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Dear WSSS Family,
 
We are extremely happy, B’ezrat Hashem, to welcome you at our new Makom within West Side Institutional Synagogue (120 West 76th Street), first floor Beit Midrash.

While we have not met in person since Purim, we are proud and grateful to Hashem for the work of our beloved synagogue during these past few months, including of course the move to the new space, a rapid-response food initiative that has served since March 15 upward of 15,000 meals to hospital personnel, first responders, police officers, families and individuals throughout the city,  daily Zoom Tefilot,  a partnership with the Mizrahi worldwide movement, and virtual Torah programs in Hebrew, English, and French.  

Our most important asset remains our Ruah’ and spirit of unity.  Countless acts of friendship, H’esed, and Ahavat H’inam have carried this community through this period and before, and that is the spirit that we plan to bring forward with us.
We of course need to be extremely cautious to reopen in compliance with the social distancing safety guidelines that the local synagogues have adopted.  

These are:

Everyone needs to sign up for each Tefilah (please include all family members).  Please sign up as soon as possible so we can get a sense of who is in town and coming.  We must organize seats according to social distancing guidelines, so space is limited and the buidling policy is to admit only registered people.

We will provide Siddurim and H’umashim, but no Tallitot.  Please keep your Siddur/H’umash on your chair for the whole Shabbat (meaning, use the same for each Tefillah).  We will clean/disinfect them during the week.

Masks that fully cover the nose and mouth are mandatory inside WSIS.   

The WSIS staff will be taking temperatures when you enter the building, including on Shabbat.  Please collaborate with them; this practice has been adopted by the NYC Rabbanim.

Bathrooms will be cleaned often throughout the services. Please use both the bathrooms on the first floor, as well as on the second floor, to minimize any specific restroom’s usage. 

For the time being, there will be no groups in shul. Only children over the ages of 10 are permitted to attend any minyan, and of course they should wear masks and remain seated next to a parent for the entire duration of Tefilah.

Please keep in mind that, as Rav Ronen taught us many times, this is a period when we should be Makpid with Pikuah’ Nefesh.  For anyone who is not comfortable returning to services at this time, remaining at home is entirely acceptable.  There is no halakhic obligation to attend minyan if you are concerned about risks to your own health.  And, we will continue to Zoom Tefilah daily during Yemei H’ol, including when we have concurrent live Slih’ot.

It goes without saying that anyone who has cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, or a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, should stay home.  The same applies if you are returning from travel that requires quarantine or have had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID19.

While these are necessary safety measures that weigh on us, our overwhelming sentiment is excitement and gratitude at the prospect of being reunited as a community.   As many of you know, we are planning, with G-d’s help, a beautiful renovation and upgrade of the Beit Midrash.  We are working on the plans in coordination with WSIS, and we will get the work done after the Haggim.  We will be in touch with you individually to brief you.  Our intention is, as always, for our synagogue to be the people’s synagogue and for each and everyone of us to feel a stake in it. 

This Shabbat’s Parsha commands the Bnei Israel, as they prepare to enter the Land of Israel, to destroy the altars of idolatry and to seek out G-d “in the place where He chooses to establish His Name.”  In that Makom, the Parsha says, “you will eat before Hashem and be joyful with all of your accomplishments that Hashem will have blessed, you and your households.”  May we merit and receive Hashem’s Berakhot and to succeed together in bringing the Shekhina in our midst, and to see the final Ge’ula speedily within our lifetimes!