MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020

Congregants and Friends,

Last week Scott Wagner and I sent out our “Labri’ut/For Health” communication explaining that we were taking precautions to protect our community from the current COVID-19 threat.

We asked – and ask now – that those who are ill or have been exposed to someone who is ill refrain from entering the building. We also provided disinfecting and mitigation options once here. Now is now time to step up our efforts.

Beginning with this Shabbat (March 20-21, 2020), we will not be conducting in-person services
Services (7PM Fridays, 10AM Saturdays) will, instead, be live-streamed on our FACEBOOK PAGE until further notice
Find an online Siddur by clicking HERE

As a congregation/community, we are taking other measures as well:

We will NOT hold our Congregational Second-Night Seder on Thursday, April 9, 2020.
Our Religious School has communicated its plans to student families. Questions? Contact Jamie Smartt.
All Adult Education classes will be held online (details coming soon)
Bar/Bat Mitzvah studies will be conducted in an appropriate, non-face-to-face manner.
Congregational business will still be done through our office but we implore you to CALL or EMAIL instead of dropping by

I have just created a special email account cecovid@gmail.com for you to directly send me your COVID-19-related questions or concerns you may have. I will respond to inquiries as quickly as I can.

As a congregation and a community, we will get through this together, supporting each other, caring for each other, looking out for each other. Join our efforts by following CDC guidelines, and by reaching out (electronically) to neighbors and friends.

Stay safe. Labri’ut.

MICHAEL A. DAVIS

Rabbi, Congregation Emanu-El

PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020

Dear Congregants and Visitors,

The Hebrew response when someone sneezes, is to say, “labri’ut.” Labri’ut literally means “to/for the health” (similar to the German, gesundheit). It for this reason, “for the health” of our community, that we are taking measures to help address concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19).

We, at Congregation Emanu-El, are closely monitoring CDC updates, as well as Kansas and Sedgwick County developments. We will continue to hold our Shabbat services, but will be taking every action possible to keep us all safe.

Please do not come to Temple if:

You or anyone in your family or social/work circles is experiencing COVID-19 SYMPTOMS, including fever, intense coughing, vomiting, or diarrhea, etc. CALL your healthcare provider for instructions on how to seek medical help. Please do NOT go directly to an office, urgent care or ER.

If you have been exposed to someone infected or exhibiting symptoms, please wait 14 DAYS before returning to Temple.

What you can do while you are at the Temple:

When you arrive, you may use a disinfecting wipe on entrance door handle. Then, use the hand sanitizer just inside the entrance.
Avoid hugging, kissing, and shaking hands. Consider adopting alternatives such as waving or bumping elbows (we’ve also adopted the Spock/Cohein, split-fingered greeting).
Refrain from kissing the Torah, mezuzot, prayer books, etc. This includes during the hakafah (when we carry the Torah around during the service).
Cough or sneeze into a tissue or sleeve, not your hand.

What CONGREGATION EMANU-EL is doing:

Extra food safety precautions (including pre-slicing challah).
We have placed hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes at the Temple entrance and by the bathroom doors.
We will provide updates as needed.

Whether you come to Temple or not, please feel free to reach out to us or to each other, for information and for comfort.

Remember CDC GUIDELINES state: stay home if you are sick, wash your hands for at least twenty seconds (one verse of Hatikvah), avoid unnecessary crowds.