4/7/2021 You must read the updated guidelines before attending any minyan at Keter Torah. Those who traveled for Pesach should carefully read the guidelines before registering. These guidelines apply to children as well. Registration is only required for morning minyanim and youth programs. Click here for updated Guidelines

4/2/2021 Yizkor To Make Your Yizkor Donation, click here Yizkor Guidelines • Yizkor is recited on Sunday, the last day of Pesach. If you cannot be at Shul, it can be said at home. • Yizkor at Shul: The entire Yizkor will be said quietly at all minyanim, with a Keil Maleh for all loved ones made by the Gabbai at the conclusion. To make sure that Yizkor can be said in a safe way, we are requesting that all of those who do not say Yizkor should remain at their seats and read the memorial prayers for the Kedoshim of the Holocaust and the soldiers of Tzahal who died Al Kidush Hashem to themselves. No one should gather outside of the minyanim as typically done. • Yizkor Candle: The yahrtzeit candle should be lit for Yom Tov. One Yizkor light serves adequately to recall everyone for whom we may be saying Yizkor. • Before Yizkor you should make a gift to tzedakakh, as the main function of the Yizkor recitation is to serve as a context in which to pledge charity in the merit of deceased loved ones. • One begins saying Yizkor the first holiday after the passing of a loved one.

3/17/2021 Registration is only required for Shabbat morning minyanim. All guidelines still apply.

3/12/2021 • Please note a change in our policies for those who have been fully vaccinated. Click here, for updated guidelines. • Registration for weekday minyanim, Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat Mincha/Ma’ariv is no longer required; all guidelines still apply.

3/10/2021 • Registration for weekday minyanim, Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat, and Shabbat Mincha/Ma'ariv is no longer required. • All guidelines still apply. • You can now register your entire pod with one form (men and women must register in separate pods). • There is no longer a question asking if you are bringing children. If you are bringing children with you to a minyan, please include them in your registration.

3/5/2021 • Please note a change in our policies for those who have been fully vaccinated. Click here, for updated guidelines. • Registration is required for all Shabbat on-campus minyanim and events. • Registration for weekday minyanim is no longer required; all guidelines still apply.

2/26/2021 • Registration is required for all Shabbat on-campus minyanim and events. • Registration for weekday minyanim is no longer required; all guidelines still apply. • Teen Minyan is resuming this week. If it is too cold or raining, the minyan will move to the Beit Midrash.

2/25/2021 • You can now register your entire pod with one form (men and women must register in separate pods). • There will no longer be a question asking if you are bringing children. If you are bringing children with you to a minyan, please include them in your registration. • Starting Sunday there will be no need to register for weekday minyanim. All guidelines still apply. • We have added some capacity at all minyanim but still with distancing and all safety precautions.

2/19/2021 Notes From Rabbi Baum • It is nice to see such a robust registration for , and more people safely coming back to shul for daily and Shabbat minyanim. There are still slots available for Purim, click here to register, password: Purim5781, but please do not request to attend a closed-out minyan. For safety reasons, we can no longer make accommodations. • We understand that many of our members or their families have been vaccinated and are looking for flexibility in anticipation of Pesach. Updated guidelines will be sent after Purim, and will ideally reflect these hopeful changes. • Weekday Minyanim: We would love to have you participate at our various minyanim. You do not have to register for an entire week, and you can inform us on the day of the minyan that you would like to attend. • I look forward to greeting you and your families on Purim outside of our home - drive-by style. • Singing in Shul: We will be re-introducing some soft singing this Shabbat for Lecha Dodi & Kel Adon. • We will be moving all Kriat Hatorah readings to the middle of the room and the Megillah will be read from there as well. • Please use the following links to contribute to the best of your ability. SHABBAT ZACHOR GUIDELINES • We have added additional slots for Zachor. The readings will not begin before the times listed below. • A minyan is preferred for these extra readings; however, the reading may take place even in the absence of a minyan. • If you miss these readings, you can listen to the Torah reading on Purim day to satisfy the requirement of Parshat Zachor. In addition, if you miss the Shabbat or Purim reading, it is best to be in Shul on Parshat Ki Tetze (August 21) and listen to that , which is the reading of Zachor. • Anyone who is in quarantine, or, for health reasons, has not been leaving home, should read Parshat Zachor in their chumash. Hopefully, you will be available to hear a “live reading” on Purim, or on August 21. Zachor Readings: • 8:45am in the Ballroom (following 7:30 Minyan) • 10:30am in the Main Sanctuary (following 9:00am Minyan) • 10:30am in the Patio Tent (following 9:30am Minyan) • 11:00am in the Ballroom (following 9:15 am minyan) • 11:00am in the Patio Tent (Those registered for Youth Groups will hear this reading) • 5:10pm in the Ballroom (10 minutes before 5:20pm Mincha)

2/17/2021 • You can now register your entire pod with one form. • At this point, and at least until Purim, you cannot vaccinate out of the guidelines. We hope, with medical consolation, to make some adjustments in anticipation of Pesach. • Some soft singing will resume this Shabbat at Lecha Dodi and Kel Adon. • You can register for weekday minyanim even if you can only attend occasionally. You can also contact the Shul to register on the day before a minyan to attend for shacharit or the day of for Mincha and Ma'ariv. This does not apply to Purim

2/12/2021 Click here for Purim Guidelines

2/5/2021 SPECIAL SAFETY NOTES – MASKS OVER NOSE & MOUTH; DISTANCES OF AT LEAST 6 FEET 1. Anyone who has been overseas or has traveled beyond the immediate region (NY, CT, PA, DE) CANNOT attend a minyan, shiur or program for 14 days after returning to NJ. There is no “testing out” of this requirement. 2. At this point, there is no way to “vaccinate out” of any part of these guidelines. 3. Please click here for the expanded version of the most updated guidelines.

1/29/2021 SPECIAL SAFETY NOTES – MASKS OVER NOSE & MOUTH; AT LEAST 6 FEET DISTANCING 1. Anyone who has been overseas or has traveled beyond the immediate region (NY, CT, PA, DE) cannot attend a minyan, shiur or program for 14 days after returning to NJ. There is no “testing out” of this requirement. 2. At this point, there is no way to “vaccinate out” of any part of these guidelines. 3. Please click here for the expanded version of the most updated guidelines.

1/22/2021 SPECIAL SAFETY NOTES – 1. All attendees must wear masks over their mouths and noses and are required to maintain social distancing of at least SIX FEET both INSIDE & OUTSIDE the shul building. 2. At this point, there is no way to “vaccinate out” of any part of these guidelines. 3. Anyone who has been overseas or has traveled beyond the immediate region (NY, CT, PA, DE) cannot attend a minyan, shiur or program for 14 days after returning to NJ. There is no “testing out” of this requirement. 4. Please click here for the expanded version of the most updated

1/15/2021 SPECIAL SAFETY NOTES –

All attendees must wear masks over their mouths and noses and are required to maintain social distancing of at least SIX FEET both INSIDE & OUTSIDE the shul building.

Anyone who has been outside the Metropolitan NY area cannot attend a minyan for 14 days after returning to NJ. There is no “testing out” of this requirement. This includes students returning from Israel, even if they have antibodies.

Please click here for the most updated guidelines.

Notes From Rabbi Baum Many of our members have shared with me their deep feelings of affection for Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer, z”l, of the Young Israel of West Hempstead. He was a giant of kindness and of Torah. Like many of my colleagues, I was privileged to learn from him. I will share one of the lessons that he taught me at the 9:15am minyan this Shabbat.

We are looking for a regular Baal Korei for the 7:30am Hashkama minyan beginning next Shabbat, Parshat , and for the daily Monday & Thursday 6:45am minyan. A special note of thanks to Yosef “Joe” Tropp for his incredible dedication over the last seven months in laining and assisting Rabbi Baum and the Gabbaim in many areas. We presented a set of Seforim to Yosef in recognition of his inspiring efforts.

Please join us this Motzei Shabbat at 7:15pm for a program with Dr Jarret who has been active in advising us regarding our safety protocols. To register for this program, visit www.jfnnj.org/virtualevents.

Please see the STAYCATION flyer for many Yeshiva Week events on our shul campus. Thank you to those who sponsored in memory of Howard Feintuch, z”l.

Ice Cream Truck & Amazon comes to Motzei Shabbat learning. We have special events planned for 1/23 & 1/30, the last two weeks of Motzei Shabbat Drive-in Learning. On 1/23 all children who register & attend will receive an Amazon gift card, courtesy of an anonymous sponsor. On 1/30, a soft serve ice cream truck will be joining us for great ice cream treats. Thank you to Gail & Binyamin Rieder and family for sponsoring the ice cream truck.

1/8/2021 SPECIAL SAFETY NOTES – All attendees must wear masks over their mouths and noses and are required to maintain social distancing of at least SIX FEET both INSIDE & OUTSIDE the shul building. Anyone who has been outside the Metropolitan NY area cannot attend a minyan for 14 days after returning to NJ. There is no “testing out” of this requirement. This includes students returning from Israel, even if they have antibodies. Please click here, for the most updated guidelines.

Notes From Rabbi Baum

Special Daf Hashavua Shiur this Monday night - we are joining together with other local Shuls for a Zoom shiur with Rabbi Mordechai Willig. See details below, and kol hakavod to our special group for their hard work and engagement throughout Masechet Yevamot.

Look out for Yeshiva Week STAYCATION @Keter Torah With the gift of our incredible campus and under the leadership of Rivki and the youth department, we will be presenting daily outdoor activities during Yeshiva Week. With so many families staying home this year and with the constant and necessary messages of what we cannot do, I felt the need for us to offer positive, fun and safe programming of what we can do. Rivki, as usual, is taking it to the next level. Thank you to Rivki, Yocheved and to all of their helpers and leaders. Look out for the exciting events!

1/7/2021 Torah Thoughts Regarding January 6, 2021 Shalom Baum

With the start of the Book of , we will be introduced this Shabbat to a despotic ruler. The in Sotah (11a) tells us that Pharaoh had three advisors with whom he consulted to develop his plan for violence against the innocent. Balaam actively encouraged Pharaoh in his nefarious plan. Later, in the Book of Bamidbar, Balaam continued to oppose peaceful coexistence with the Jewish nation, leading to his just killing by them. In contrast, opposed Pharaoh’s tactics, and he had to flee for his life to a secure location. He was later rewarded, as his descendants became prominent judges in Israel. Iyov, who opposed Pharaoh’s plans, remained silent as he likely realized that speaking up wouldn’t accomplish any change. Yet the Talmud tells us that, because he remained mute, he was afflicted with a life of suffering. Why was he punished if, as proven with Yitro, protesting would have not only been useless, but would have endangered his life? The Griz, Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik, explains that Iyov should have spoken up because, when we have an opportunity to scream in dissent and are silent, we have done wrong. It isn’t only about the result – silence in the face of incitement and violence is not an option. Silence is unacceptable.

I thought about this while at shul (in the tent minyan) on Wednesday night, just hours after the violence in Washington. Although our shul is a politically free zone, we added a chapter of Tehillim in prayers for peace and clarity. However, prayer, although a fundamental resource, is limited if it is not accompanied by human action and reflection. While everyone is responsible for their own behavior, especially crimes, both Jewish and American law have categories of speech that are deemed provocative and hurtful. A sitting President, or any other politician or person, with a pattern of disparaging and demeaning people, even patriots and those closest to him, combined with speeches that can incite or inflame, plays a role in what the country experienced this week. We should never become immune to insults and provocations by speech, writing, tweets or other forms of communication. It is crucial that we educate ourselves, our families and our communities about this tragedy and its use as an opportunity to speak out against the perpetrators of these and other crimes and against those who fan the flames of frustrated agitators. We should find balance and non-duplicity in this approach and spend as much time and energy evaluating our own behavior and words as we do in assessing others. We should recommit ourselves to being models of good behavior, refined speech and servants of Hashem in every sphere of divine and human interaction. Hashem should give us the insight to cultivate the discipline to be modest in our victories, humble in our disappointments and peaceful in our disagreements.

12/25/2020 Note From Rabbi Baum. The Halacha demands of us to protect ourselves and others. You should make arrangements to be vaccinated as soon as it is “your turn” and contact your medical provider with any particular concerns that you may have. Please see the notes and flyers below for two upcoming programs that we are promoting and cosponsoring relating to the pandemic and getting vaccinated.

12/23/2020 Note From Rabbi Baum: We have decided to keep all youth programs, including Teen Minyan outside. At this point, supervision and safety compliance is too complex for us to maintain inside.

12/4/2020 SPECIAL SAFETY NOTES 1. Mask over mouth and nose. SIX FEET social distancing - INSIDE & OUTSIDE. 2. Anyone who has been overseas or outside of the Metropolitan NY area cannot attend a minyan for 14 days after returning to NJ. There is no "testing out" of this requirement. 3. Please see the registration forms for additional guidelines.

12/2/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum: Please see the attached notice from the RCBC including a note about our local hospitals, smachot and masks. At Keter Torah, we will continue to offer youth groups outside of the building, and as long as there is a demand, we will offer outdoor minyanim throughout the winter. I thank Rabbi Schiowitz for his leadership of the RCBC. I was given the privilege of heading the nominations for the new board of the RCBC, which will, bs”d, continue to serve our community with distinction. RCBC Letter

11/27/2020 SPECIAL SAFETY NOTES 1. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND MINYANIM OR SHIURIM IF YOU ARE NOT COMMITTED TO WEARING A MASK OVER YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE AND SOCIALLY DISTANCING AT LEAST SIX FEET - EVEN WHEN OUTSIDE. 2. Until further notice, there will be no singing at the inside minyanim. 3. Please do not bring your coffee with you into the minyan. 4. Please see the registration forms for additional guidelines.

