COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING THE CORONA VIRUS
RESTAURANTS SHULS DWP MIKVAH MEDICAL SHOPPING SERVICES
MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCED WE ARE MOVING INTO PHASE III RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT MAY REOPEN
Last night, Mayor Garcetti announced that the City of Los Angeles is moving into the next phase of the City’s Safer At Home reopening plan that includes a careful and deliberate roll out to make it as safe as possible moving forward.
He announced that as of today (Wednesday 5/27/20) all retail establishments may reopen for in-person shopping at 50-percent capacity. Every store will have to adopt County safety protocols to ensure the safety of workers and customers, alike. This does NOT yet include personal services like hair salons, nail salons, and barbershops. It also does NOT yet allow for dine-in services at restaurants.
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LATEST LETTER AND UPDATE AS OF 5/17/20 12AM
We, at the Los Angeles Mikvah, feel tremendous gratitude to our users. You have demonstrated that even though the ongoing circumstances have complicated many aspects of all of our lives, you have joined in and supported the community by abiding by all of our policies and guidelines.
As you can imagine, our staff, both Mikvah attendants and cleaning staff, have had to work much, much harder to follow everything we ask to keep you all as safe as we can. It is exponential and everyone has pulled through magnificently and we all owe them tremendous thanks as well.
*** I want to underscore for everyone to please continue following completely everything we ask of you from your end. One element which is especially important is to be sure that you are arriving ON TIME for the appointment you have set. If you do arrive late, even 10 minutes, please understand that we have no choice but to ask you to come back at the end of the evening. Now that we are working solely on an appointment based system, it is crucial for everyone to be on time as the ripple effect makes a very difficult job, impossible.
Please also remember, that EVERYONE needs to have an appointment to use the Mikvah. If you show up without one, you will be asked to come back only at the end of the evening. We cannot squeeze you in as the nights are heavily booked. With that in mind, it is to your benefit to schedule your appointment as soon as you know when your Mikvah night will be (the full week before). Should anything develop which will necessitate a change, just cancel and re-book. But this way, with a full week ahead—only once you are certain of your Mikvah night, you can schedule and will have plenty of options of available appointment times.
Again, we feel a tremendous Hakarat haTov to all of you.
Stay well and always feel free to text/call me at 310-948-4432 so I can answer your questions and try to help you with whatever you may need.
Vivian Lurie And The Board Of The LA Mikvah.
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TAHARAOT ARE BEING DONE!
Shalom Aleichem to the Los Angeles Jewish community. This is Boruch (Bruce) Bloom writing to you. Normally, I write to raise funds for Maisai Mitzvah to prevent, chas v’shalom, cremation.
NEW WEBSITE AND NOW WE CAN DONATE ON-LINE
I have incorporated as a 501(C)(3) non-profit: Chesed Shel Emes Society of California, Inc.Donations to help with our work (Protective items for taharah, Fund for Preventing Cremation, etc) can be made at our website www.CSESocietyCalifornia.org We can be reached via email at ChesedShelEmesSociety@gmail.com
Today I am writing to you to make sure you know the situation in Los Angeles regarding whether or not Taharot are being done at the Jewish mortuaries here. I can only speak for myself. Those of you who know me are aware that I and my teams do taharot all over Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties. We go everywhere, with the exception of Chevra Kadisha Mortuary which has its own teams.
Wherever there is a Jew who has asked for Taharah, even if it is not in a Jewish mortuary. I am fortunate to have women’s groups able to go to unusual locations. I have been doing taharot for 40 years now. Rabbinical oversight for years was by Rabbi Avrohom Levitansky, Z”tzl, And now Rabbi Shimon Raichik, Shlita. For the men side, we have driven as far north as S.Luis Obispo, and as far east as Riverside and Palm Springs.
WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING TAHARAH in Southern California. Even for C-19 cases. If the mortuary doesn’t have protective gear for us, I DO. I am familiar with ALL guidelines from everywhere. Today’s situation is very similar to when AIDS first came into the public eye. We take a bit more precaution than normal. Each individual is evaluated as to how complete the taharah will be. But the evaluation is done by the men and women who do taharah. Quite frankly, someone who only knows Halachah for doing Taharah, and has no hands on practical experience, is not fully qualified to tell us what to do, or not to do, in taharah.
