WJC High Holiday 2020 In-Person Attendance Instructions

We are excited to be able to offer an in-person option for the high Holidays in this unusual year. We want to make sure people can focus on their spiritual experience and not be distracted by confusing social distancing practices. Therefore, please read the following instructions carefully and follow them completely.

1. Before you leave home, remember the following items:
   1. a mask – all attendees are required to wear a mask except when leading or reading Torah. Acceptable masks: disposable surgical masks, two-layer cloth masks, or valveless N-95 masks.
   2. a kippah – there will be kippot available but it is far preferable that you bring your own.
   3. use the bathroom. (For guidance on the synagogue’s bathrooms, see #6 below.)
   4. Ask yourself the following questions. If the answer to any is yes, please stay home that morning:

• Do you have a fever or have you felt hot or feverish recently (within the last 21 days)? Taking your temperature is advised if there is any doubt.
• Are you having shortness of breath or other difficulties breathing?
• Do you have a cough?
• Do you have any other flu-like symptoms, such as gastrointestinal upset, headache, or fatigue?
• Have you experienced a recent loss of taste or smell?
• Have you been in unprotected physical proximity to any person with confirmed COVID-19?
• Have you traveled outside the United States or visited States noted in the NYS travel advisory in the past 14 days?

1. 1. Consider that certain conditions put you at higher risk of severe COVID-19, should you contract the virus: People at high risk of severe COVID-19 include those over 65, or those with chronic medical conditions, including the severely obese, those with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, chronic kidney or liver disease, and the immunocompromised, which may be due to cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immunosuppressant medications. Please consider your risk before deciding to attend. You may want to discuss your participation with your healthcare provider, if you are concerned about your risk.
2. Please do not arrive early. No one will be admitted before 11:00am unless they are leading or chanting a part of the service.
3. Enter through the main sanctuary doors. The door will be propped open until all expected attendees are present, so that no one touches the door. A guard will be present to ensure security.
   • please enter one household at a time.
   • if you choose to line up outside prior to the door being opened, please maintain a distance of 6-feet between households and wear your masks.
4. Respect the Ushers. The seats will be set up by household in the reception room and gymnasium and taped off in the sanctuary, so it may be hard to navigate the first time. Ushers will be there to help you find your seats and your family’s name will be on your seats. Please do not argue with the instructions you are given about your seats, your mask or your social distancing!
5. A mahzor will be on every chair or in the seatback in front of you. Please use only the mahzor you are given and replace it on the chair or in the seatback when you are done.
6. Participation
   • please keep your mask on at all times and avoid singing – humming or singing along under your breath is allowed. (Singing confers additional risk of virus spread.)
   • all physical distancing protocols will be in place, so please greet people from your seats. Of course, no touching.
   • if you need to use the bathroom, they are open, but please use only in case of emergency and if possible one at a time.
   • the only honors will be the aliyah blessings, which will be recited from one’s seat.
7. Exiting After services, we will exit by section in a coordinated fashion, directed by the clergy. Please do not stop to greet people or socialize on your way out and maintain 6-feet of distance between households. This may be hard to coordinate, so bear with us please. We have all of your safety and best interests in mind.
   After you have exited the building, we encourage you to head home for lunch, but if you would like to stay and catch up with fellow congregants, please keep your masks on and maintain 6-feet of distance.

 Again, we are very glad that you are able to be at shul and appreciate your adherence to these procedures to minimize everyone’s risk.

 Please contact Rabbi Arnowitz or David Goldstein with questions or concerns.