11/20/2020 Dear friends, Our community has not escaped the recent significant surge in virus cases in our country and state. There has been an increase in cases at our local hospitals. While we continue to keep our shul open, we are doing so with many safeguards in place, and all of our davening, youth events, and shiurim are very far from back to normal. As the Midrash records about Yaakov, from the time he was in Rivka's womb he was attracted to holy places. While it has been inspiring to see such a wonderful response to events, such as our drive-in Motzei Shabbat learning, we yearn for the days of full operation within our holy Beit Elokim. With Thanksgiving and Chanukah approaching, every family has to accept that this year will be different from the past. We hope and pray that we will be able to have our extensive gatherings את הרואה next year, and that we will operate this year with the philosophy and halacha of anticipating the possible consequences of our actions. Please be in touch with your הנולד, medical provider to help you evaluate any particular situation that you are dealing with. Best wishes for a safe and special Shabbat. Rabbi Shalom Baum

10/29/2020 Campus Minyanim With the weather getting cooler and the imminent changing of the clock, we will occasionally make some adjustments to the davening for the outdoor minyanim. We will have the Shabbat and daily outdoor minyanim for as long as they can be maintained . For now, the daily Mincha / Ma'ariv minyan will continue to meet outdoors. On most evenings, beginning next week, there will be Heicha Kedusha for Mincha with Ma'ariv beginning immediately after Mincha.

This Shabbat, the 7:45am and 9:30am outdoor minyanim will begin at Nishmat.

Please sign up for Shabbat minyanim before 11:00pm tonight, Thursday. The registration will close at that time. For safety reasons we need to keep to this absolute deadline. Everyone must reregister weekly for Shabbat minyanim; no pop ins or exceptions.

Weekday minyanim: Shacharit Inside: Monday and Thursday at 6:45am; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:55am; Sunday at 8:30am Shacharit Outside: Monday-Friday at 7:15am; Sunday at 8:00am Mincha/Ma'ariv Outside: Sunday-Thursday, November 1-5, at 4:40pm

If you are already signed up for the weekday minyanim, there is no need to reregister, except for the Sunday morning inside minyan.

Once we change the clocks, if you are interested in a zman Mincha on Shabbat afternoon, email [email protected] and include preference for indoors or outside.

10/20/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum

Dear Friends, For the foreseeable future, we will continue to offer two Shabbat morning minyanim inside and two outside. There are still two off campus Keter Torah sanctioned minyanim taking place on most days. We thank the hosts for their hospitality.

We are excited to continue to expand our youth programming this coming Shabbat with more information to come from Rivki later in the week. This will also include Teen Minyan on a more consistent basis and groups for many of our younger children this week and more in the future. All youth programs, for now, will meet outside, and we will use all space available to make it as safe as possible.

Look out for information on a unique type of Live Motzei Shabbat learning.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

In the future: 7:15am inside minyan.

If you are already signed up for the weekday minyanim, there is no need to reregister, except for the Sunday morning inside minyan. If, in the future, you would be interested in attending a 6:00am or 8:10am weekday minyan, please email, [email protected].

10/13/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum Regarding Minyanim & Registration

Thank You Thank you again for a beautiful Yom Tov season. The Kehilla's high level of respect and compliance for our safety measures, in a spiritually inspiring environment, allows us to continue to offer as many options as possible. Your overwhelming response to our most successful Kol Nidrei Appeal is a reflection of this commitment. We still are accepting Kol Nidrei & Yizkor donations.

Click here to participate in the Appeal.

Minyanim As the weather gets cooler, we appreciate the challenges for those who are still most comfortable davening outside. We are committed to maintain one outdoor tent for as long as there is a demand and it is safe to do so. Even in the winter months when it will likely be too cold for an outdoor Shacharit minyan, we will strive to keep the daily Mincha/Ma'ariv outside but with a shorter service of Heicha Kedusha and no learning between MIncha & Ma'ariv. Much of this is to be determined and will be dependent on registration. Please see the note below regarding the possibility of additional Shacharit minyanim.

Shabbat Minyanim For at least the next month we hope to offer four on campus Shabbat morning minyanim, two inside and two outside. Early registration is encouraged. Details will also follow regarding Teen Minyan, Junior Congregation and limited youth groups.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

10/9/2020 Thank You We have had a meaningful Yamim Noraim and season at Keter Torah. Our membership has been phenomenal in following the guidelines and in helping to generate a spiritual environment of Tefila and Torah. This includes our on campus and off campus minyanim.

Shame and Inward Looking We are all shocked by the disgraceful and shameful behavior in other communities, including, but not limited to weak compliance, violence and the rejection of accepted scientific findings. We have some of our own challenges in this community including but not limited to weak compliance and the rejection of accepted scientific findings. I am not commenting on the degree of this issue in our community but any amount is too much. I just learned that there has been a small but noticeable increase in Covid related cases at two of our local hospitals and we know that often people get sick due to absolutely no fault of their own. None of this rouge behavior will be tolerated at Keter Torah or at our sanctioned minyanim. It shouldn't be acceptable on your block or at your homes. For those not joining our shul for Yom Tov, we are always thinking about you.

Messaging I have sent an audio recording to all on campus participants. Please listen to it so that we can make sure that davening takes place at Keter Torah this Yom Tov. There is also new signage at the shul, reminding everyone to not only "mask up" but to socially distance. We can have a meaningful Yom Tov and with your continued help it will be a safe and beautiful one. I look forward to seeing you and to the over 200 people who will be at the special youth event. While we will not have Kol Hanearim we will be able to briefly sing HAMALACH HAGOEL together with our children.

Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach Rabbi Shalom Baum

10/6/2020 A Note from Rabbi Baum:

While we are grateful for what we do have, will not be the same this year. The changes are being made to provide our Shul with a halachikly sound holiday, a spiritual experience but with the awareness that there is still a pandemic in the world. I am deeply moved by the reaction to our efforts, the moving Yomim Noraim and Sukkot davening, and the incredible response to our ongoing Kol Nidrei Appeal. I had the privilege of visiting all of the campus and off-campus minyanim on Sukkot and we appreciate the overwhelming compliance to our safety standards. Some of the off-campus minyanim have either ended, or will be ending soon, and we thank all of the hosts for their diligence and commitment to our Shul. While we continue to celebrate the chag of “hiddur mitzvah," we are reminded that the most beautiful way to glorify the name of Hashem is through our acts of kindness and compassion (Shabbat 133).

• Please understand that in addition to all of the other guidelines, even if you are davening outside and wearing a mask, you must socially distance from people that are not in your family seating group. There is absolutely no socializing allowed and the minyan will end immediately if groups are gathering during davening, Torah reading, or Hakafot.

While the entire schedule for Yom Tov will be sent out later in the week, I wanted to bring these details to your attention.

Friday, : Shacharit in the Main Sanctuary at 6:30am; in the patio tent at 6:45am To register, visit www.ketertorah.org. Only the leader walks around the bima

Shemini Atzeret: • Kohelet which is typically read on morning, will be offered twice on campus after Mincha. If you cannot make it to the public reading, you can read it on your own. • Yizkor at Shul will be done the same way that it was on Yom Hakippurim: The entire Yizkor will be said quietly at all minyanim, with a Keil Maleh for all loved ones made by the Gabbai at the conclusion. To make sure that Yizkor is able to be said and in a safe way, we are requesting that all of those who do not say Yizkor, should remain at their seats, and read the memorial prayers for the Kedoshim of the Holocaust and the soldiers of Tzahal who died Al Kidush Hashem, to themselves. No one should gather outside of the minyanim as typically done. • Hakafot will be greatly abridged both at night and during the day. • One or two people (depending on Torah availability) will lead all of the hakafot around the table where the Torah is read. EVERYONE else responds from their seats. In hakafah 1, 2, 6 & 7 one song will be sung after the recitation of ANA HASHEM. All will sing at their conversational voice. For the other hakafot only the Ana Hashem.... will be said. This will not be as exciting as usual, and we will miss the kumzitz, but with everyone's participation it will be a joyous celebration of the Torah. • On Simchat Torah day most people will not receive aliyot & Kol Hamearim will sadly be omitted this year.

Youth Event I look forward to seeing the children who attend Shul and the many kids who will join us in the afternoon for the special youth event. Thank you to Robyn & Shukie Grossman for generously sponsoring the event. ALL adults and children will be socially distanced and wearing masks. There are no exceptions and registration is required. The event is already near capacity, so please register before Thursday at 10:00am to guarantee a place. Registration required; please click here to join.

Junior Congregation - This Shabbat from 9:45-10:45am Junior congregation for children in 5th and 6th grade, will take place this Shabbat, Shemini Atzeret, behind the Shul, in the shady area. Masks and social distancing required. Maximum of 20 participants. Registration required. To register, contact Avi Rothwachs at [email protected] before Friday at 1:00pm.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

10/6/2020 Linked below is the registration for Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah. To best serve the needs of our community, the minyanim (subject to registration) are set up in a similar way that we implemented the seating for the first days of Sukkot. You should choose a location based on the Shacharit starting time and remain at the same location for both days. All Shacharit minyanim will begin at Brachot.

To guarantee a spot, please register before Thursday, October 8, at 11:00pm. We apologize in advance, however, for planning and safety purposes, this deadline will be kept without exception.

Please note that you and any guests that you would like to bring to a minyan must follow our established guidelines. These include: • At all of the minyanim and shiurim, social distancing is required and masks must be worn over the mouth and nose prior to entering the Shul campus. Masks with “filters,” and bandanas, are absolutely not allowed at any of our minyanim /shiurim. Please do not walk around and socialize during, before, and after davening or shiurim. • Anyone who has come to New Jersey within the last 14 days from a state that is currently on the NJ quarantine list cannot attend any minyan. This applies to both residents and guests, including those arriving from Israel. • Please bring your own siddurim or machzorim, talesim, and head coverings to Shul. These will not be available.

9/30/2020 Linked below is the registration for the first two days off Sukkot. To best serve the needs of our community, the minyanim (subject to registration) are set up in a similar but not identical way that we implemented the seating for the Yamim Noraim. You should choose a location based on the Shacharit starting time and remain at the same location for both days. All Shacharit minyanim will begin at Brachot.

For planning and safety purposes, to guarantee a spot, please register before tomorrow, Thursday at 11:00pm.

Please note that you and any guests that you would like to bring to a minyan must follow our established guidelines. These include: • At all of the minyanim and shiurim, social distancing is required and masks must be worn over the mouth and nose prior to entering the Shul campus. Masks with “filters,” and bandanas, are absolutely not allowed at any of our minyanim /shiurim. Please do not walk around and socialize during, before, and after davening or shiurim. • Anyone attending a minayn, including guests, who has come within the last 14 days, from a State that is currently on the NJ quarantine list cannot attend any minyan. This sadly also applies to anyone arriving from Israel. • Please bring your own machzor to Shul. Talesim and head coverings are also not available at Shul.

9/27/2020 • At all of the minyanim, social distancing is required and masks must be worn over the mouth and nose. Masks with “filters,” and bandanas are absolutely not allowed at any of our minyanim. Please do not walk around and socialize during, before, and after davening. • The davening will be beautiful, even if somewhat abridged. When singing or response davening take place the congregation is asked to hum along or to sing softly and respond no louder than your conversational voice. Your compliance is critical to keep everyone safe and comfortable. • Yizkor will be recited approximately 90 minutes after the start of davening, except for the 7:00 and 10:00am parking lot tent minyanim, where it will be recited earlier. These times are best estimates, with no guarantees, and yizkor can be said without a tzibbur, if missed. • Yizkor at Shul: The entire Yizkor will be said quietly at all minyanim, with a Keil Maleh for all loved ones made by the Gabbai at the conclusion. To make sure that Yizkor is able to be said and in a safe way, we are requesting that all of those who do not say Yizkor, should remain at their seats, and read the memorial prayers for the Kedoshim of the Holocaust and the soldiers of Tzahal who died Al Kidush Hashem, to themselves. No one should gather outside of the minyanim as typically done. • On Yom Kippur, there is "bowing" during alenu by the baal tefilla and the tzibur. If on grass, there is no need to have something between you and the grass. Cement should not be an issue, unless it is pure stone, and even then, most people bow anyway. Bowing during the Avodah part of davening should only be done inside of a shul. • The Kohanim will be washing their own hands. Please bring bottled water and a cup which will be poured over a sink or the cement outside the shul or a home. The Kohanim will be socially distanced and will not sing this Yom Tov. • over wine and a fire that was lit before Yom Tov should be said at home. • Please check the lists at your minyan to ensure you are sitting in your proper seat, as it may not be the same as for .

9/25/2020 Safety Guidelines: • At all of the minyanim and shiurim, social distancing is required and masks must be worn over the mouth and nose prior to entering the Shul campus. Masks with "filters," and bandanas, are absolutely not allowed at any of our minyanim /shiurim. Please do not walk around and socialize during, before, and after davening or shiurim. • Please bring your own siddur and chumash to Shul. Talesim and head coverings are also not available at Shul.

9/21/2020 Thank you for a beautiful Yom Tov. Our deliberate process of reentry, your tremendous compliance, and our deep need to connect to Hashem and each other, contributed to making it a beautiful, somewhat cold, but very warm davening at our on-and off-campus. As you saw, no expense was spared to make it as safe and comfortable as possible. We depend on you, especially this year, to be able to continue to provide such necessary spiritual and social services. In this most holy season, please go beyond what you have generously done in the past, to help sustain our Shul's future.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

9/16/2020 “Last Minute” Minyan Guidance & Supporting the Shul

With just a few days left before Rosh Hashana I wanted to share some reminders and answers to popular questions. Like everything else, these directions are “as of now” with hope for stability and improvement.

