Jewish Community Is Anticipating Muted Celebra- Week, As People Hunkered Down in the Greater Phoenix Area Amid the Tions Amid COVID-19 Concerns
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HEADLINES | 9 SPECIAL SECTION | 13 FIGHTING ADDICTION PASSOVER Inspired by personal loss, Dessert, breakfast ideas sober house founder and Sephardi recipes for hopes to save others the Pesach holiday MARCH 27, 2020 | NISSAN 2, 5780 | VOLUME 72, NUMBER 14 $1.50 Synagogues become Community plans for smaller, virtual communities more intimate Passover seders ELLEN O’BRIEN | STAFF WRITER ELLEN O’BRIEN | STAFF WRITER hat does a Shabbat service look like with no congregants? How ith two weeks until Passover, the Greater Phoenix Wdoes one study Torah via a computer screen and a video link? This WJewish community is anticipating muted celebra- week, as people hunkered down in the Greater Phoenix area amid the tions amid COVID-19 concerns. With the rise of social COVID-19 pandemic, many synagogues had to find out. distancing and synagogues closing through the end “Everyone’s staying connected, that’s the goal,” said Rabbi Micah of March, people expect smaller family celebrations to Caplan of Congregation Or Tzion. “The goal is to have a connection for take the place of community seders and large hosted everybody and to have different outlets that we can provide for people gatherings. who really are yearning for some prayer and happiness and community. For many, canceling large seders can be especially Those are the things I think that people are looking for.” disheartening because it’s one of the most anticipated Congregation Or Tzion started livestreaming services on Friday night holidays of the year. and Saturday mornings, as well as Thursday’s minyan. The synagogue “There’s a reason why Passover is the most popu- also offers videos and a weekly blog to help members stay connected. lar festival in Judaism,” said Cantor Seth Ettinger of “These are the times that we’re living in, but we’re very grateful that Congregation Beth Israel. “This is the time that we we have technology like this,” Caplan said. “Even though physically we remember from when we were little kids that all of our are separated by social distancing, we’re still united as a group spiritually family would get together and each of us had ownership on things.” and emotionally. It might feel eerie or strange because the room is empty, A kosher for Passover food display at Fry’s Marketplace in but the room is full, because we know everybody’s there. Everyone’s there SEE SEDERS, PAGE 3 Scottsdale. PHOTO BY ELLEN O’BRIEN watching and everyone is there participating.” Debbie Blyn, executive director of Temple Chai, said that even before the synagogue became virtual only, many regular congregants were already making the choice to stay home and participate via livestream. Cookie goodness “The world has changed dramatically this week. I think by last week, Girl Scouts teamed up with members of Temple Chai and ABLE Financial to we all saw it coming, but it has changed dramatically,” she said. “It’s very donate boxes of cookies to refugees this month. Pictured from left are Girl Scout Isabelle Jacobs, Jenny Tatum from Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, frightening, and it’s not a place any of us want to be.” and Girl Scout Chloe Main. Temple Chai has been livestreaming services for over a year — “that is CHRISTIANNE MENESES JACOBS very much part of our culture now,” Blyn said. Nevertheless, when the SEE VIRTUAL, PAGE 2 KEEP YOUR EYE ON jewishaz.com NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL ISRAEL UJA-Federation of New York to assist Musical ambassador wants to El Al is preparing to bring New Yorkers with over $23 million break down barriers with art Israeli travelers home HEADLINES VIRTUAL municate and stay connected.” because of the technological limitation. It in a CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 She said congregants are responding well, way deepens our understanding of the subject synagogue recorded a message from Rabbi but “everybody has a different level of comfort and even our connection with one another, Mari Chernow and Cantor Ross Wolman with technology.” because it forces us to make an extra effort so on Monday, March 16, Blyn said the room “We’re all in it together, experimenting to speak, to really be in tune with the class itself didn’t feel the same without the congregation together,” Chizeck said. “I read something and with the participants of the class.” present. that really resonated with me, which was we Overall, the rabbi is hopeful that online ways “It’s the first time I can remember us ever need to be patient with one another and our- of learning and connecting will broaden the streaming something that had nobody in the selves as we go through this uncharted territory ways in which people are able to relate. room. It felt very, very different,” Blyn said. together and know that not everything will “Generally speaking, I think people should 2020 Phoenix “We’ve gotten good feedback and we had a lot work perfectly and that we will support each be looking for a new language that they will of engagement, but it’s a very, very different other in doing what we can and getting to the learn, a new way of connecting that will expand Jewish News type of engagement.” level that we wish to.” their horizon in general,” Allouche said. “I Nevertheless, Blyn said Temple Chai will Congregation Beth Tefillah has also moved think it could be the beginning of a new era Print Dates continue to share content to help community its services and classes online, with a virtual in Jewish learning, in Jewish connection and members stay engaged. prayer service twice a day and classes for in spirituality in general, where people learn to January 10 August 7 adults and children. The synagogue is using speak multiple languages to one another and to “We’re going to be regularly putting stuff January 24 August 28** Facebook, Zoom and YouTube to reach its God. And a language that is not just physical out like that to engage with our community February 7 September 4 and as a way for our clergy — even though they congregants and will soon launch a website but a language that is virtual, a language that can’t connect one on one — to help people to host online activities and classes, as well as a is emotional, a language that is heart to heart February 21 September 11 with the spiritual nourishment that they need virtual counseling platform. and soul to soul.” March 6 September 18 Rabbi Pinchas Allouche kicked off the online On Wednesday, March 18, Ahavas Torah and engage with our kids as well,” Blyn said. March 20 October 2 learning program with a class on “Controlling announced that the shul would be closed until In the midst of the shift to online learn- March 27 October 16 ing, Temple Emanuel of Tempe is installing our anxieties and navigating through uncertain further notice. In a letter to the community livestreaming abilities for the first time as well as times” on Wednesday, March 18. He said there on Thursday, March 19, 10 Orthodox rab- April 3 October 30 using other online tools to connect. The clergy are both pros and cons to the new format. bis, including Rabbi Ariel Shoshan of Ahavas April 17 November 6 “It feels different on multiple levels. First, Torah, announced the closing of all shuls and made a video for Erev Shabbat that was shared May 1 November 20 when you’re in a room full of people, I think shared guidelines for staying home, postpon- via email and Facebook, and Saturday morning May 15 December 4 Torah study will be available by Zoom. most people can sense the energy in the room ing simchas and canceling all minyanim and “We’re experimenting right now. We’re or even becoming tuned with the body lan- gatherings. June 5 December 18 testing different formats, seeing what reso- guage of people, and that does not exist on “The magnitude of this decision should June 5* a device, on Zoom, on any type of virtual impress upon every member of our community nates with people and what they respond to, July 10 *Best of Magazine what they’re looking for,” said Gerri Chizeck, class. So it’s harder on that level to connect to the seriousness of the situation. Life cannot July 31 **Annual Directory managing director of Temple Emanuel. “We’re people,” Allouche said. “On the other hand, proceed as usual, significant lifestyle changes using combinations of social media and Zoom I think that we are forced to listen more in an must be made,” the rabbinic statement said. and streaming — whatever we can to com- online class, to connect more with one another “At the same time, this is our opportunity to WWW.JEWISHAZ.COM OFFICE HOURS 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday 12701 N. 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