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Some Community Synagogues Gradually Re-Open

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WESTCHESTER July 2020 -- Tammuz-Av 5780, Volume 26, Issue 7 1994-2019 JewishWESTCHESTER COUNTY’S ONLY MONTHLY JEWISHLife NEWSPAPER Some Community Synagogues Gradually Re-open BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN we are being very cautious. We will to re-open different components of the not have any singing so the services synagogue in a safe way. The only thing With Westchester community will go much quicker. There will be we have re-opened for is the Daily Min- synagogues gradually re-opening, Lin- no official Kiddush meal. We will yan, on a very slow schedule,” Leventhal coln Park Jewish Center, {LPJC} Yonkers distance ourselves twice as much averred. Miyans meet at 7:00 a.m. daily opened their doors on Saturday, June as protocol recommends, with and sundown evenings. Only ten people 6th. LPJC Rabbi Levi Welton presented temperature checks upon enter- are allowed in the building, signing up his thoughts regarding the safety of his ing the building. We are asking in advance. A small Shabbat service was congregation. people to wear masks, gloves and held July 11. “Many people in our community wash their hands multiple times.” Temple Israel Center White Plains were eager to re-open as soon as possible. Erica Leventhal, Execu- re-opened for Evening Minyan on Sun- I was not one of them.” Rabbi Welton tive Director, Beth El Synagogue day, June 14 in Reception Hall 2 (info@ noted. “Our President Jack Schweizer Center, New Rochelle pointed templeisraelcenter.org) with proviso that attended hours and hours of meetings to a Task Force developed at the only 10 participants will be allowed and with local leadership in Westchester, beginning of the COVID outbreak no one under age 13. Participants must contacted the Center for Disease Control which has morphed into Back To- register in advance and wear a mask. (CDC) and called upon all the different gether Task Force, comprised of After completing online health protocols coming from the Governor. professional staff, clergy, lay lead- questions, individuals will sign up for a “It is my belief that while religious ership, a medical team and rep- particular evening; 3 spots each night will services may be essential, the Torah’s resentatives from various schools be reserved for mourners; 3 for people mandate for protecting a life is more es- Rabbi Levi Welton and camps housed at Beth El. observing yahrzeit and 3 for members of sential. Even though we are re-opening “We are carefully developing a plan Rabbi Annie Tucker the TIC community at large. Local Non-Profits will Benefit from Record Funding Levels Congresswoman Lowey Secured On June 30, Congresswoman Nita Rockland County Sheriff will receive country, this funding is critical to pro- pabilities to prevent, protect against, Lowey (D-NY17/Rockland-Westchester), $22,388 and the Westchester County tect non-profits and local residents.” mitigate, respond to, and recover from Chairwoman of the House Appropria- Public Safety Department will receive In fiscal year 2018, Congress- threats and hazards that pose the great- tions Committee, announced 22 orga- $57, 000 through FEMA’s Port Security woman Lowey created the new $10 mil- est risk, these funds can be used for in- nizations in the 17th Congressional Dis- Grant Program (PSGP), which supports lion Nonprofit Security Grant Program creased security such as cameras and trict will receive $2,265,088 in federal national preparedness across a broad (NSGP-S) carve-out within SHSGP to other equipment, planning, contracted funding from the Department Home- range of maritime security concerns support nonprofit organizations located personnel, physical building hardening land Security (DHS)’s Federal Emer- and cybersecurity capabilities. outside of UASI-designated urban areas. such as bulletproof glass, gates, and re- gency Management Agency (FEMA) “Since I was first appointed to the While Westchester is part of the NYC inforced doors and other preventative through the Urban Areas Security Initia- Select Committee on Homeland Secu- Area UASI region, making its nonprofits measures. tive (UASI) and State Homeland Security rity following the attacks on Septem- eligible for assistance previously, Rock- “As Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth Grant Program (SHSGP) which provide ber 11th and as a long-time member of land is not and was previously unable El of Northern Westchester, I am deeply critical assistance to states and locali- the House Appropriations Committee to access federal funding to protect its grateful for the funds our congregation ties to prepare and respond to terrorist which I now chair, I have prioritized de- nonprofits until Lowey established the will receive toward our security needs attacks. Both UASI and SHSGP support livering the security assistance we need NSGP-S program. on behalf of the Non-profit Security target hardening and other physical to protect New Yorkers,” said Congress- Congresswoman Nita Lowey In the fiscal year 2020 Homeland Grant Program,” said Temple Beth El of security enhancements to nonprofit