Safety • While everyone assumes some risk by leaving our homes for a minyan, we have deliberately and consistently provided a safe environment at the Shul campus and Keter Torah sanctioned minyanim. • We expect these guidelines to be followed and please do not ask for any exceptions to them. They equally apply at every Keter Torah minyan, on and off campus. • Anyone who has come, within the last 14 days, from a State that is currently on the NJ quarantine list cannot attend any minyan. This sadly also applies to anyone arriving from Israel. • Anyone who has been told by their school, including but not limited a high school or college that they must quarantine cannot attend any minyan. We will be happy to safely arrange for you to hear the . Anyone who attends a college in a State that is on the quarantine list cannot attend services if they have been at the school within the last 14 days. • At all of the minyanim, social distancing is required and masks must be worn over the mouth and nose. Masks with “filters” and bandanas are absolutely no longer allowed at any of our minyanim. Please do not walk around and socialize during, before, and after davening. • There will be access to bathrooms at all locations and the shul has hired attendants to make this as safe as possible. • Please try and bring your own Machzor to shul. Only ArtScroll pages will be called out. The Shul will have Machzorim available if you do not have your own. The Rabbi Soloveichik machzorim will be on everyone's seat at the minyan led by Rabbi Weil. We will not have taleisim or head coverings available this year.

Mincha & Maariv and Divrei Torah • Following this letter please see the schedule for Mincha & Maariv for seat holders on Shul campus. While you will be given flexibility on which Mincha/Maariv minyan to attend, only registered participants can attend. People registered at Shul should only attend Shul minyanim and vice versa. • Rabbi Baum will try and speak at every minyan, sometime over Yom Tov. Rabbi Weil and Rabbi Israeli will be making “visits” to several of the minyanim as well.

Davening • This of course is why we are here. To serve Hashem with our hearts and souls. To pray for elevation, healing and connectedness. • The davening will be beautiful, even if somewhat abridged. When singing or response davening take place the congregation is asked to hum along or to sing softly and respond no louder than your conversational voice. Your compliance is critical to keep everyone comfortable. • Davening begins at Nishmat. Pesukei Dazimra is said at home, including the Yom and Ladovid Hashem Ori. As talking is not allowed after Baruch Sheomar please try and enter silently. • The Gabbaim will consistently call out the pages as we will be skipping various tefillot, subject to the miyan that you signed up for. • Aliyot- We will not be able to call out all of the names if you get an Aliya. However, please be as generous as in the past when being honored. We will make one longer Mi Sheberach at the end of laining for all of the aliyot. There is a long tradition of giving a contribution to a Shul when getting an Aliya and Rabbi Soloveitchik said that the contribution should not be made “bli neder” but as an outright gift. You can contact the office to make the gift before Yom Tov. • The Shofar at every minyan will be sounded outside and at a 20 foot distance from the nearest congregant. While you may be hearing shofar sounds and davening from other minyanim, please see this as a wonderful result of us being together. Think about what happens at the Kotel! • The Kohanim will be washing their own hands. Please bring bottled water and a cup which will be poured over a sink or the cement outside the Shul or a home. The Kohanim will be socially distanced and will not sing this Yom Tov. • All of the Petichot will be done by the Baalei Keriah and the Gabbaim.

Supporting the Shul • I want to reinforce Yossi Katz’s thoughtful note to the membership. The Shul has spared no expense at making this Yom Tov as safe as possible. To accommodate your requests and going beyond the legal codes, we have capped seating in the tents and have had willingly ordered more tents and chairs than we could have ever imagined. In addition to your generous contribution, consider sponsoring a tent. We thank the family that has already done so. • Not at Shul- Please remember the Shul as we have you in our thoughts and actions. Please confirm that you will match your contribution from last year, including your seat donation. You can reply to this email to make that happen. • Shofar Only- Well over 100 people will be attending this service. If you are attending, please join the list of $100 sponsors in addition to your other generous contribution to the Shul for this season. We are counting on your generosity.

Thank you and deep wishes for a Ketiva Vachasima Tova. Rabbi Shalom Baum

Rosh Hashana Mincha / Ma'ariv All seat holders at house minyanim should daven at those locations throughout Yom Tov.

Mincha/Ma'ariv Schedule for Shul Campus Seat Holders Friday, September 18 - Erev Rosh Hashana For seat holders in the Beit Midrash and Main Sanctuary minyanim, there will be one combined minyan in the Main Sanctuary starting at 6:45pm.

For seat holders in the ballroom minyan, there will be one minyan in the ballroom starting at 6:45pm.

For seat holders in any of the tent minyanim there will be one combined minyan at 6:45pm on the patio tent.

No separate registration required.

Shabbat Afternoon, September 19 Mincha/Ma'ariv at 6:30pm same guidelines as Friday

Sunday, September 20 Mincha In the tents at 2:30 and 4:30pm In the Main Sanctuary at 4:00pm In the Ballroom at 5:00pm Seat holders on the shul campus can select from any of the Sunday Mincha options.

Ma'ariv: 7:30pm on patio tent for Shul campus seat holders

Click here for Davening at Home Guideline

9/11/2020 From Rabbi Baum September 11

We pause to remember the thousands of precious souls who were murdered 19 years ago today. We never forget them and offer our sincerest continued comfort to their relatives and friends. Special feelings of friendship to several of our own members who lost their loved ones, but continue to celebrate their lives with their incredible אתם נצבים היום .resilience and good character

• & Yamim Noraim Orientation - I know that many people will be returning to Shul for Selichot and for the Yamim Noraim. If you are doing so, I would encourage you to join an open minyan this Shabbat to get used to our protocols and orient yourselves to our new normal. Either way, we are excited to see you and I will be sending a video to the Shul early next week explaining "what to expect" at Shul on Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur. For example, all minyanim will be starting at Nishmat during the Yamim Noraim, and you will come to Shul or to the house minyanim, having already davened Pesukei Dazimra. When singing will be allowed, we are asking the congregation to hum along or to soft-sing no louder than their conversational voice. The same will be true for any responsive parts of davening. Your compliance is critical to keep everyone comfortable. Kohanim will duchen but with some changes. Other guidelines will be provided. Shabbat Shalom. • Home for Yamim Noraim- Please email Aliza at [email protected] before Sunday if you will be home for Rosh Hashana but unable to come to Shul for davening or the Shofar-only program. I will be happy to arrange a for you, and would like to touch base with you before Yom Tov. I have prepared special guidelines for home for Yom Tov, which will help you navigate the Machzor. Machzorim are also available from the Shul. • Home for Selichot- Selichot books are available at the Shul. You can return them after Yom Tov. • Guidelines for Motzei Shabbat/Sunday- It is best to say Selichot after 12:52am on Motzei Shabbat or on Sunday morning before Shacharit. If you are saying the Selichot alone, you omit the 13 Midot "Hashem Hashem....." but can say everything else. If you are watching the live broadcast from the Shul, you can say the 13 Midot at home. We can send you abridged guidelines for the Selichot for the rest of the week that I have prepared. • Hatarat Nedarim at Home- We will send information next week on how to fulfill this minhag at home. • 30 for 30 & Song of the Day- Thank you for the incredible feedback. • I was thrilled to see so many at the shiur last Shabbat; see the details about this week's live shiur after the 9:00am davening.

9/3/2020 • Starting this Sunday morning, all Shacharit minyanim during the week will begin with Mizmor Shir. Shabbat minyanim will continue to begin with Nishmat. Tallit and tefillin should continue to be put on before arriving at the minyan. • There will be a 1:30pm Mincha minyan inside the shul this Shabbat. The 1:45pm minyan will continue to meet in the tent. • Monday morning - Labor Day • 8:00am Shacharit outside on the grass behind the Shul • 8:30am Shacharit inside the Shul • Registration required; please click here to sign up • See registration for the rest of the minyan guidelines. • Rabbi Baum will give a 20 minute, in person, Shiur this Shabbat after the 9:00am davening. The shiur will be held outside with masks covering your nose and mouth, and social distancing required. Rabbi Baum will speak more than 10 feet from the closest person. • Please let Rabbi Baum know if you will be home for Yamim Noraim but not coming to Shul.([email protected])

Rabbi Shalom Baum

8/28/2020 Click here to download Rabbi Baum's Dvar Torah as a pdf. Sitting in the House of the Lord Rabbi Baum Parshat , August 28, 2020

For the first time in nearly six months, a minyan will be held inside of the shul for Kabbalat Shabbat. While not everyone is ready or able to come inside, or even to attend outside minyanim, I did not want this moment to pass without commenting on how we have come to appreciate what we often take for granted. While we have been davening inside for the last couple of weeks in the morning, we have not yet had the privilege to greet Shabbat inside our beautiful Torah & Tefilla epicenter. Kabbalat Shabbat at a shul has historic and halachic importance. It is the place where farmers, laborers, and scholars joined together after many of them were not able to attend services during the week (Shabbat 24b). While not everyone was able to arrive at the same time for davening, the community walked home together from shul in unison, strengthening and protecting each other. An addition, Magen Avot, was made to the davening, specifically at a permanent shul, to facilitate everyone finishing the prayers at the same time and walking home together (Shulcha Aruch Orach Chaim 268). This is why even through months of off-campus shul-sanctioned minyanim being said, this addition has not been added. As important as these venues are, and they have played a fundamental role for the attendees and for the shuls reentry process, they are still not defined as a Beit Kinesset (Rav Asher Weiss Inyana Di'Yomo #4 5780). Before Corona, for many of us, sitting in shul during Kabbalat Shabbat with a broad population was symbolic of our entering Shabbat not only as individuals but as a reunited community. We have missed all of this for almost half a year, and will have some semblance of it this evening. We wish that it would be with greater numbers, not at social distance, and with full singing. But we are grateful to Hashem and to our kehilla for every step we take. We commit to never forget the amazing gift, which is still missing for so many of us, of "sitting in the House of the Lord." This is what we have been praying for in the L'Dovid for the last week, what we have been yearning for the last six months, and for what we will experience as soon as possible with the help of our Creator and Sustainer and your continued compliance with the safety precautions to be able to strengthen and support each other.

8/27/2020 A Note From Rabbi Baum

1) In our continuous and gradual return to the shul and as a result of the compliance at the Shabbat morning and daily minyanim, we will be having Kabbalat Shabbat inside the shul this week, iy”h, for the first time in almost 6 months. The many outdoor minyanim will continue and we know that there are people who are not yet ready or able to return to any minyanim. All new registrants to indoor minyanim will receive a short video of our standards in the shul. 2) Almost 900 people have reserved seats for the Yamim Noraim and we appreciate the many who have offered to lead the davening in many capacities. It is possible that we will have a need for an additional Bal Tokea at one of the minyanim. Please respond to me at [email protected] if you are interested. There are still some open seats at some of the minyanim. You can register here. .... 3) We have had a great response to the 30 for 30, sign up with WhatsApp here, and song of the day Whatsapp, sign up here. 4) We hope to resume some in person classes next week as well as occasional Teen Minyan and Junior Congregation services.

8/18/2020 Dear Friends, • Please see below the attached letter from the RCBC and our local schools. • We are in the process of slowly introducing youth programming, adhering to the standards in the letter and with our own requirements. • As the attendance at our minyanim, both inside and outside, continue to grow, we appreciate that not everyone can yet attend a minyan. If you are interested in seeing a video of our standards for inside minyanim please email [email protected]. We continue to adhere to the same rigid standards at the outside minyanim. While we have reintroduced leining and aliyot, strict social distancing and wearing of masks is required. We are proud of the compliance and we continue to hope that this could be a model for communal behavior outside of the minyanim. • I celebrate the many families of our Shul who have had beautiful smachot and at the same time have been sensitive to the demands of this challenging period. Mazal Tov and thank you.

Rabbi Shalom Baum RCBC Letter

8/12/2020 Yamim Noraim Seating 5781

We hope everyone is doing well and staying safe as the last weeks of summer approach.

In an ordinary year around this time, we would have completed most of our Yamim Noraim seating reservations and we would be planning for an extraordinary high holiday season at Keter Torah. Though this year poses unique challenges, we are still planning for an extraordinary high holiday season at Keter Torah with a spiritual and connected tefillah even as we are distanced and socially distancing. The Shul is committed to an inspiring Yom Tov that maximizes our available spaces in a safe and thoughtful way, guided by halachic authorities, medical experts, the CDC, and state guidelines. The following is our plan for 5781 services which may need to change as the situation and available guidance continue to evolve.

We are fortunate to have a large campus and many families who have opened their homes to host minyanim. Our goal this year is to try and accommodate seating for anyone who wants to join us for all or part of davening. Even if you are not comfortable joining us this year, we will do whatever we can to bring Yom Tov to you.

To facilitate seating and maximize everyone’s safety, we will be offering many different options for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur -- both on-campus and in our members’ yards. We will have 5 indoor options all on the Keter Torah campus and 8 outdoor options (4 on the campus and 4 at our members’ homes). All minyanim will have limited seating capacity following all applicable social distancing safety guidelines and proper face coverings are required throughout all services whether indoors or outside.

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, there will be a range in the length of the Shacharit/Musaf services, the davening will be somewhat abridged and it is likely that the style of singing will be somewhat different. The Shofar blowing at every minyan, even the inside ones, will be with the bal tokea positioning the shofar outside of the building. However, we will have beautiful and meaningful davening and with a deep appreciation of being able to be together.

Rosh Hashanah Schedule: Please note: There is no child care.

