Thank you for your patience over the last 16 months as Congregation Shalom shifted from in-person to virtual offerings. It is with great enthusiasm and gratitude that we welcome you back to the building effective July 1, 2021.
General Program Interruption Announcement
Status of employees and work from home plan
Religious/Sunday School & Hebrew School
Clergy Visits to Residential Seniors’ Facilities
General Operations as of July 1, 2021
Hours of Operation
Our office is open 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Thursday and 9 am to 2 pm on Friday..
Communication
When calling Congregation Shalom, you will hear a recorded message that provides instructions to either leave a message or connect directly to someone in the office. If you are calling after hours and need to speak with someone immediately, please call Linda Holifield at (414) 719-0210 or Abby Habush Schroeder (414) 915-4357.
Guidelines for In-Person Gatherings
A maximum of 150 people can be together in Samson Sanctuary and Klurfeld Hall. Fewer people can gather in Kesselman Chapel. As long as the number of people who can attend is capped, pre-registration is required.
Those who are vaccinated are not required to wear masks. Those who are not vaccinated are required to wear masks. We ask people who have not been vaccinated to wear masks to reduce the transmission of the virus to others who have not been vaccinated.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of illness or who has reason to be under quarantine are asked not to attend in-person gatherings.
To the extent possible, Congregation Shalom will continue offering virtual options.
Educational Programs
Religious/Sunday School & Hebrew School
Religious School (K4-10th Grades) and Hebrew School (Boker Tov Hebrew/Tuesday/Wednesday) has concluded for the year. We are grateful for our teachers, students and parents who showed perseverance and ingenuity during the pandemic. At this time we are formulating plans for the coming academic year. These programs will be held in-person in the fall.
We will provide registration information to families with school-age children during the summer.
B’nai Mitzvah Tutorial
For students presently engaged in B’nai Mitzvah studies, the Cantor and tutors will continue lessons virtually for now. We plan to return to in-person in the fall. The Cantor or synagogue staff will contact families to schedule appointments.
For new students to the program, the Cantor will contact families to set a date to begin tutorials.
If you have questions, please email the Cantor at cantorperper@cong-shalom.org.
Adult Education
As of right now, we are postponing all adult education classes and programs in the building until the fall. We will continue to offer meaningful virtual educational opportunities and programming. Please continue to check our calendar for opportunities.
Worship
Shabbat Evening Services
Beginning Friday, July 2, 2021, Shabbat Evening Services are st. Please note that our services will be streamed on our Youtube site or on our facebook site.
A digital copy of the siddur can be found here: https://www.ccarnet.org/publications/resources-repaginated/?fbclid=IwAR2zACNei2SxF7U6uICLDH5QxvvbdtztbZPgLaEMjKC3hS3ImQsNEq8clNw#
During these services, all names on the shiva, shloshim and Yahrzeit lists will be read.
We will continue to communicate changes to our policy through regular mail, email, Facebook, text messages and telephone calls.
Shabbat Morning Services
All Shabbat Morning Services are no longer open to the public until at least July 31st. Please note that our services will be streamed on our Youtube site or on our facebook site.
A digital copy of the siddur can be found here: https://www.ccarnet.org/publications/resources-repaginated/?fbclid=IwAR2zACNei2SxF7U6uICLDH5QxvvbdtztbZPgLaEMjKC3hS3ImQsNEq8clNw#
During these services, all names on the shiva, shloshim and Yahrzeit lists will be read.
We will continue to communicate changes to our policy through regular mail, email, Facebook, text messages and telephone calls.
Shabbat Morning Torah Study
Shabbat Morning Torah Study (held weekly on Saturday at 9am) will not take place in the building but will be available through Zoom. Click here to participate.
We will continue to communicate changes to our policy through email, Facebook, text messages and our calendar.
Daily Minyan
Daily Minyan will take place on Zoom and begin promptly at 5:45 pm Monday through Thursday. All names on the shiva list, shloshim list and Yahrzeit list will be read on shabbat.