woman Lowey. “While I wish these ini- Security spending bill, she successfully Northern Westchester Rabbi Jonathan organizations that are at high risk of a tiatives were not necessary, I am proud Valley. White supremacy is an alarming increased NSGP-S funding by 300% to Jaffe. “In these anxious times, this sup- terrorist attack through their respec- to have secured record levels of funding and deadly threat to us all, and with the $40 million, resulting in awards for 16 port is especially appreciated. We will tive Nonprofit Security Grant Programs for vital security measures to keep us recent anti-Semitic attack in Monsey Rockland County entities. In order to direct these funds toward the continued (NSGP-U and NSGP-S). In addition, the safe and secure in the Lower Hudson and hate crimes on the rise across the support nonprofits’ preparedness ca- continued on page 3 Visit www.westchesterjewishlife.com for updates. Walking in the Shadow: Healing Together BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN munity Services by Cantor Cohen The names Bimromav.” (WJCS) and West- makes a prom- of COVID vic- A dialogue A special Memorial Ser- chester Jewish ise. In his moving tims and oth- between Rabbi vice, “Walking in the Shadow: Council. words, King David ers were read, Pamela Wax, Healing Together as a Greater The Service conveys G-d’s vow including indi- WJCS Spiritual Westchester Jewish Com- began with a ren- to walk with us in viduals remem- Care Coordina- munity, ” was held remotely dition of Psalm 23, the Valley of the bering their tor and Gillian on Thursday, June 18th, com- “The Lord is My Silence, be with loved ones. Me- Rittmaster, Li- memorating losses of loved Shepard” by Can- us and alleviate morializing his censed Clinical ones from COVID-19 and other tor Gerald Cohen, our fears... mother, Myrna Social Worker causes, having had to mourn Congregation “In our ritual Frances Schloss, (LCSW), WJCS them without the comfort of Shaarei Tikvah, care for one an- Cantor Randall Bereavement and customary mourning practices. Scarsdale and Cantor Gerald Cohen other, we bring G- Schloss, Temple Cantor Randall Schloss Pathways to Care The event was sponsored member, Kol Haz- d’s promised com- Israel New Ro- Coordinator about by Westchester Board of Rab- zanim, followed by Congrega- fort to the mourner, funeral chelle chanted the memorial grief and loss in the time of CO- Gillian Rittmaster, LCSW bis (WBOR); Kol Hazzanim— tion Emanu-El of Westchester and daily Minyan, shloshim prayer “El Moleh Rachamin.” VID-19 followed. the Westchester Community Rabbi Howard Goldsmith, rep- (initial period of mourning), Temple Israel Northern West- Wax asked Rittmaster is no spontaneity, no human of Cantors; UJA-Federation of resenting WBOR who began, yahrzeit (anniversary of death) chester Rabbi Jennifer Jaech about her clinical experience touch…” NY; Westchester Jewish Com- “Psalm 23, so beautifully sung and yizkor.” intoned the Kaddish; Cantor with her clients concern- Rittmaster stressed, “A Ethan Goldberg, Westchester ing COVID-19. “What my be- loved one’s dying with a sur- Jewish Center and Rabbi Can- reavement clients have been vivor’s not being able to be tor Shoshi Levin Goldberg, grieving is the lack of human, there is very traumatic, but Temple Israel Center, White contact, social distancing,” many of my clients are very Plains rendered “Oseh Shalom Rittmaster replied. “There resilient.” The Israeli American Council Offers WE’RE OPEN! ConnecTivism How Can We Serve You Today? The COVID-19 global pan- out the country. the virtual global arena, one demic has forced people to Pro-Israel activism is a that has no boundaries. In just Now you can order your reinvent themselves on a daily strategic priority and main one month IAC partnered with basis. The Israeli American focus area for the organiza- six schools across the US and favorite Ben’s foods online in Council, {IAC}, realized the in- tion, as they continue to see trained almost 200 high school Scarsdale again for pick-up OR credible potential that distance reports of all-time high levels students. delivery to select areas! learning offers, and it has taken of antisemitism and anti-Zi- For information on bring- on a whole new meaning across onism in the U.S., even in the ing this free program to your Go to OrderBensNow.com ... the organization. midst of the pandemic. Their group of teens, students or Broadly speaking, in goal is to train as many com- friends, or have them partner choose SCARSDALE and follow addition to having recently munity members as possible, with your local school, syna- the instructions. launched a new online learn- introducing them to the world gogue, JCC, etc., reach out to ing platform, the OFEK Learn- of positive pro-Israel and pro- [email protected]. In a hurry? Try our curbside ing Hub, IAC has been re-in- Jewish activism and provide The IAC has 20 regional service! venting how they teach Israel them with the tools they need offices and their mission is to activism and fight against an- to combat Anti-semitic and build an engaged and united Place your order by phone or tisemitism with ConnecTiv- anti-Zionist sentiment.
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