6:30am Shul Patio Tent - 80 Person Capacity (approx. 2 hours) 7:00am Large Ballroom - 100 Person Capacity (approx. 2 hours 15 minutes) 7:00am Shul Secondary Tent - 80 Person Capacity (approx. 2 hrs. 15 min.) 8:00am Beit Midrash with Rabbi Weil - 50 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 8:00am Paul/Schachter Minyan at Paul Backyard - 50 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 8:00am Main Sanctuary - 100 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 8:30am Shields Backyard - 75 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 8:30am Grossman Backyard - 100 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 8:30am Silverman Backyard - 75 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 8:45am Small Ballroom - 100 Person Capacity (approx. 3 hours) 8:45am Shul Patio Tent - 80 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 9:30am Large Ballroom - 100 Person Capacity (approx. 3.5 hours) 9:30am Shul Secondary Tent - 80 Person Capacity (approx. 2.5 hours)

Steps we are taking The Shul will be renting a number of tents with chairs and lighting for outdoor tefillah both on- campus and in members’ yards. In the Shul itself, we will have numerous cleaning staff on hand throughout the time the building is open to routinely clean and sanitize bathrooms and other high-touch common areas. Further, we have upgraded and cleaned the Shul’s AC units and replaced all filters. Along with the increased number of outdoor services, we will be adding extra hired security on campus.

Please note the following important details regarding registration:

• Due to the limited number of seating options we encourage you to reserve your seating and minyan options as soon as possible. Early-bird registration closes by Monday,August 24 and registration fully closes on Monday,September 7. • Note: All accounts must be brought up to date or put on a payment plan before reservations for seats will be accepted. No one will be turned away for financial reasons. Please contact the Shul office or the Rabbi to make arrangements for your seat reservations. • We will be assigning seats and locations on a first-come, first-served basis and will do our best to accommodate your preferences. The limited number of people permitted by law at each location may make accommodating your preference impossible. If a specific location has more reservations than available space, we will place you at an alternate minyan matching your request as closely as possible. Each minyan is subject to sufficient registration. We are relying on your patience and flexibility to make seating as comfortable and safe as possible. • There will be assigned seating at each location, and, as in the past, we will send you a notice of your confirmed seating reservation. • There will be limited access to bathrooms at the tented backyard minyanim - please keep this in mind when reserving your seats. • Nuclear families will be seated together to maximize capacity in all locations. • Unfortunately, we will not have organized childcare this year, but hopefully the various minyan options will allow all family members the opportunity to attend davening. • On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, we will have a number of outdoor shofar blowings. (This year, the first day of R”H is on Shabbat and no shofar blowing takes place.) Details will be announced. • Anyone coming from outside the tristate area must observe state mandated quarantines before coming to any Shul service on- or off-campus. • Once we confirm all the minyanim, you will have the ability to sign up for various Mincha and Ma’ariv options. The sign-up will follow a similar reservation system we use now for weekly minyanim to facilitate all safety guidelines. • There will likely be some changes to seating for Yom Kippur minyanim. Please stay tuned for additional information about our Yom Kippur plans.

Donations As you would imagine, all of these added items and services will necessarily increase the cost to operate this year’s high holiday services. Further, we realize many families might not be reserving the same number of seats as they have in the past. We are taking this opportunity to ask everyone to consider making an extra donation to Keter Torah to match the donations they would have made in prior years which will help offset this year’s increased costs.

Minyan Options Again, please register for seats by August 24th to lock in the early bird discount. Registration for seats will close on September 7th to allow time to properly seat everyone safely.

Register Now

In appreciation We express our gratitude to the volunteers on the High Holiday Committee. We are grateful for everyone’s understanding of the many challenges and nuances the Committee is addressing as we are navigating for the first time wholly uncharted territory.

Best wishes for a shanah tova and a meaningful high holiday season.

Rabbi Shalom Baum Yossi Katz Howard Gruenspecht

8/11/2020 Dear Friends,

We are entering the next stage of our reentry process. As you see below we will be in the Shul for the first time in almost five months on Shabbat Mevarchim Elul. Like everything else that we have done, this stage will be done deliberately. We are offering one Shabbat minyan inside the first week and we hope to add additional minyanim in the weeks to come. There will also be an indoors Sunday morning minyan and a Monday - Friday minyan. We are continuing to offer all of our other minyanim outside. All minyanim are currently offering Torah reading and aliyot.

Please look out for information about Teen Minyan and Jr Congregation in the weeks to come- most likely to be held outside on the Shul campus. Please read the guidelines very carefully and we appreciate your commitment to keeping our community safe. We appreciate that not everyone is yet able to return to Shul or to any minyanim, and we continue to be here for you.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

7/22/2020 Updated Minyan Guidelines There are some updates to our minyanim. These changes will stay in effect until further notification. We are glad that so many people are participating and complying with our guidelines and we are happy to expand the capacity at most of the minyanim. We understand that not everyone can join a minyan and we will continue to stay connected in various ways.

We are reminding all participants to continue following the guidelines and to remember that a mask must be worn at all times over the mouth and nose, even when socially distancing.

7/20/2020 Although we continue to pray for rapid improvement and recovery, it is currently unimaginable that we will be able this year to seat 1,300 people simultaneously inside the Shul, close to each other, and without wearing masks. However, this will not stop us from trying to create as many spaces as possible, including ones for you and your family. We will do our best to provide a meaningful experience for those who choose to stay home this year or perhaps to only come out for Shofar blowing or for other selected services. Obviously, not everyone will be able to get everything that they want but we will try to be as flexible and inclusive as we can. Filling out this survey will be a great asset in this endeavor.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

7/19/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum: For any questions, email [email protected].

Updated Guidelines for • With the approach of and the start of the Nine Days, I am sharing the basic laws of these days of reflection and mourning. As in all other areas of halacha, there may be particular issues that are best evaluated after discussing them. Please feel free to contact me. • There is more flexibility this year with listening to music, even during the Nine Days, and especially on Erev Shabbat. This includes if the purpose of the listening is to help exercise, relax, or to prepare for the proper Shabbat mood. • The Nine Days begin Tuesday evening, July 21, at 8:20pm, or after Ma'ariv, if one davens before this time. • Except on Shabbat, we do not eat meat or chicken items during the Nine Days, and we do not drink wine or grape juice. • Only necessary laundry and dry cleaning should be done during the Nine Days. There is an allowance for undergarments and clothes required for work and Shabbat (if nothing else is available), as well as clothing for young children. • New clothes should not be worn or purchased during the Nine Days unless there is a special need, which would require a halachic consultation. This applies even if the items will not be worn until after the Nine Days, and includes purchasing of items online, if they will be delivered during the Nine Days, even if they won't be worn until after the Nine Days. There may be more exceptions to these rules this year, especially if items were not able to be purchased earlier, and if there are financial concerns at play. • New home furnishings should not be purchased during the Nine Days, and construction or painting should not be done in or on our homes. There are exceptions to this rule, such as in cases of needed repairs, emergencies, and other special situations. Please contact me with any questions. • Sewing, knitting, or needlepoint should not be done during the Nine Days. • While basic gardening and watering of the grass is permitted during the Nine Days, no planting should take place, even if the gardener is not Jewish. One can purchase flowers for Shabbat. • Haircuts, even for children, are not taken during the Nine Days, including on Rosh Chodesh. • If at all possible, men should not shave during the Nine Days, even on Erev Shabbat. • Except for exercise, one should not swim during the Nine Days. I would not apply this restriction to young children, or if adults are going into a pool just to cool off and then get right out. • It is appropriate, especially during this time of the year, to reflect on and study Jewish history. One should especially pay attention to concrete attempts to strengthen our interpersonal relationships.

7/17/020 Yomim Noraim before the Nine Days from Rabbi Baum. To download, click here. I have never offered thoughts regarding Rosh Hashana in the same Shabbat Notes in which I disseminate guidelines for the Nine Days. Yet this year, because our concept of time has become disoriented, we want to do our best to plan a healthy and uplifting Yomim Noraim experience for our membership. We are committed to making you feel part of the Keter Torah community for the 5781 Yomim Noraim. We will be as creative as possible in using our magnificent shul campus, and perhaps beyond, to find a place for everyone who chooses to join us physically this year. Amazingly, but not surprisingly, many of our members have come forward with messages of encouragement and offers of assistance as we continue to formulate and evaluate our options for this crucial time period of spiritual ascent and family bonding.

Although we continue to pray for rapid improvement and recovery, it is currently unimaginable that we will be able this year to seat 1300 people simultaneously inside the shul, close to each other, and without wearing masks. However, this will not stop us from creating as many spaces as possible, including ones for you and your family. We will also do what is necessary to provide a meaningful experience for those who choose to stay home this year or perhaps to only come out for Shofar blowing or for other selected services.

In the coming days, you will receive a Yomim Noraim 5781 survey. Your responses will be helpful, and you are absolutely not bound by your responses. In this time of uncertainty, none of us can guarantee what will happen more than two months from now. The survey will also include a comments section for additional thoughts. Based on conversations I have had with many members who have reached out to offer support, encouragement and the deep desire to connect to Hashem, my questions were formulated to address two main goals: #1) How can we provide a safe space for as many people who are interested and able to physically participate?, and #2) How can we be a fundamental spiritual asset that can make these Days of Awe inspiring to every individual in our shul community, despite being different from anything we have experienced before?

Our Parshiot this Shabbat, recalling the many stops along the way to Israel, remind us that we are still on a journey towards clarity. We often find this lucidity in the confines of a Beit Knesset, a sanctuary in which we anchor ourselves to confront such challenges. Even after the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, buildings, unlike private homes, were not required to have a designated unfinished area on the wall to commemorate the destruction (Ber Halacha Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 560). I believe that the message is that, in the face of destruction, we find solace and comfort in the Mikdash Me'at that to us is closest in context and purpose to the Beit Hamikdash. It is our prayer that, as we get closer to the Yomim Noraim, we will gain greater access to and inspiration from the holy building and the campus at 600 Roemer Avenue.

7/14/2020

You can sign up on a per minyan basis for Shabbat minyanim on the Keter Torah Campus. Participants in the Shabbat only miyanim need to re-register weekly. If you attended last week, your registration has expired.

• Please click here to register for a minyan. • Password: KeterTorah5780 • Deadline is tomorrow, Wednesday, July 15 at 9:30pm for Shabbat only minyanim. • The capacity at the shul campus minyanim has been expanded to 35 over the age of 12. • At shul campus minyanim, a parent can bring one additional family member under the age of 12 who can stand next to them and is able to wear a mask for the entire time and maintain social distancing. • The additional child’s name has to be registered on the same registration as the parent. • Anyone over the age of 12 must continue to register on their own. • There are spaces available at some of the seven day a week minyanim if people want to join a daily minyan.

At this point there is no individual obligation to hear Torah reading and only the 8:00am minyan will have Torah reading. This will extend the length of that particular davening. Feel free to choose the minyan that you are most comfortable with, taking into account the heat & that bathrooms are not available. There is a full tent at the 8:00am & 9:30am minyanim and the 8:45am minyan is in the shade.

Shabbat Morning Minyanim • Shacharit 8:00am under patio tent. This minyan will have Kriat Hatorah. Participants at the daily patio minyan are already registered for this minyan. • Shabbat Minyan 2 | Shabbat Shacharit - 8:45 am • Shabbat Minyan 3 | Shabbat Shacharit - 9:30 am

Friday night July 17 - Shabbat July 18 • Shabbat Minyan 1 | Friday Mincha / Kabbalat Shabbat - 7:00pm • Mincha / Kabbalat Shabbat - 8:15pm. Participants at the daily patio minyan are already registered for this minyan and Mincha & Ma'ariv. • Shabbat Minyan 4 | Shabbat Mincha - 1:45 pm • Shabbat Minyan 5 | Shabbat Ma'ariv - 9:05pm

7/10/2020 Note From Rabbi Baum - Thank You, Patience and Wear Masks, Communal Wide Youth Program I want to express my gratitude to the CSS and the hosts and captains of all Keter Torah- sanctioned minyanim, for their help in making what we hope will be a transition back to Shul run as smoothly as possible. Thank you to all of the participants of these minyanim for their phenomenal level of compliance. We are continuing with different styles of minyanim, some with Torah reading and some without. Some are paced a bit faster, and some are a little slower. At this point, with the increasing number of participants and their excellent compliance, you can try out a different minyan, but only if participants are registered and agree to comply with all the guidelines. I have great respect for the people who are not yet ready to join a minyan, whether for medical or other reasons. We miss you, and enjoy connecting with you in many other ways. Everyone knows that it is now the law in the State of New Jersey to wear a mask when it is not possible to be socially distant. Please be part of the solution, and not, r"l, a super spreader of this humbling virus. While there is a mitzvah to "love your neighbor as you love yourself," Rav Shlomo Wolbe explained that we must all make ourselves lovable as well. Wearing a mask in public is not a sign of weakness, but is in many situations a halachic requirement, to preserve lives and make us lovable as individuals and as a community to our friends and to the broader Jewish and non-Jewish society. I would also like to thank Adina Kastner for building on our community outreach efforts with her creative program being offered to the entire Teaneck-wide community. See the flyer below. Shabbat Shalom

7/8/2020 With the onset of this evening at sunset (8:30pm), and the fast of Shiva Asar b’ tomorrow, please see a number of halakhic guidelines below as they relate uniquely to this year.

A) 17 TAMMUZ • The fast begins at 4:21am & concludes at 9:10pm. • Selichot on 17 TAMMUZ when davening without a minyan, selichot are still said. The Yud Gimel Middot (Hashem Hashem…...) is omitted when davening without a minyan. • Avinu Malkenu for a fast day is recited. • Fasting: Anyone who is immunocompromised, should not fast unless they consult with their doctor to ensure that this is safe. • Pregnant and Nursing women need not fast for this fast day. Consult with your doctor if you want to fast. • Children under bat or bar mitzvah should not fast for this fast day.

