the foregoing. Please feel free to e-mail info@achiezer.org with any questions and someone will respond in a timely manner. Please refrain from using our 24 hour hotline for non emergent matters.

Wishing the entire community a peaceful and restful Shabbos,

Team Achiezer
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amother
Cerise


 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 10:52 am
I understand cautioning people not to go out in public if any sign of illness. But I had a cold, learned with an elderly immunocompromised woman who was fine, since I hadn't had fever. (Day 4 of cold, tracked my temperature).
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amother
Slategray


 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 11:15 am
greewhich ct shuls are closed
stamford ct shuls are closed and gan
and area nearby shuls are closed
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amother
Red


 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 11:19 am
everyone needs to follow what their rabbi and community says.
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SixOfWands




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 11:23 am
amother [ Cerise ] wrote:
I understand cautioning people not to go out in public if any sign of illness. But I had a cold, learned with an elderly immunocompromised woman who was fine, since I hadn't had fever. (Day 4 of cold, tracked my temperature).


The death rate of covid-19 for people over the age of 80 is something like 20% (based on a WHO study of Chinese cases). Probably a bit higher for someone who is immunocompromised although my guess is that almost everyone over 80 has some condition or another.

What do you think the death rate is for a cold?
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 11:35 am
SixOfWands wrote:
The death rate of covid-19 for people over the age of 80 is something like 20% (based on a WHO study of Chinese cases). Probably a bit higher for someone who is immunocompromised although my guess is that almost everyone over 80 has some condition or another.

What do you think the death rate is for a cold?


Very true

My grandfather was in his 90's with congestive heart failure and regularly got colds. He was extremely uncomfortable but they didn't develop into life threatening illnesses.

Also when he was in the final years of his life, he would frequently have to go to the hospital. With the kind of potential strain on the hospital medical system, people needing *normal* hospitalization for their chronic conditions or emergencies will be thrown into the system to vie with scarce medical resources.

This virus seems to be more dangerous to lung function than a common cold which is the issue for older people and those with underlying conditions.
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thunderstorm




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 12:03 pm
*FIVE TOWNS SHULS CLOSE FOR SHABBOS*

A joint statement from several Five Towns Shuls has been sent out, to announce they will closed for Shabbos.

The statement reads as follows:

Dear Friends,

Many Rabbis in our community spent several hours last night considering the question of our shuls remaining open during this tumultuous time. We examined the issue from the perspective of the expert doctors in the field of infectious diseases from our local hospital systems (who were present), our poskim (who were there throughout the duration of the meeting) and with the heavy responsibility of the welfare of every one of our dear mispallelim in mind. We are writing to inform you that we have made the excruciating decision that our shuls will be closed for all services, shiurim, classes, children's and adult's programming effective today, Friday, March 13th, until further notice. We recognize and respect the decision of other neighborhood shuls in taking a different course of action.

We recognize the importance of our institution to the lives of our members of all ages. It is heartbreaking for us to have to come to this difficult decision, and it was made after days and hours of very careful deliberation. New reports this morning concerning the nature of communal spread, have contributed to our painful decision.

Because the situation is fluid, we will reevaluate these decisions on a regular and on-going basis. We will communicate with you as changes take place. Please take these days as a critical opportunity to intensify your prayers that all those who are not well, will be healed and that our community will be shielded from any further harm.

Let us together rise to the challenge of these difficult times and ensure that the most vulnerable in our community are well looked after and taken care of. Let us all actively pray for a speedy resolution to this pandemic.

We must try our best to stay home with only our immediate family and avoid unnecessary contact with others, and particularly avoid contact with substantial groups. We should only leave home when it is truly necessary. Thus:

1. Community members should not attend other minyanim and not form private minyanim in households. This will undermine our communal effort to stop the spread of coronavirus. Our Rabbis will lead by example and daven alone in their private homes.
2. All community members are strongly encouraged to work from home, if possible, and to stay home whenever possible.
3. People should not have gatherings for Shabbos meals.
4. We recommend our members use restaurants for take out only.
5. Sick and Shivah visits should be conducted by telephone or video calls. Shiva minyanim will not be meeting. The Avel should try to arrange for someone to recite kaddish on their behalf.
6. Funerals should be restricted to a graveside service with a small group of family members and a minyan.
7. We recommend minimizing Smachos to family and small amounts of guests and not attending large Smachos. Weddings (kiddushin) should not be canceled. The party should be limited or planned for a later date.
8. While the local Mikvaos will remain open, women under mandatory quarantine or who are experiencing symptoms may not use the Mikvah. Please feel free to call with any questions.

As you can see, these represent significant changes to our lives and many detailed questions will certainly emerge. The brief outline above cannot guide every particular situation. We will have to address each circumstance as it comes up based on professional expertise and religious guidance.

We recommend everyone take in Shabbos at least 5 minutes early this week and say Tehillim 91 and 142 as a zechus for our protection.

It is our deep and sincere hope that this unparalleled decision brings safety and health to our community. We are closing because social distancing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19. We urge all of you to do what you can to prevent the spread of this disease. Older individuals and those with underlying medical conditions should remain at home. Everyone should continue to vigorously wash hands with soap, and cover properly while sneezing and coughing.

It is our hope and prayer that our physical distance from one another will ultimately bind us to each other in our hearts, and inspire us to better appreciate the spiritual bond that we share.

We pray for a speedy recovery for all who are not well, and continued strength and vitality, spiritual and material success for all.

Wishing you a Shabbos of good health, introspection and happiness!

Rabbi Shalom Axelrod, Young Israel of Woodmere
Rabbi Heshy Billet, Young Israel of Woodmere
Rabbi Aaron Feigenbaum, Irving Place Minyan
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, Young Israel of Woodmere
Rabbi Kenneth Hain, Congregation Beth Sholom
Rabbi Simcha Hopkovitz, Young Israel of Hewlett
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, Beis HaKnesses of North Woodmere
Rabbi Avi Miller, Congregation Beth Sholom
Rabbi Yehuda Septimus, Young israel of North Woodmere
Rabbi Shay Schachter, Young Israel of Woodmere
Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst
Rabbi Ya’akov Trump, Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst
Rabbi Eliyahu Wolf, Young Israel of Woodmere
Rabbi Akiva Willig, Beis Medrash of Woodmere

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amother
Slategray


 

Post Fri, Mar 13 2020, 12:12 pm
westchester shuls received the same letter
greenwhich chabad is closed
stamford chabad is closed
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