My shul in Bergen County is phasing in on Monday per the below.
Dear x,
Davening with a minyan is one of the cornerstones of our religious life. Since our closure over two months ago, returning to Tefillah b’tzibbur is something that many of us deeply crave. At the same time, we are taking a gradual approach as recommended by medical professionals. As you read and digest the plan for outdoor minyanim we recognize there are many precautions to follow, we wanted to be as clear as possible to avoid confusion. With all of these steps in place, ultimately we are hopeful that everyone who joins has a meaningful and uplifting Tefillah experience. After all, the protocols are about physical health and safety and the actual davening is about our spiritual connection with Hashem.
As we communicated last week, we are tentatively planning to begin some outdoor minyanim on Monday, June 8. We will first begin with Mincha/Maariv and b’Ezrat Hashem gradually add more tefillot for the tzibbur. One can register for minyanim by clicking here. This document includes additional guidelines that are unique to shul x and shul y as we have made several additions to the RCBC protocols that are unique to our community. As we have learnt from the past few months, the situation may change at any point and we are sharing the latest instructions from Medical professionals and Poskim.
Please note that due to RCBC protocols, one may choose one Shul’s sanctioned minyan (in our case- that is for x and y) subject to their guidelines, and will not at the same time be able to join a different Shuls’ minyanim. Additionally, only individuals that are registered can participate in the minyanim. The registration form must be filled out for every member of your household that intends on attending.
Status of Minyan
Please note that these minyanim are a reshut/optional and not a chiyuv/obligatory, even for one saying kaddish. No one should attend a minyan if they are not comfortable doing so, or if their individual circumstances warrant caution. No one should feel pressured by any hosts or friends to participate in a minyan.
There will be an opportunity for everyone to participate virtually in minyan. Rav Schachter permits individuals that can not attend minyan to virtually follow along and answer Kaddish, Kedusha, Barchu, and Amen. Zoom information will be sent out via email
As a Torah community, our emphasis must be on everyone's welfare. We appeal to you, please do not deviate from these directives to ensure the safety of all participants. The minyan will have to be cancelled if these rules are not carefully followed.
Medical Information
Anyone who is immunocompromised, over 60 years old, obese, has heart disease, asthma or COPD, 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.
It is prohibited to attend a minyan if one is 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 has tested positive for COVID should not attend 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.
If one has attended one of our minyanim and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, they must share this information with either Rabbi x or Rabbi y. Doctors will be consulted to determine whether the group is needed to quarantine.
Minyan Requirements
The minyanim, for now, are open to men and women, ages 12/13 and above.
The minyanim, for now, will have 19 or fewer people in attendance. This includes family members of the hosts who are outside with the minyan.
To help ensure that there will be a continuous 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 attend. This will prevent anyone who is not feeling well to sense any pressure to attend to help make the halachic minyan.
If for any reason, there is no quorum, the pod can not call outsiders to join them, including registered participants of other minyanim to attend.
In the event of rain or potential rain, the host/captain will inform the group of cancellation of the minyan. This will be determined with the guidance of Rabbi x and Rabbi Y.
Precautions
Participants at these minyanim must follow social distancing and mask wearing, both at these minyanim and wherever else it is required to do so by the law.
The mask must cover the mouth and nose and must be worn during minyan and when entering and exiting the location. Please see below for the proper method in wearing a mask.
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.
If the chazan needs to remove his mask, he may do so if he is facing away from everyone else and if the wind is not blowing towards the others.
There will be absolutely no bathroom use at the minyan locations. Please return to your own home if you need a bathroom.
No food or drink can be served before, during, or after the minyanim.
There will be no place to wash your hands
Chairs will not be provided, bring your own chair if needed
Each participant must bring their own siddur.
Under no circumstances can the group go inside. 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.
Registration, Record Keeping, and Precautions
Registration will take place through the Outdoor Minyan Committee only, and you can sign up via this link or by using the button found below. Every individual (including family members and hosts) must pre-register to ensure a minyan and proper record keeping.
To attend a minyan, you must sign up. Unfortunately, there are no "pop ins" and non-registered individuals can not attend
Records will be kept of who was at each minyan by the captain of the minyan. This will help with contact-tracing, if necessary.
Davening
While the minyanim will be having abridged (described below) services, proper decorum is expected from all to provide an atmosphere for all to have proper kavana and a powerful davening experience.
When Shacharit begins, we will begin with the Chazzan’s recitation of Chatzi Kaddish prior to borchu. People should arrive at minyan already wearing Talit and Tefillin and already having recited Birchot Hashachar. The first two recitations of kaddish (following korbanot and mizmor shir) will not be said. Removal of tallit and tefillin should occur back at home as we all attempt to minimize exposure as much as possible.
There will be no tables for tallit or tefillin, and tzedaka will not be collected.
“Heicha Kedusha” will be used for Shacharit, Mincha, & Musaf (when Shabbat Minyanim begin and on Rosh Chodesh)
For the time being, minyanim will proceed without Kriyat haTorah. This is true for Shabbat as well as during the week.
While a mechitza is not technically required when davening outside of a Shul, we will try to arrange for partitions for separating men and women at these minyanim. In the event of no mechitza being available, a distance of 4 amot/8 feet should be kept between the men and women.
Neighbors
Please be considerate of our neighbors when increasing the traffic and parking in areas that may not normally be set up as Shuls.
Directions on how to appropriately wear a mask
Wash your hands before putting on your face covering.
Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face.
Make sure you can breathe easily.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-to-wear-cloth-face-coverings.html