B) Three Weeks- More extensive guidelines will be sent before the 9 Days. • While weddings do not take place, couples can get engaged during the Three Weeks. • While haircuts are generally prohibited during the Three Weeks, if one was not able to get a haircut this year because of the coronavirus restrictions, there is flexibility to do so up until the 9 Days. • Live music is prohibited during the Three Weeks. However, especially this year, recorded music can be played in order to help you exercise or to relax. This is especially true on Erev Shabbat, even during the 9 Days, to help get into a Shabbat mood.

During these three weeks of reflection, we should continue to play a role in bringing healing to the world through prayer and actions. We should model safe behavior with the humble recognition that the virus is still active and that we commit to be part of the solution. No one intends to be selfish but even unintended self-centered conduct can have r”l terrible consequences. May our ongoing devotion to Hashem and to each other help protect all of us and may we imminently celebrate Redemption.

7/2/2020 Click here, to Download these Guidelines Dear Friends: The compliance and spirit at these minyanim have been phenomenal. Many people are participating at our minyanim and we appreciate that many are not yet ready to join us physically. These minyanim are not a chiyuv (obligation) even for those with a yahrzeit or in mourning. The entire kehilla continues to be part of our shul community and I am thrilled that so many are joining us in different ways. Your resilience is continuing to make the shul a vibrant epicenter for our spiritual and social lives.

6/18/2020 Click here, to Download these Guidelines

Dear Friends: Please understand that everything below is subject to change and that any changes will be communicated as quickly and clearly as possible.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION WILL ARRIVE IN A DIFFERENT CORRESPONDENCE NOTE: Anyone who signed up for the first cycle must re-register and choose a minyan of their choice. Registration for the previous cycle has expired.

I wanted to share with you our tentative steps for the second cycle in our reopening process. I continue to be overwhelmed by the appreciation that so many of you have shown to the shul in recognizing the care being taken as we deliberately and thoughtfully take more steps forward in this ongoing world crisis. In the face of uncertainty, disappointment with summer plans and complex personal challenges, our shul membership maintains incredible sensitivity to each other and its professional staff. We especially thank the CSS for playing a leadership role in this process; the reopening taskforce for helping with many of the technical aspects of our planning; and the hosts and captains of our minyanim.

In accordance with the recommendations of the RCBC and our medical advisors, we are not yet ready to move any minyanim or offer any programs inside the building. Please see, linked below, for the latest from the RCBC regarding smachot, indoor minyanim and several other relevant matters.Our shul leadership team continues to study ways that, when appropriate, we will be able to safely reenter our building. We are fortunate to have high ceilings, an updated state-of-the-art AC system and other factors that enhance the efficiency of our reopening procedure.

Second Cycle The first cycle will run until Sunday, June 21. Assuming that the status quo holds, and with prayers for even more improvement, we are planning to enter the second two-week cycle on Monday, June 22. We are now expanding the capacity at every minyan to 25 people. We will also offer Shabbat-only minyanim outside the shul and an additional daily Shacharit-only minyan outside the shul. We hope that these options will allow even more people to participate, including our youth, who are no longer in school. The seven-day minyanim will also continue, but at larger capacity. You can join a minyan during the second cycle, even if you have attended other shuls’ sanctioned minyanim during the first cycle. However, only registrants will be allowed in and a registry of every minyan will be maintained, in case any tracing is necessary.

Zoom Education Anyone who did not participate in any of the zoom meetings for the first cycle must join a zoom meeting for the second cycle. A check box in the registration form will confirm this. Zoom information: Thursday, June 18 at 9:00pm Friday, June 19 at 8:30am Zoom information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82670694397 Dial in: 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 826 7069 4397

These Minyanim are not Obligatory • Please note that these minyanim are a reshut (option) and not a chiyuv (obligation), even for people saying kaddish. People should not attend a minyan if they are uncomfortable doing so or if their particular circumstances warrant caution. No one should feel pressured by any hosts or friends to participate in a minyan.

Medical Information • Anyone who is sick with any condition, including but not limited to a fever, sore throat, stomach issues or body ache, is absolutely prohibited from attending a minyan. These individuals will not be able to resume attending a minyan until cleared by a doctor. • Anyone who is immunocompromised, over 60 years old, obese, has heart disease, is on dialysis, has liver disease, or has another compromising condition is strongly urged to consult a physician to determine whether it is appropriate to join a minyan. Similarly, anyone who lives with such a person should consider continuing to daven at home. • Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should not attend a minyan within 11 days of the positive test or within 72 hours of having a fever or respiratory symptoms, whichever is longer. Furthermore, anyone who has previously tested positive must be cleared by a doctor prior to participation in a minyan. • An absolute condition of attending theses minyanim is that participants must affirm that they are symptom-free, that they will abide by the rules of distancing (spelled out below) and hygiene, and that if, G-d forbid, they develop any symptoms, they will immediately contact Rabbi Baum with this information.

Masks, Distancing & Hygiene • All participants, except for members of the same nuclear home, must socially distance from other participants by at least 6 feet in all directions. Locations for each attendee will be clearly delineated, with each participant standing behind a cone. No chairs will be permitted during this cycle. • Every participant at every minyan, including baalei tefilla, must wear a face mask at all times. The mask must cover the mouth and nose and must be worn during the minyan and when entering and exiting the minyan location. • People who have difficulty breathing with a mask on, especially in the heat, should consult a physician and, if necessary, daven at home.

Minyan Attendance • For now, during this cycle, each minyan will include a maximum of 25 attendees, including the members of each host family. • These minyanim, at present and subject to the conditions stated in these guidelines, are open to men and women, aged 12 years and above. • To help ensure that minyanim will be stable, no minyan location will become official until 14 men over the age of bar mitzvah sign up. This will prevent anyone who is not feeling well from feeling any pressure to attend to guarantee an halachic quorum. Anyone who does not feel well must stay home. • If, for any reason, there is no quorum, the group will not call anyone else, including registered participants, to attend. • Although a mechitza is not technically required when davening outside a shul, these minyanim will include proper arrangements to separate men and women.

Registration and Record Keeping • Registration will take place through the Shul. Please do not contact any hosts to reserve a spot as they do not have the ability to save a place for you. • There is no guarantee that everyone will get a spot at a minyan of their choice. • To attend a minyan, you must sign up. No "pop ins" will be allowed, and non-registered persons will be turned away. • Family members do not all have to sign up for the same minyan or minyan group. However, everyone must stick with the minyan that they are registered with.

Additional Precautions • There will be absolutely no bathroom use at the minyan locations. • There will be no place for washing hands or getting a drink. • No food or drink will be served before, during or after the minyanim. • Each participant will bring his or her own siddur. • There will be no singing. • If it rains, the host or captain will inform the group of the possible cancellation of the minyan. If it is raining on Shabbat, the minyan will not meet and we ask that you use your best judgement in making that decision. • Under no circumstances can the group go inside.

Davening • Although the services at these minyanim will be abridged, they will be run with a sense of awe of Hashem and with great kavana and decorum. • There will be no Torah reading at any of these minyanim. • Shacharit will begin with Yishtabach during the week and with Nishmat on Shabbat. Everything up to that should be said at home. • There will be no tables for tallit or tefillin, and tzedaka will not be collected. • “Heicha Kedusha” will be used for Daily Mincha & Shabbat Musaf.

Neighbors • Please be considerate of our neighbors when increasing the traffic and parking in areas that may not normally be set up as shuls.

A) Seven Day Minyanim Shabbat & Sunday schedules will be announced by the hosts or captains

• Before registering for one of these minyanim, please make sure that you are ready to make a general commitment to attend the daily minyanim. Of course, in case of illness, or in other pressing situations, you should not attend the minyan. There is no issue if you know that you may not be able to attend some of the minyanim. You can still register for it. · This will also be your minyan for all Shabbat minyanim.

6/12/2020 Minyanim & Beyond A Note from Rabbi Baum: (click here to download) I want to thank the hosts and participants of the Keter Torah sanctioned minyanim. A special note of gratitude to the CSS volunteers. Above all, I express my friendship to the many people who are not yet participating in the minyanim and, with their broad understanding of what is at stake, continue to be gracious and grateful for where we are in the current crisis and what we can offer. Many of you sent us beautiful notes after watching the zoom meetings and understanding that these minyanim are not yet what you can participate in. As you know this first cycle will run until Sunday, June 21. Assuming that the status quo holds, and with prayers for even more improvement, I hope to expand the number of slots available at each minyan, as of Monday June 22. We also hope to be able to offer Shabbat & Sunday only minyanim, both outside the shul and a few homes, beginning Friday night, June 26. This timetable is subject to change but is a framework for now. More information and any changes to the guidelines will be forthcoming. This will allow even more people to participate as we slowly and deliberately take more steps in this new reality. I again express my deep appreciation to our membership and leadership for your understanding and support. I am well aware that many of you are facing a very challenging summer with much uncertainty and confusion. The very first teaching in Pirkei Avot is to be deliberate in judgment. Many commentaries (e.g. Tiferet Yisroel) see this as affecting not only how courts adjudicate cases, but whether we have the difficult but achievable resilience to be patient in the face of ongoing uncertainty. For more than three months our patience has been tested, we have all faced losses to family members or to community friends. One of my relatives lost his brother, mother and an in-law during these three months. Each of them, including my cousin, a Holocaust survivor who passed away this week, had no more than 10 people at their funerals. There are too many other similar stories. Yet in the face of this, we show deliberation and discipline and we are hopefully less judgmental of others. The Chatam Sofer and Rav Pam on this same Mishna say that the way we expand our student base, healthy family lifestyles and communal stability is with hesitation to judge others, and that during this waiting time we should learn what is right about the same people we often attack. What a healthier lifestyle for all. In the incredible interview earlier this week, Reverend Marilyn Harris inspired all of us by not only appreciating the friendship that we showed her but by modelling for us an attitude of grace, graciousness and gratitude. That is how our world can heal. As we read through Parshat Behaalotcha and the ongoing strife between what the Ramban understands is a small group of malcontents against Moshe & Aharon, we celebrate that we live in a community where the standard is to embrace each other, even in the face of human insecurities and imperfections. We all have the ability to be even greater than we ever imagined.

6/3/2020 As a past president of the RCA, I am very aware of the importance and limitations of making statements about significant events. We need to speak to our own communities as the RCA did here so eloquently.

However, it is much more important to reach beyond our parochial community in friendship and collaboration when possible. After reaching out to a local faith leader this week, I was happy that both she and the Mayor of Teaneck accepted my invitation to have a discussion about practical ways to strengthen our already existing bond. I am proud of the many creative collaborative events that we have had with the broader community in the past and please join us next week for this important event. It will be recorded. We will also continue to pray for the safety of our local police departments.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

6/1/2020 Tentative Minyan Reopening Timeline & Education To download this email as a PDF, click here. Dear Friends: Please understand that everything below is subject to change and any changes will be communicated as quickly and clearly as possible. • As we communicated last week, we are tentatively planning to begin some outdoor minyanim on Monday, June 8. The initial set of minyanim will operate on a two-week cycle. All of these minyanim are sanctioned by the RCBC and our Shul. This note includes additional guidelines that are unique to our Shul. • There are other Shuls that are starting minyanim before June 8 and others that have decided not to begin at this point. You can choose to join another Shul’s sanctioned minyan (subject to their guidelines) but then you will not be able to join one of our minyanim for our first cycle. • I will explain our Shul's policies in an interactive Zoom meeting that will be offered 4 times this week (schedule is below). Any member who wants to attend a minyan must participate in one of these zoom sessions.

These Minyanim are not Obligatory • Please note that these minyanim are a reshut/optional and not a chiyuv/obligatory even for people saying kaddish. No one should attend a minyan if they are not comfortable doing so or if their particular circumstances warrant caution. No one should feel pressured by any hosts or friends to participate at a minyan.

Medical Information • It is absolutely prohibited to attend a minyan if you are sick with any condition, including but not limited to a fever, sore throat, stomach issues or body ache. You will not be able to resume attending a minyan until cleared by a doctor. • Anyone who is immunocompromised, over 60 years old, obese, has heart disease, is on dialysis, has liver disease, or has another compromising condition is strongly urged to continue to daven at home and to consult with your physician to determine whether it is a good idea to join a minyan. Similarly, anyone who lives with such a person should consider continuing to daven at home. • Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should not attend a minyan within 11 days of the positive test or within 72 hours of having a fever or respiratory symptoms, whichever is longer. Furthermore, anyone who has previously tested positive must also be cleared by a doctor for participation in a minyan. • An absolute condition of attending these minyanim is for participants to affirm that they are symptom-free, that they will abide by the rules of distancing (spelled out below) and hygiene, and if G-d forbid, they develop any symptoms, they will immediately contact Rabbi Baum with this information.

Masks, Distancing & Hygiene • All participants (except for members of the same nuclear home) will be socially distanced at least 6 feet in all directions. Locations for each attendee will be clearly delineated, with each participant standing behind a cone. • Everyone, including baalei tefilla, at every minyan must wear a mask at all times. The mask must cover the mouth and nose and must be worn during the minyan and when entering and exiting the minyan location. • The minyan will be cancelled if these rules are not followed. • Participants at these minyanim are committed to following the rules of social distancing and mask wearing, both at these minyanim and in the street when required to do so. • Some people may have difficulty breathing with a mask on, especially in the heat. Please consult your doctor if you are concerned about this and daven at home if this is a concern. • Every participant should bring their own hand sanitizer and water bottle (if needed) to every minyan. Nothing can be left at the home of the host.

