Finding a way
Many Jews sacrifice in person services during holiest day of the year
Arguably one of themost emotional days on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippurwill bring about a new set of emotions this year as communities celebrate distantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. This year it begins at sundown today, and ends at sundown Monday.
According to tradition, this is the day on which God seals each person’s fate for the coming year intheBookof Life. Observant Jews ask for forgiveness of their sins by confessing andmaking amends for the coming year.
To commemorate this holy day, Jews practice fasting and abstinence, and they refrain fromwork, bathing or wearing leather shoes while spending the day in prayer during synagogue services.
These practices are ways to deny oneself and focus on God while repenting past sins. But this year, COVID-prevention rules prevent large congregations from gathering in synagogues.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC, says therewill be two different approaches to Yom Kippur services this year, mainly those of orthodox and conservative or reformmovements. Orthodox Jews do not use electrical devices on holy days, and so cannot use the internet as a replacement for live, in-person services.
“Liberal movements, or conservatives, are streaming all services online with no services in synagogues,” he says. “The orthodox movement does not use technology or electronics on Shabbat or Yom Kippur, so they will be in person butwhile social distancing, wearing masks, and services will be held outside in tents.”
A quorum of 10 adults is required for certain prayers, Lopatin says, in accordancewith an ancient rule to come together and pray as a community. Keeping this rule in mind, those of the conservative and reform movements will gather in their homes to live streamservices over the internet, while orthodox practitioners will be signing up to attend in-person service outdoors.
“Multiple orthodox serviceswill be held throughout the day, some even in back yards,” Lopatin says. “Typically orthodox communities are much smaller than conservative, with about 50 members, so it’s easier to maintain distance.”
In-person services have been a concerning issue for the faithful sinceMarch, when communities around theworld began social distancing to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Lopatin says one of the challenges has been not in creating an online community, but in maintaining it.
According to Lopatin Jews are supposed to pray three times a day and services have been streaming online for about sixmonths now.
“It’s a challenge because you do lose out on so much not being in person but we are trying to be safe,” he says. “I’m a big believer in Zoom,” the internet application many people use for online meetings, “but God willing, we can go back in person.
“But if people have good will andwant to connect, theywill find a way to pray as a community.”
Signing up for a small backyard service or live streaming service from one’s couch doesn’t offer the same experience as walking into a synagoguewith hundreds of people in that focused atmosphere.
Although live-streamed services are not as powerful, they can be more inclusive, because they allow elderlyor sickmembersof the community to join in.
While attending service is the most important tradition, the songs sung during service are integral and add to its emotional power. Those watching a live stream will still be able to hear their cantor singing traditional liturgical music, but in-person servicesmayomit them, because voice projection has been tied to virus transmission.
“One of the greatest traditions we won’t get this year is attending the service itself and the singing,” Lopatin says. “Orthodox communities are more traditional and will have to compromise by not getting the singing, and services will be shortened.”
That feeling of being part of the Yom Kippur experience may be weaker this year, but the message of being forgiven of one’s sins is still present.
“There’ s so much tension, frustration an danger, that it’s a time to forgive each other and change our ways to behave properly,” Lopatin says.