Kehilat
Or Menorah
www.ormenorah.com
Rabbi Doug Zelden – Rav
Dov Steinberg - Shul President
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7006 N. California Ave. Chicago, IL 60645
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Dear Members & Friends of Or Menorah,
As we have been following the guidelines of the OU & cRc and P'sak of the Rabbanim, we are preparing to soon begin holding limited Minyanim with guidelines, with masks, and with social distancing Our seating structure has changed and the way we daven, at the start of this trial partial reopening, will be a little bit different and a little bit shorter in length. Because of guidelines, the shul will not be completely open and commitment to attend and be on time will be necessary. No food or drink will be available and washroom use will be only for emergencies, to avoid close contact with others. Also it's preferable we bring our own Siddurim and Chumashim. We will share more as the next couple of weeks are evaluated before the official partial opening. Everyone should still follow shul on-line (outside of Shabbat) and continue to daven at home unless you can commit to being part of each trial minyan that will occur during this trial partial opening.
We look forward to a complete opening for men, women, children, and the entire community with Kiddush & Shaloshudos resuming along with new weekday community minyanim, very soon in the future. Please watch your email for more info in the coming days and weeks.
Rabbi Doug Zelden, Rav
Dov Steinberg, Shul President
and The Or Menorah Board of Directors
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Below is the cRc letter to the community concerning recommendations for partial trial reopening of shul minyanim.
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CHICAGO RABBINICAL COUNCIL
cRc
2701 W. Howard Street · Chicago, IL 60645-1303 · (773) 465-3900 www.crcweb.org Fax · (773) 465-6632
ח' סיון תש"פ - 5.31.2020
SHUL REOPENING GUIDELINES
With both trepidation and gratitude, we offer the following guidelines for the initial re-opening of our shuls. As indicated in our previous letter, based on the recent decrease in the spread of COVID-19 and the OU/RCA recommended 14-day delay in opening our shuls, we anticipate the guidelines can be implemented beginning the week of June 14, 2020. These guidelines were developed in consultation with public health and medical experts and are founded on the safety of our community (pikuach nefesh). However, we recognize that each shul is unique. We urge every shul to establish a committee of professionals to work alongside their Rav to create the safest approach to re-opening.
At this time, shuls will be open only for minyan. If there is sufficient room for adequate social distancing, minyanim may include up to 15 people. Each shul needs to evaluate the ideal location for minyanim, whether indoors or outdoors. Both have challenges and advantages, and the setting which provides the best opportunity for control and distancing, should be chosen. There will be no on-site classes, study, food service, or playgroups. Bathrooms may be open, but only one person at a time may use the bathroom.
People over 65 who are in good health and wish to attend a minyan must present to the Rav a note from their doctor attesting that they are not at a higher risk of infection and that it is safe for them to attend the minyan.
Every minyan participant must:
1. wear a face mask over their nose and mouth.
2. wash their hands with water and soap, or use hand sanitizer as soon as entering the shul.
3. be assigned a davening location that is at least eight feet away from anyone else's davening location.
4. bring their own siddur and chumash or have an assigned siddur and chumash that will not be used by anyone else.
5. affirm that they are symptom-free, that they will abide by the rules of distancing and hygiene, and if G-d forbid, they develop
any symptoms, they will immediately contact the Rav of the shul who will then inform the other members of that minyan.
Every minyan should:
1. be pre-assigned through a sign-up system. Ideally, the same people should be part of the same minyan throughout the week.
2. have one person responsible to ensure that only those people assigned to the minyan are present and that all hygiene and
distancing requirements are strictly observed.
The length of minyanim should be kept to a minimum. Unnecessary gathering should be avoided, and entry and exit should be done quickly and maintaining social distance. All minyanim will be without singing, and all participants will be asked to maintain a quieter tone and not to project their voices. The Shaliach Tzibur and Ba'al Keriah will perform their functions in a low-key voice.
We encourage shuls to create simulcasting of their minyanim to allow people to remotely participate, which according to a number of eminent poskim would count for them at least as a partial fulfillment of Tefillah b'Tzibur.
Additional halachic guidelines will be provided to shul rabbis to address ways to further limit contact (i.e., length of davening, such as starting at Yishtabach), procedures for Torah reading (e.g., having the ba'al keriah receive all the aliyos, or having the oleh stand at a distance), and other items.
We pray that as we re-enter our shuls that we be guided by Hashem to appreciate these sacred places of מקדש מעט in our midst, and that we merit a refuah shlaima for all whom have been afflicted. May we blessed with a complete ישועה בקרוב
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Rosh Beth Din:
RABBI GEDALIA DOV SCHWARTZ שליט''א
Av Beth Din:
RABBI YONA REISS שליט''א
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We are all
#in this together!
STAY HOME - STAY SAFE - STAY HEALTHY
PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING!
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Please take care of your 5780 membership, and any yizkor pledges or past due donations.
To donate with a credit card, go to:
http://donate.ormenorah.com
Please be up to date! We need your support!
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Or Menorah
www.OrMenorah.com
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