Minyan Attendance • The minyanim, for now, will have 19 or fewer people in attendance. This includes family members of the hosts. • Participants at each location are restricted for the two-week period to their location. They cannot daven at any other minyan either before or during this time period, even if the minyan is a sanctioned one. This will help us with tracing, if necessary. It will also help prevent a web of exposure. • Before registering for one of the limited slots, please make sure that you are ready to make a commitment to attend the daily and Shabbat minyanim. Of course, in case of illness, or in other pressing situations, you should not attend the minyan. • These minyanim, for now, are being established for people who see themselves as able to make this daily commitment. • The minyanim, for now and subject to the conditions of these guidelines, are open to men and women, ages 12 and above. • To help ensure that there will be a stable minyan, no minyan location will become official until there are 14 men over the age of Bar Mitzvah who are signed up and committed to the two-week cycle. This will prevent anyone who is not feeling well to sense any pressure to attend to help make the halachic quorum. If you don’t feel well, you must stay home. • If for any reason, there is no quorum, the group will not call anyone, including registered participants to attend. • While a mechitza is not technically required when davening outside of a Shul, there will be a proper arrangement for separating men and women at these minyanim.

Registration and Record Keeping • Registration will take place through the Shul. Please do not contact any hosts to reserve a spot as they do not have the ability to save a place for you. • Registration for the minyanim will be sent out later in the week and after the Zoom meetings take place. We appreciate that some people would like to register already but the precise timing and formulations of these communications is being done under the guidance of medical professionals and poskim. There needs to be absolute clarity before registration takes place. • There is no guarantee that everyone will get a spot during the first cycle. • You can only reserve at one minyan and if the minyan does not receive enough registrants, you will either be given the option of joining a different minyan or may not be able to join one for this cycle. We appreciate that everyone will not get what they want and that this is a collaborative and friendly effort. • To attend a minyan, you must sign up. There are no "pop ins" and non-registered people will be turned away. • Every individual (including family members and hosts) must preregister to ensure a minyan and proper record keeping. • Records will be kept of who was at each minyan. This will help with tracing efforts, if necessary. • Our Shul CSS is helping us with this process, and we welcome other volunteers who want to be “captains” of these minyanim. Please contact Rabbi Baum to play this role only after you are able to register for a particular minyan.

Additional Precautions • There will be absolutely no bathroom use at the minyan locations. • There will be no place to wash your hands or get a drink. • There will be no chairs at the minyan locations. • No food or drink can be served before, during or after the minyanim. • Each participant will bring their own siddur. • If it rains, the host or captain will inform the group of the possible cancellation of the minyan. • Under no circumstances can the group go inside.

Davening • While the minyanim will be having abridged services, they will be run with a sense of awe for Hashem and with great kavana and decorum. • There will be no Torah reading, for now, at any of the minyanim. • Shacharit will begin with Yishtabach and everything up until Yishtabach should be said at home. • There will be no tables for tallit or tefillin and tzedaka will not be collected. • “Heicha Kedusha” will be used for Shacharit, Mincha & Musaf for the first cycle.

Neighbors • Please be considerate of our neighbors when increasing the traffic and parking in areas that may not normally be set up as Shuls. Keter Torah Minyan Schedule • Keter Torah minyan schedule timing and locations are subject to change and cancellation. • From Monday, June 8 through Sunday, June 21 • Minyan times for Shabbat and Sunday will be determined by each group and shared within each group's WhatsApp.

5/26/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum Dear Friends, Linked are the RCBC general guidelines outlining the process for having outdoor minyanim. We are planning to have some minyanim in the shul parking lot, and a limited number in member’s backyards. These locations have already been designated, at least for the first two weeks. The earliest possible date for Keter Torah-sanctioned minyanim will be Monday, June 8th. More information will be sent after regarding the location, timing and additional guidelines for our particular shul-sanctioned minyanim. I will present a number of live and interactive webinars after Shavuot to explain the mandatory registration process for these minyanim. We have an active group from the shul involved in planning for this initial return. Please remember this plan is tentative, as things can change rapidly. While some local minyanim will be starting on June 4th, consistent with the RCBC guidelines, for a number of reasons, I have decided to wait until the following Monday as the earliest starting point for any Keter Torah-sanctioned minyan. Please do not take this potential opening as a reason to be lax with any of the social distancing rules during Shavuot or at any other time. Any participant in any of the minyanim will be asked to affirm their commitment to these rules.

5/24/2020 Dear Friends, Shavua Tov. Linked is a letter from the RCBC about the potential opening of minyanim. While unfortunately, we will not be together in person for Shavuot, we do look forward to hopefully gathering, in some form, soon. The exact, very detailed guidelines of how, when, and where this will take place, in the community in general and in particular for our shul, will be forthcoming in the next few days. Absolutely no minyanim should take place prior to and without being sanctioned as an acceptable and recommended minyan. Thank you and have a good week. Rabbi Shalom Baum

5/13/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum Dear Friends, • I am including a very important update from the RCBC, and a letter from the OU/RCA. I totally support these positions and I am proud of whatever role I have had in developing and reinforcing these protocols. We still remain humbled by this terrible virus and for now we will continue to serve Hashem by staying at home.

5/8/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum To download Rabbi Baum's Dvar Torah, click here.

Mother’s Day: Even from a Distance

The imminent arrival of Mother’s Day reminds us of how this day will be so different from past Mother’s Days. Children living in with their mothers, but rarely leaving their homes, will have to be even more creative this year in finding gifts for their mothers. Forbes magazine reports that according to its annual Mother’s Day spending survey, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that two thirds of consumers expect to be celebrating this Mother’s Day virtually. Those not living with their mothers, grandmothers or great-grandmothers will have to remain socially distant from them. No hugs, kisses or intimate family dinners. We can face this challenge, as we did on Pesach. Anyone not following this approach, as well-intentioned as they may be, is being reckless. Love is shown in many ways, and ironically, we express our love this year through physical separation. My own mother, who been home alone for almost two months, has reminded her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of this value many times throughout this crisis. As she, the only living grandmother of my children, often reminds us: ‘We must stay apart this year so that we can be together again next year.’

Whether our mothers are alive or have already passed away, this weekend is a good opportunity to think about how our mothers continue to influence us. This is true even when we are not in their physical presence. While Mother’s Day is not an inherently Jewish holiday, the impact of a mother should always be on our minds. Mother's Day becomes an instrument for this thought process. In what seems on the surface to be one of most peculiar Talmudic praises given to a person, Rabbi Yochannan ben Zakkai paid tribute to his student Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania by declaring “happy is the woman who gave birth to him” (Avot 2:8). The Rambam explains that, because Rabbi Yehoshua’s fine character traits were nurtured by his exceptionally refined mother, she is forever linked with her son. Rabbi Ovadiah MeBartanura teaches that Rabbi Yehoshua’s mother would visit study halls while she was pregnant with him to imbue him in utero with the love of Torah and the desire for knowledge. These trips and what they represented were clearly worthwhile, and she is therefore celebrated for this achievement. Both of these views are describing and prescribing ideal roles of a Jewish mother, raising a child with a sense of purpose, both in thinking and behavior.

There is an additional perspective on the ongoing influence that a Jewish mother has on her children. This influence goes well beyond physical proximity between parent and child. For example, at a moment of vulnerability, the lonely Yosef faced the possibility of slipping from his holy status by sinning with the wife of Potiphar. According to the often-quoted version of this story (Sota 36b), he was restrained by seeing the image of his father, Yaakov. However, there is an alternative version (Midrash Rabba Vayechi 95:20), stating that he was rescued by the image of his mother, Rachel, which was imbedded in his memory. Our mothers not only inspire and motivate us but are a continuous presence in our consciousness; in the language of the Midrash, “the rock” of Yaakov. They remind us to “stay out of trouble” and that they are always watching us. This may sound intimidating, but it is simultaneously empowering, as we strive to make them proud and are ashamed of disappointing them.

This Mother's Day, whether we are or are not with our mothers, we should pause to express gratitude for their gifts to us and aspire to be the greatest inspirations for our children and descendants, even when we are not physically with them.

Shabbat Shalom • I look forward to popping in to every youth group this coming Sunday. Please see the poster for the schedule. • We have a very exciting Lag Ba'Omer planned. See the poster for our event on Monday night with the our good friend Rabbi Dovid'l Weinberg. He is featured this week on the cover of Mishpacha magazine. https://mishpacha.com/the-deepest-dialogue/ Thank you Rabbi Willig for helping to make this happen. • Our Tuesday afternoon lecture series will feature our own Rabbi Steven Weil. See the Shabbat Notes for details. Thank you to Dr. Daniel Rynhold for his phenomenal lecture this past week. • We had a fun Sports Schmooze and it was wonderful to see so many family members joining. The recording is on Keter Torah Facebook until Monday morning. Linked below are some Torah treats for the Parsha from ArtScroll.

5/7/2020 Please see the information below about two phenomenal and well thought out new communal initiatives. A special thank you to our members who are actively involved with these offerings. 1. Bergenfield Kosher Food Pantry - This resource is for people in need. There is an open garage at 65 Thames Blvd. in Bergenfield for people to donate and take kosher pantry items. There is also a fridge inside for perishable food (which sometimes gets filled by local stores). The garage is open daily from 10:00am-10:00pm and on Friday until Shabbat starts. One person at a time should go in to take, wearing a mask and gloves. If donating and someone is inside the garage, you can leave outside the garage (and volunteers will bring it in later). Donations are welcome and needed.

2. Children's Clothing Exchange- This resource is NOT need based and open to all. A parent would fill out a form on the website below and indicate what gender/size of childrens/teen clothing they have to donate and/or need. (One can just donate, just receive, or both donate and receive). We will match you with another parent who matches what you have or want and both parties would contact each other to make the exchange between themselves. Donations are welcome and needed. More details on website: https://sites.google.com/view/thexchange/home

5/1/2020 Dear Friends • Sadly, we will be spending another Shabbat away from Shul. Excitingly, our incredible youth staff of Rivki, Yocheved, Avi and Adina keep coming up with with new and creative programming. See below for this weeks programs and information about upcoming Sunday events, including Keter Torah youth groups in action. • After every Shabbat, I receive some correspondence about people who are not properly following the rules of social distancing. I know that most people, at most times, are being compliant and how difficult it is to do so. Kol Hakavod for staying strong! I would also encourage people who are telling me about this, to do their part by respectfully and caringly reminding people who they see not following the rules to do so. We all need reminders at times and if done with love, it is well accepted. • Thank you for the very positive response to the programs that we were able to offer for Yom Hazikaron & Yom Ha'atzmaut, especially the video with Miriam Peretz. As a number of you wrote to me- “ Could we ever complain about life after seeing her life of inspiration and motivation”? • Thank you to the incredible group of members who on a minutes notice pick up and drop off food and call someone who is lonely. You personally give me great chizuk. • Thank you to so many for bringing to my attention the work on Pirkei Avot by Irving Bunim. I will again include a selection from his mastepiece in the class this week. • We look forward to continuing our afternoon lecture series this week with our dear member Dr. Daniel Rynhold. • The Menachem Begin book won the vote for the Book Club. I look forward to reading it,. Get ready for the Sports Shmooze! There will be time for “call ins” from the crowd.

4/28/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum:

Yom Hazikaron Today is Yom Hazikaron. This article can give you a small sense of what the day has been like this year. https://www.timesofisrael.com/remembering-the-fallen-israelis-mark-a-memorial-day-like-no- other/

I would encourage you to discuss the day with your family and friends. It is the least that we can do to remember our heroes. I am including this very special interview that was prepared by OU Israel with our Shul in mind. Both of the speakers have been guests at our Shul and are dear friends.

Click here for a special recording for this year's "Yom Hazikaron without Har Hertzl." This recording, of a conversation between Rabbi Avi Berman, Executive Director OU Israel, and Miriam Peretz, Israel Prize awardee, educator, and mother of Uriel, HY"D, and Eliraz, HY"D, will feature insights into how Covid-19 has positively affected this sacred day.