Holiday Services
For services scheduled after July 31st there is currently no change. However, the CDC and the health department may change their policy pertaining to assemblies to preclude a group assembly of any number beyond the date of July 31st. If that is the case, we will continue to find innovative and prayerful ways to bring our community together.
Pastoral
Clergy Visits to Hospitals
There are significant changes to our Clergy’s Pastoral Practice when called to visit a hospital. Each hospital has its own policy. The visiting policy of hospitals is fluid and changing daily. Clergy will check with the hospital to see if it is possible to visit a congregant.
Currently most hospitals are not allowing entry to clergy. If we are able to visit congregants in the hospital, our practice continues to be the following: If our clergy is sick, we will not make visits. We ask that if you are sick that you make us aware of your sickness. It may be that our clergy will be wearing protective clothing when they visit. This is for your protection.
We are monitoring closely the decisions made by the CDC, the health department and the hospitals.
We will continue to communicate changes through email, Facebook, text messages and by phone.
Clergy Visits to Residential Seniors’ Facilities
There are significant changes to our Clergy’s Pastoral Practice when called to visit a congregant in a residential seniors’ facility. Each facility has its own policy. The visiting policy of the seniors’ facilities are fluid and changing daily. Clergy will check with the seniors’ facilities to determine if it is possible to visit..
Currently all Ovation Facilities are not allowing clergy visits under any circumstance. If you have a concern about a loved one in an Ovation Facility please contact us (414) 352-9288.
In the event that clergy are able to visit, our practice continues to be the following: if our clergy is sick, we will not make visits. We ask that if you are sick that you make us aware of your sickness. It may be that our clergy will be wearing protective clothing when they visit. This is for your protection.
We are monitoring closely the decisions made by the CDC, the health department and the hospitals and will continue to communicate changes through email, Facebook, text messages and by phone.
Clergy Home Visits
Clergy are restricted from making home visits with the exception of end of life care until July 31st when this policy will be re-evaluated. In the event that clergy is able to visit, our practice continues to be the following: if our clergy is sick, we will not make visits. We ask that if you are sick that you make us aware of your sickness. It may be that our clergy will be wearing protective clothing when they visit. This is for your protection.
We are monitoring closely the decisions made by the CDC and the health department and we will continue to communicate changes through email, Facebook, text messages and by phone.
Meetings
All meetings will either be cancelled, postponed or scheduled virtually through July 31st.
We will continue to communicate changes through email, Facebook, text messages and by our Calendar.
Shalom Cantor Update
The CHOIR REUNION SHABBAT, the CANTOR BERMAN AND FRIENDS CONCERT and the CELEBRATION EVENT HAVE BEEN POSTPONED
In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, we have done our part by postponing Choir Reunion Shabbat on March 20th, the Cantor Berman & Friends Concert on April 5th and the Celebration Event scheduled for May 30th. We will continue to monitor the situation to determine when we can safely reschedule these events later in the year.
For the latest information, go to cong-shalom.org and click on ShalomCantor. We will continue to update the ShalomCantor information.
Conclusion
Even with all these changes to our programs and worship services, what remains constant is our concern for those in our Shalom family. We are here for you and encourage you to reach out to us. While not the same as face-to-face meetings, connecting still makes a difference either by phone or zoom meeting. We continue to check in with all members. Also please complete the survey found at this link: click here so we can have a better understanding of your needs.
When the Israelites marched upon the sea it was a frightening experience. Behind our ancestors was Pharaoh and his army and in front of our ancestors was the violent churning sea. But God told our ancestors not to stay frozen in their fear and to move forward step by step; to enter the sea and that’s what they did. I often wonder what drove that courage in our ancestors. Some say it was the anguish of what was behind them. It certainly motivated them onwards. Others say it was the promise of what lay beyond the sea and that certainly filled their hearts with hope. However the fear was bearable because they were standing united as a community and they knew they would march into the future together. We are together. Even if it means we must reach out in ways that are less tangible and more ephemeral in nature, we know that we are standing side by side. And when this has passed, like our ancestors before us, we will sing with a new spirit and with a new song in our hearts as we continue on the journey to fulfill our promise.