With the state starting to open in phases, several industries have found themselves adapting to the new norm of group gatherings. On May 18, Gov. Charlie Baker launched the first phase of reopening, which allows houses of worship to resume services, as long as social distancing rules are followed.
President of Temple Tifereth Israel, Sandy Pellegrino, has learned firsthand what goes into establishing a socially distant service. Like other houses of worship, Temple Tifereth has been conducting services via Zoom. According to Pellegrino, Zoom services have been well-attended, but with the help of Student Rabbi, David Joslin, Cantor Craig Mael and Burt Figler, she is prepared to transition to in-person services, with a target date of June 13.
“With God’s help and guidance, we will continue our worship services as best we can…with commitment, perseverance, and hope,†said Pellegrino.
Going forward, services will be set up so there is more than enough space between congregants. Hand sanitizer and wipes will be present in the temple during all services and everything used will be wiped down thoroughly. Services, which typically run for one and a half hours on Saturdays and 45 minutes on Sundays will be shortened to accommodate the additional tasks necessary to have them run socially distant. The Saturday and Sunday services will no longer have food as an offering, to maintain hygiene safety.
“We will try to be in contact with everyone through the whole process via our Facebook page, phone and email to make sure everyone is updated.â€
As of now, starting on June 13th, services will be offered on Saturdays at 9:30 am and Sundays at 8:30 am and will be adjusted if necessary.
If you have any questions, please contact:
jewish-winthrop.org/