Talleisim for Burial Jewish men are generally buried in a tallit. There is currently a campaign by the Hebrew Free Burial Associatioon (“HFBA”) to collect talleisim for the burial of Jews whose talleisim cannot be located or did not have their own. The HFBA arranges respectful levayaot and burials for Jews whose families cannot afford to do so. There is a bin in front of 1136 Korfitsen Road, New Milford, where the talleisim, in any condition can be dropped off. This is a video that demonstrates what they are facing with Covid-19: https://youtu.be/cRw63XDcyMs

Unemployment A number of our members are having some challenges with issues relating to filing claims and collecting these funds. If you have any expertise in this area and are willing to help please let me know.([email protected])

Guidelines for Davening • Tachanun is not recited Tuesday afternoon at Mincha and on Wednesday at Shacharit and Mincha Complete Hallel without brachot is said on Yom Ha'atzmaut after the Amida

Yom Hazikaron - Yom Haatzmaut Events

Today, Tuesday, at 8:00pm - RCBC community-wide Yom Hazikaron/Yom Ha'atzmaut ceremony. Shimon Shalev will speak on "Memories of a Son," in memory of his son, Shachar, who fell in the 2014 Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. In addition, Rabbi Yosef Adler, Rabbi Larry Rothwachs, and Rabbi Kenneth Schiowitz will provide words of inspiration for Yom Ha'atzmaut. Zoom information:https://zoom.us/j/4844160645 Dial in: 646-876-9923, Zoom ID 484 416 0645

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 29, from 8:00-8:20am - Tefilla shiur with Rabbi Baum on "Prayer & Friendship in the Israeli Army" Zoom information https://zoom.us/j/537265203. 646 558 8656; Meeting ID: 537 265 203

Tomorrow, Wednesday, at 12:00pm - Ishay Ribo on Facebook Live The Ida Crown Jewish Academy in Chicago, under the leadership of my good friend Rabbi Leonard Matanky invites Keter Torah to join them for a live Yom Haatzmaut performance by Ishay Ribo. https://www.facebook.com/IdaCrownJewishAcademy/live/

Tomorrow, Wednesday, from 3:00-3:45pm - Keter Torah presents Rabbi Menachem Leibtag on "Re-examining the Challenges of 20th Century Zionism, in Light of the Books of Ezra and Nechemya." Zoom information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84269592453?pwd=MkRIRTBodWFhSW1RaDBEWEZQ Wnp1QT09 Meeting ID: 842 6959 2453 Password: 305700

This week's cosponsors: • Terry & Dennis Eisenberg to commemorate the yartzeit of Dennis's mother, Pesal bat Baruch HaLevi, Bessie Eisenberg, z"l • Aviva & Lee Gorin to commemorate the yartzeit of Lee's father, HaRav Sholom Fishel ben Rav Yisroel, Rabbi Fred Gorin, z"l • Regina & Michael Koenig to commemorate the yartzeit of Regina's father, Chaim Yehuda ben Mordechai, Louis Mayers, z"l • Trudy & Toddie Levine to commemorate the yartzeit of Trudy's father, Tzvi ben Eliezer, Hersch Neuman, z"l • Channa & Stan Potash to commemorate the yartzeit of Channa's father, Moshe Yaakov ben Meshulam, Morton Tannenbaum, z"l • Marion Schechter to commemorate the yartzeit of Marion's husband, Shmaya Tzvi ben Mordechai Zeev v'Hinda Leah, Seymour Schechter, z"l

Zoom information https://zoom.us/j/96050183185 Dial in: 646 558 8656, Meeting ID: 960 5018 3185

Yom Haatzmaut To-Go https://www.yutorah.org/togo/haatzmaut. HaMizrachi http://mizrachi.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/HaMizrachi-YH-2020-Israel-highres.pdf Rabbi Shalom Baum

4/24/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum Dear Friends, Sadly, we will not be able to be together in shul this Shabbat. It was great hearing from and even having FaceTime calls with a lot of the kids from the Shul who called this week. Feel free to reach out to me and we will work out a time-not during their school hours. • Thank you to Rabbi Weil for his brilliant and painful presentation on Yom Hashoa. We had a very large "live" attendance and there is a copy of the talk available. Please see the Shabbat notes for special Yom Hazikaron/Yom Haatzmaut programming. • Thank you to the many sponsors and participants on the Pirkei Avot Shiur. It was incredible to see so many of you engaged in learning. We will resume our Wednesday am tefilla shiur this week. • Thank you to our amazing staff for their continuing efforts to connect with the adults and youth. • Attached are some Parsha learning pages courtesy of Artscroll. Please see the great youth programs below. Downloads from Artscroll Torah Reading for Parashot - Torah Reading for Parsashot Tazria-Metzora with Talmud Torah Reading for Parsashot Tazria-Metzora with Onkelos

Baum Family Games Click here for recording

4/22/2020 RCBC Update • Please click here for an update from the RCBC. • Haircuts - One is allowed to take haircuts this Friday, April 24, (with all the laws of social distancing being maintained) which is Rosh Chodesh & Erev Shabbat Rosh Chodesh .

4/13/2020 Yizkor Tonight from 8:30 - 8:50pm Led by Rabbi Baum and Eric Kuperman YIZKOR GUIDELINES for PESACH 5780 • Yizkor can be said privately on the last day of Pesach. • We are also offering the opportunity to say Yizkor together with other members of the community tonight, at 8:30pm, and if said tonight it is not repeated on Yom Tov. We will also include special Yizkor Tefillot for the Kedoshim of the Shoah & the fallen soldiers of the IDF. • Yizkor Candle: Even if you will be saying Yizkor tonight over Zoom, the yahrtzeit candle should be lit for Yom Tov. One yizkor light serves adequately to recall everyone who we may be saying yizkor for. • Before Yizkor tonight, or on Yom Tov, you should make a gift to tzedakakh as the main function of the Yizkor recitation is to serve as a context in which to pledge to charity in the merit of deceased loved ones. • Yizkor is said beginning with the first holiday after the passing of a loved one.

4/7/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum Dear Friends

I wanted to bring some things to your attention as we get closer to Pesach. I am sorry that not all of the items are happy selections. This email is not meant to increase anxiety, but to emphasize how important we treat human life, mental health, and the safety of ourselves, and others.

We continue to be here for those in need. My deepest gratitude to the team of incredible volunteers from our Shul, who in addition to having their own concerns, have extended themselves to others.

I was privileged to offer chizuk to our courageous medical professionals last evening. Thank you to so many for joining the Zoom. You continue to inspire all of us, and we continue to pray and act for your safety.

It is possible to help make this a joyous Pesach, for our children, parents, grandparents. At the Seder, we must focus on those who are with us. Please remember that not having guests, even those closest to us, is not to be treated as saying Yizkor for them, but that this is being done to avoid, r"l, having to say Yizkor for them, or for others to have to say it for us.

I know that there are members, and members’ parents and children, who will be absolutely alone. I have offered many tools to address this challenge. I am available to discuss this with anyone else who is interested. Please remember to be in touch with your relatives before the chag, and I have given guidance in individual situations where you must be in touch on Yom Tov itself. If you have any questions about this, please contact me.

At this point it is absolutely redundant to remind everyone to not have anyone for the Sedarim, for the Chag, or the rest of Pesach who is not currently living with you. I also can't imagine that anyone from our Shul will be walking the streets on Seder night, going to visit another home. This message has been communicated many times, by the RCBC and by me, well in advance of Pesach, to properly prepare for this. However, with one day until Pesach, I will say it again, in case someone is still struggling with the issue, and fortunately, it is still not too late to make the right decision. I assume that everyone will. This applies whether anyone in our homes, or guests, have had, do have, or have not had Covid19. This applies whether anyone outside or inside our home has self quarantined for 14 days. This has never been the approach of the RCBC, and those organizations who suggested such an approach have changed their position as of yesterday.

For those struggling with potentially dangerous mental health challenges on Yom Tov and Shabbat, an anonymous supportline has been set up by Amudim. The supportline currently has over 60 volunteers answering phones from 8 AM to 11 PM EST. Calls that come in after-hours, or that cannot be answered by available volunteers, are transferred to a live 24/7 call center to be returned as quickly as possible. Staff members are monitoring all calls to ensure that urgent matters are replied to without delay, even overnight. Callers can reach out for help by dialing 888-7-AMUDIM, 888-726-8346 or 718-972-3000, with caller ID disabled on incoming calls to ensure complete confidentiality; and help is also available via email at [email protected].

Anyone who is waiting for the result of a test for COVID19, must answer the phone on Shabbat and do whatever is required by your medical provider, including picking up and paying for the medication on Yom Tov or Shabbat. Anyone in serious medical need, and at this time you must judge this in the most flexible way, must call their doctor on Yom Tov or Shabbat.

As prescribed by my Poskim, I will be monitoring my phone, 201-527-5228 during this three day Chag, in case that there is a potential emergency or life threatening circumstance that I can possibly be of assistance with, for you or of a loved one. Of course, you should call 911 first, if there is an emergency in your home.

Especially, with a three day Chag, we need to strengthen our resolve with social distancing. We all know the rules and we can and must all do it.

It is my deepest prayer to never have to send such an Erev Pesach email again. Thank you for your attention to this and the overwhelming compliance that is slowly helping with this crisis.

Rabbi Shalom Baum

4/6/2020 Special Zoom this evening for all for medical professionals with Rabbi Baum Rabbi Baum invites all of our Shul member doctors, nurses, and other related medical professionals, to join him this evening at 9:00pm, for a 15 minute Chizuk & Tefilla session. https://zoom.us/j/958390932

Pre-Pesach Story for 1st through 4th graders with Rabbi Baum Tomorrow, Tuesday, from 1:00-1:20pm: All participants will be entered into a raffle to be held after Pesach. Please write your name in the chat and all names will be entered into the raffle. https://zoom.us/j/104767134

4/2/2020 Rabbi Baum's Shabbat Hagadol Drasha Tonight, Thursday, live via Zoom or call in at 8:30pm "הכל בסדר" Dear Friends, I look forward to learning with you this evening in what iy"h will be the only Thursday night Shabbat Hagadol Drasha in our lives. As I have done in the many shiurim that I have given over the last few weeks to our Shul & beyond, I will show how even this year, we can and must create a positive seder & Pesach experience, though this will not be easy. You can zoom or call in for the drasha. Thank you to the many sponsors! Linked below is an update from the RCBC. I encourage you to read the link in the update to an important letter that was signed by many doctors in our community, as well as some information about research being done in our area to help with this crisis. We continue to include all of the cholim in our prayers, and continue to daven for the success and safety of our heroic medical professionals, bsd. Click here for source sheets RCBC Update

4/1/2020 Siyumim for Bechorim Unlike minyanim, when there is a pressing need, siyumim can be satisfied by listening to a siyum on the phone or via a live zoom. Kaddish is not said following the siyum. Everyone who participates should eat something following the siyum. We will offer siyumim on zoom at 7:00am, 8:00am & 9:00am, as well as call-in numbers for those who want to phone in. If you are able to give the 8:00am siyum, contact [email protected].

Bedikat Chametz / Biur Chametz Guidelines On Tuesday night, April 7, as soon as possible after night fall (after 8:10pm), we search for the chametz by the light of a candle. You should put out ten pieces of bread and search for chametz throughout the house. I again encourage you to sell all of your chametz except for the ten pieces of bread. The ten pieces can either be flushed down the toilet or burned in a chametz BBQ before 11:51am on Wednesday, April 8. Any remaining chametz that is in your garbage can be put out in your trash bins and brought to the street. After doing all of the above you recite the Kol Chamira (the statement nullifying ownership of any chametz which can be found in a siddur) as part of bitul chametz. DO NOT BURN ANY CHAMETZ OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME, UNLESS IT IS DONE IN A BBQ.

Chametz in Shul The Shul is including all the chametz that you may have left in your talit bags or in other locations in our sale of chametz. Please let us know if you do not want us to do this for you, and you can then include it in your sale.

Wednesday, April 8 - Erev Pesach Last time to eat chametz: 10:47am Mincha: Any time after 1:30pm & until 7:20pm Yom Tov & First Seder Night Candle Lighting: 7:10pm Hallel is not said at home after Ma'ariv but is said at the seder and at Pesach Shacharit at the Seder: After 8:11pm

Connecting with Relatives I suggest using the time before candle lighting to have a "Model Seder" with relatives via zoom. Your favorite parts of the seder can be said and a light snack can be served, without washing & eating any of the ritual items of the seder. Mah Nishtana and any other parts could be said and sung. You will be behaving like the Jews at the time of the Mikdash who gathered in the afternoon to sing songs surrounding the eating of the Korban Pesach. The zoom session must end before candle lighting.

Letter to Family for Seder Use • Ask your relatives for a Dvar Torah or story that you will share at your seder. Read it as part of the Magid section. Ideally one for each night. • Arrange for afikomen presents to be delivered on Chol Hamoed.

Thursday, April 9 - Second Seder No preparations can me made until after candle lighting, which is at 8:12pm. Donate Food to Our Local Hospital Workers Holy Name Health and Hackensack Meridian Health are in need of snacks for the full staff of workers who are working around the clock heroically and selflessly, and do not have time for breaks to buy snacks or drinks. Please consider donating your non-expired individually wrapped snacks and drinks in the bins on the curb by the Altman's, 727 Dearborn Street, Teaneck. The students of Ma'ayanot will deliver them to the staff as soon as possible.

3/30/2020 Updates/Common Questions • Thank you to the many volunteers who have offered to help in so many ways, and no one should hold back from asking for help. Please contact [email protected]. • It was inspiring to have so many join us last night for the recitation of Tehillim.

Information regarding some common and important questions that people are asking

1) - These siyumim can take place via zoom if they are done live. We will schedule several of them. If you want to make a siyum, contact [email protected].

2) Haircuts during Sefira - Will be allowed, with guidance that will be provided, as one can not go out before Yom Tov to have this done.

3) Shmura Matza- Shmura matza is still available in local stores. It is absolutely fine to use machine shmura. If one can not acquire shmura matza, please contact me ([email protected]) for an alternative approach.

4) Tevilat Keilim- While the local Mikvah is still open for keilim, https://calendly.com/keylimmikvah I appreciate that it may be difficult to fit into your schedule and that many people can not and should not leave their homes. As an alternative, one can use this document prepared by the BETH DIN OF AMERICA https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9IrSF0L328QRUlFA3D4YpAcotZgrav- u6UAFDXZXOCquxDw/viewform Please keep in mind that only glass & metal items require immersion and one time use items such as throw away pans do not require immersion. China does not require immersion.

5) Biur Chametz- I will be providing guidelines to dispose of any chametz that you haven't sold. We will not do a burning at the Shul, and you should not burn chametz at your homes. I will offer a very simple alternative for this year.

3/29/2020 Note From Rabbi Baum and RCBC Update Dear Friends, Shavua Tov. With all the sadness in our community, there is much inspiration. We have been fortunate to be able to match up several people who need help with shopping and ordering, with a great group of volunteers. Others have been reaching out to their neighbors and fellow members. If we haven't called on you yet, and you volunteered or would like to help someone, including checking in on them with a phone call, please send your name to [email protected] and we will contact you if needed. Please mention if there is a particular area that you would like to help with.

Attached below is an additional letter from the RCBC with special emphasis on not hosting close family members who are not currently living with you at this time. Many of us have had these conversations with our family members and with no change in policy on the horizon, it is best to address this as soon as possible, to allow everyone to physically and emotionally prepare properly.

This Thursday, as part of my Shabbat Hagadol Drasha, I will continue to offer some strategies to make our Sedarim exciting and upbeat, and to provide practical suggestions for helping our loved ones, who will be alone, to feel as connected to us as possible. For example, grandchildren can zoom with their grandparents a couple of hours before Pesach while everyone is dressed for the Chag. They can ask the Four Questions and get commitments for an Afikomen present. Parents can do the same with their children and share Divrei Torah, words of inspiration, and even sing some Pesach songs. This is not the same as being together but will iy"h allow us to all be together next Pesach in good health and spirit.

A personal note of gratitude to the medical professionals in our community who continue their חזק ואמץ .heroic efforts

RCBC UPDATE Click Here

3/29/2020 Tonight from 8:00-8:15pm, Rabbi Baum will speak briefly before leading us in the recitation of Tehillim chapters 20, 41, and 120. This will be followed by a misheberach for cholim. You will be able to include the name when Rabbi Baum pauses. Click here for Tehillim we will be reciting via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/851478611 Meeting ID: 851 478 611

3/26/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum/Update from RCBC Safety Note - Rosh Chodesh We face another Shabbat outside of Shul. People are getting “cabin fever” but we must not slip up this Shabbat from staying safe. Please see below the attached notice from the RCBC and follow the law of the State and halacha. These apply every day, including Shabbat, when more and more people are yearning to get outside. We need to be smart and compliant in following all of the guidelines of being in quarantine and social distancing. We all appreciate the challenges of being compliant with all of the quarantine and social distancing guidelines. However, we have no choice. Teenagers and children are not self-disciplined to distance themselves from each other when taking bike rides, having play dates and taking walks. Therefore, parents need to make sure that they are not doing any of the above as mandated by the State. The same applies to adults who must set the example. We all want to be with our families for Pesach but it is more important to protect ourselves and our communities. We will iy"h have many future holidays with the whole family- but not this year. Please speak directly to your doctors for guidance, especially if you are not accepting the reality of the risk levels to you and to potential guests. Looking forward to healing and redemption - Speedily Rabbi Shalom Baum RCBC Update

3/25/2020

Thank you to the many people who continue to offer assistance for the Shul and especially to those in need. If you need some catered take-out food for Pesach, generously donated by a local caterer, please contact Rabbi Baum directly ([email protected]) early next week.

If you would like to help the Shul in a modest and appreciated way, please consider sponsoring Rabbi Baum's Shabbat Hagadol Drasha for $250. To cosponsor, visit www.ketertorah.org and select Shabbat Hagadol from the PayPal drop down menu.

Note from Rabbi Baum: Today has been set aside both in Israel and the United States to increase our Tefilla. I join many poskim in strongly discouraging people from fasting today in the USA, as we are concerned about its potentially deleterious impact on our physical health. At some point today you can say Tehillim 20, 41, 120, 130, 142, and 91 followed by Avinu Malkenu.

3/22/2020 Safety Note

Shavua Tov. It was sad not to be in Shul on Shabbat. We all appreciate the challenges of being compliant with all of the quarantine and social distancing guidelines. However, we have no choice. Teenagers and children are not self-disciplined to distance themselves from each other when taking bike rides, having play dates and taking walks. The same applies to adults who must set the example. The guidelines are clear and must be followed according to the law of the land and halacha. Thank you.

Cholim and Tehillim

Rabbi Baum is continuing to say the misheberach for cholim. Please reply to this email with any names as the list will be updated before Shacharit on Monday. Rabbi Baum asks that everyone add Psalm 121 after Shacharit every day.

Keter Torah Kol Yisroel Chaverim Initiative • Tech help: Anyone needing help with any virtual technology can contact Erik Schetina at [email protected]. • Tutoring Buddies: Please let Rabbi Baum know if anyone is in need of tutoring in specific topics, or if you can tutor in specific areas, and he will try and make a match. • Please continue to contact us if you have any particular needs or know of anyone else who needs assistance, after checking with them first. • If you and other family members can not leave home and need food or anything else, please contact Rabbi Baum directly at 201-527-5228. • For audio of last week's presentation by Rabbi Baum on Pesach for Rookies & Repeats, please click here.

3/19/2020 A Personal Note Please let us know if you or someone that you know in our community needs help during this trying period. We are here to assist in any way possible. Please check with them first. Thank you to the many people who have volunteered to help and who are checking in with their neighbors. The Shul is grateful for the chizuk that we have received from our membership to continue our efforts. We continue to pray for healing of the sick in our own community and beyond. It is gratifying to see that many of the responses to our communications express compassionate interest in the welfare of others. Many are also seeking spiritual, psychological and practical guidance to address these challenges. I am gratified with the willingness of our community to comply with the difficult but fundamentally necessary social distancing guidelines. Please reinforce these guidelines to any students returning from Israel or out of state colleges.

Shabbat Information As we will again, sadly, be away from Keter Torah this Shabbat, we will again be sending a Shabbat packet for adults and children. Thank you for the great feedback and to my amazing staff for their efforts. Look out for many more Torah and Pesach offerings.

RCBC Letter Attached is a new letter from the RCBC that provides important and updated information for our special community.

Keil Maleh Prayer This Shabbat, I will recite the Keil Maleh prayer for all yartzeit observances on record through 7 Iyar. You can also say this prayer at home.

Mechirat Chametz Form • While I still hope that we can all see each other before Pesach, I am attaching this form, which can be returned to by email ([email protected]) or mail (600 Roemer Avenue, Teaneck, 07666). As I mentioned in class, this year real chametz could be included in the sale, even if you do not typically include it. You do not have to specify the exact type of chametz items; rather, you should mention general categories; e.g., liquor, pasta, and cereal.

• To email this form, please scan and attach it to your email and include this language in the body of the email: I am appointing Rabbi Shalom Baum or his designee as agent to sell my chametz to a non-Jew. My form is attached.

Please click here to make a donation to the Keter Torah Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund in combination with the sale of your chametz.

RCBC Update

Mechirat Chametz Form

3/17/2020 Updated and Notice

• Please reach out to us if you are aware of anyone in our community who has a particular need. Please check with them first and continue to be in contact with the most vulnerable in our community.

• We have been informed that two people who were at Keter Torah on Purim day, March 10th, have tested positive for the Corona Virus. To the best of our knowledge, at this point, Purim day would be the beginning of a 14 day period where it is possible that our Shul could have been a source for infection. Please be in touch with your medical provider should you develop any symptoms (fever, cold, flu). We can not provide any more information, and obviously everyone should be monitoring themselves and following the detailed guidelines of your town, school and the RCBC. We are again highlighting that “social distancing” must be practiced by everyone in our community. There should absolutely be no play dates between children of different families, teens should not be hanging out, and adults should not be socializing with anyone outside of their own families.

• In addition to the many online offerings that we will continue to provide, Rabbi Baum will be leading a ZOOM LEARNING PROGRAM for KIDS on Sunday. More info to come & every participant will receive a raffle ticket for great prizes.

• For audio of a presentation by OHEL's Dr. Norman Blumenthal, offering expert advice on how to stay calm during Covid-19, click here http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1102382266183&ca=3d8db43 6-0838-4e94-a602-8e914318d5e3

3/17/2020 Dear Friends,

• Please continue to contact us if you have any particular needs or know of anyone else who needs assistance, after checking with them first. • If you and other family members can not leave home and need food or anything else, please contact Rabbi Baum directly at 201-527-5228. • For audio of Rabbi Baum's presentation Pesach for Rookies & Repeats, please email, [email protected]. Follow-up note from Rabbi Baum: This year the sale of chametz will be able to be done via email. The form and more information to follow.

3/16/2020 Dear Friends,

• Please continue to contact us if you have any particular needs or know of anyone else who needs assistance, after checking with them first. • In advance of this evening's class & for your general use here are some helpful Pesach guides: • OU • CRC • Special lists: • Countertops: Here is a list of countertops which can or can't be kashered (tx to CRC). I don't recommend kashering Formica, though it is listed. Those that can't be kashered should be covered. I will discuss how to Kasher during the class. (pages 26-27 of 2020 CRC Pesach Guide) • Pets: You cannot feed you pets chametz on Pesach. Here is list of acceptable products for your pets (pages 103-105 in 2020 CRC Pesach Guide) • Infant Formula, Nutritional & Dietary Supplements (pages 108-109 in the 2020 OU Pesach Guide)

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A ZOOM PRESENTATION: Pesach for Rookies & Repeats w Rabbi Baum

3/14/2020 Shavuah Tov, *Please let us know if there is anyone that you know of with particular needs at this time, after checking with them first.

*Rabbi Baum will offer an online "Pesach for Rookies and Repeats" on Monday evening. More information to follow. Please hold off, if at all possible, on Pesach questions until after the class.

*Tomorrow, Sunday, 9:00-9:40am Shiur by Rabbi Jonathan Schachter fall? The halachot לוחות have reacted when they saw the בני ישראל Topic: How should concerning a fallen Zoom address: https://zoom.us/j/104308293

3/13/2020 Letter from Rabbi Baum - Imperative for Shabbat and Until Further Notice

Children should not be having play-dates, and teenagers should not be “hanging” with each other, inside or outside. The same applies to house, or outside of the house minyanim. I know that most people are in compliance and thank you for taking the medical and rabbinic guidelines seriously. Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Shalom Baum

Click here for the RCBC Letter Click Here for the Tenafly Pediatrics letter

3/13/2020 Torah Reading - Thank you to Rabbi Baum's friend, Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz, President of ArtScroll, for providing the pages from the Stone Chumash for our Shul and the entire community. The pages are provided in memory of: Avrohom ben Yehudah, z"l, Sara bat Menachem Mendel, z"l, Shlomo ben Alter Yechiel HaLevi, z"l, and Rochel bat Moshe, z"l. To download, click here.

Baum Table Games Click here for Rabbi Baum's explanation of Baum Table Games.

Dear Keter Torah families,

We hope everyone is adjusting smoothly during this challenging time. While we are told we must practice social distancing, that does not mean we need to be distant. Rather we can all come together and do mitzvot in the zechut of a refuah shlema for all who need it, and in the zechut that the virus be quickly contained.

As Youth Directors, we wanted to enhance the Shabbat tables since most of us won’t be together this week. Collaboratively, we came up with the 100 Brachot Campaign. The power of one person saying 100 Brachot everyday has a big impact, and if we can come together to ‘count our blessings’ hopefully we can get through this together.

Why 100 you may ask? A long time ago during the days of Dovid Hamelech (King David) a sickness was going around making many people ill just like the virus is doing today. So Dovid thought long and hard and decided that in order to make the plague go away everyone should say 100 brachot a day… and it worked! Are you up for Dovid Hamelech’s challenge, lets do this together!

For Shabbat, we have compiled a printable "Me’ah Brachot The Game” for you to enjoy with your families. Over the next week we hope to share more Brachot Challenges and other surprises to connect to each other and to Hashem even while we’re apart.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rivki Rosenthal & Yocheved Ross

3/13/2020 A Message from the RCBC • We know how the recommendations we announced on Thursday is disrupting to our everyday lives. It is particularly difficult for the local eating establishments that we benefit from on a daily basis. The loss of income from not having sit-down customers is great. Several restaurants have graciously offered discounts on delivery during this period of time. We encourage those who are able to, to please patronize our local establishments during this difficult time.

3/12/2020 Note from Rabbi Baum:

Thank you everyone for your understanding and words of chizuk. Most importantly we are here for you and please let us know if you need anything. Please see below some initial online Torah options. Thank you to the organizers of the particular shiurim.

I am working with Rivki on a pre-Shabbat youth package, including Baum Table Games.

3/12/2020 Dear Friends,

Please see the letter linked below. It breaks our hearts to have to temporarily shut down the holy epicenters of our community, but pray that this will be an important step in the healing process.

I know that many of you will have particular questions, and should feel free to contact me. There may be a slower response time for the next several hours. In case of emergency, please contact Howard or Aliza at 201-907-0180.

The shul will be closed as of 9pm this evening. We will send frequent updates. We have said Kel Maleh for those with upcoming yahrzeits, and please let me know if you need me to arrange for kaddish. As the letter states, everything will be reevaluated next week. Please reassure your children about the strength of our cohesive community and especially about the deep love that you and Hashem have for them.

Their wonderful schools and parents will continue to encourage them not to be overly alarmed. You should contact mental health professionals if you sense that they are being shaken by all this news.

Rabbi Shalom Baum Click here for the RCBC Letter

3/9/2020 From Rabbi Baum:

To allow even more room to make people feel most comfortable, we have added a 7:40pm megillah reading tonight in the Beit Midrash. See the schedule at the end of this email for the 12 megillah readings at the Shul on Purim. Please choose one this evening and tomorrow where you are most comfortable. We have also moved the children's program and the to the ballroom so that there is more room for everyone.

There will be a live broadcast of megillah reading tonight at 7:50pm and tomorrow approximately 30 minutes after the start of the 9:00am minyan.

We are making this broadcast available for those who have been told to quarantine and do not have their own megillah to read from. If you do have your own megillah, than this broadcast is not for you. It is also a better option to have someone read for you, while they are outside of your home with a window open, if approved by your medical provider. A recorded non-live broadcast is absolutely not a fulfillment of the requirement.

People who have other illnesses or are suffering from anxiety and cannot attend shul, but do not need to be quarantined, should have someone else read the megillah for them in person, assuming that your medical provider approves of it. This broadcast is not for you, unless your doctor or mental health professional sees no other option.

No bracha should be said to a megillah reading that is broadcast. You can answer Amen to the brachot.

Click here for the link to the live broadcast (please note that nothing will play until the time of the live broadcast).