BOTTOM LINE: “If you are told by any mortuary that currently taharah is not being done at their facility, you can change mortuaries. That is your right. If there are pre-need arrangements with a particular mortuary, they are contractually obligated to fulfill the Pre-Need.” – Baruch Bloom
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UPDATE FROM THE LOS ANGELES MIKVAH: 3/22/20 3:45PM WE HAVE STOPPED ALL PREPARATION INSIDE THE MIKVAH. Please prepare at home. Additionally, please be sure the appointment you set is for your mikvah day and not, in error, for the day you are making the appointment. |
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UPDATE 3/18
MESSAGE FROM SHALOM MEMORIAL PARK
Dear Friends,
Due to the worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus (Covid-19), effective immediately,
the maximum number of people allowed in the chapel at Sholom Memorial Park for
a funeral service will be 10.
This number includes Sholom Mortuary and Cemetery staff, clergy, family and friends. This policy is in place today until further notice.
Should families wish to hold a chapel service before going to graveside, we will stop
anyone above 10 people from entering the chapel. If this is a problem, we will lock the
chapel and move the attendees directly to graveside only.
We apologize for any inconvenience or difficulties this may cause. We are doing this
in the interest of public health, both for those in attendance, as well as for our staff.
Thank You,
Moe Goldsman
Mortuary Manager
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KEILIM MIKVAH VALLEY |
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UPDATE 3/19
SYDS PHARMACY DELIVERS 7111 Beverly Blvd
Syds Pharmacy has asked that we NOT call in for orders or questions. Please text Text to 3239338571 or sydsrx@gmail.com ——————————————————————-
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ANSHE EMES BIUR CHOMETZ CANCELLED |
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MESSAGE FROM SHALOM MEMORIAL PARK
Dear Friends,
Due to the worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus (Covid-19), effective immediately,
the maximum number of people allowed in the chapel at Sholom Memorial Park for
a funeral service will be 30. This number includes Sholom Mortuary and Cemetery staff,
clergy, family and friends. This policy is in place today until further notice.
Should families wish to hold a chapel service before going to graveside, we will stop
anyone above 30 people from entering the chapel. If this is a problem, we will lock the
chapel and move the attendees directly to graveside only.
We apologize for any inconvenience or difficulties this may cause. We are doing this
in the interest of public health, both for those in attendance, as well as for our staff.
Thank You,
Moe Goldsman
Mortuary Manager
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MESSAGE TO COMMUNITY BY MANY COMMUNITY RABBIS
Over the last several days we have been hearing urgent messages from our elected officials and Department of Health representatives asking us to eliminate communal gatherings and to minimize in-person contact to the greatest degree possible. This is the best and surest way to slow down the spread of the coronavirus in our city. It will literally save lives and will prevent our local hospitals from becoming overwhelmed to the point of having to turn patients away.
This is the reason that we the undersigned have made the unprecedented decision to close our shuls and schools. It is vitally important, and a matter of Pikuah Nefesh, life and death, that everyone in our community abide by the following policies. 2) We should all add Avinu Malkeinu at both Shachrit and Mincha until further notice. 3) All members of our community should minimize in-person contact with anyone outside of their immediate families. If you can work from home, please do so. Visits even among families should also be limited. Communication with parents and grandparents who are not living in your home should be virtual whenever possible. 4) Although it is challenging in the absence of school, there should be no playdates or friend get togethers. One may play in the yard and go for a run, but it should not be with friends or with children of friends. We encourage people to go outside, but to stay distanced from other people even when outdoors. 5) As social distancing continues, we should plan to have our Shabbat, Yom Tov and Sedarim without guests. 6) “Shiva visits” should be made by phone or facetime. 7) Support our Kosher restaurants by ordering out from the restaurants. Avoid eating in the confined spaces of restaurants which can lead to greater transmission. 8) Only one person per household should go to the Supermarket. Children should not go to the store and people should not be socializing while in the store. 9) Any person who has had exposure (defined as being within 6-8 feet for a period of 10 minutes or more) to someone who has tested positive should immediately self-quarantine for 14 days. People without any symptoms who have been exposed to a COVID-19 patient should not at this time seek medical attention or seek to get tested. They should self-quarantine. Please note that while the official DoH position requires quarantine after exposure only if the person has begun to have symptoms, we strongly advise to err on the side of caution based on the advice of the aforementioned two physicians. 10) Call your doctor if you start to have symptoms (increased congestion, coughing or fevers). Seek emergency medical treatment if you have difficulty breathing, but please do not go to the emergency room if you do not need emergency care. 11) For a COVID-19 test enter your zip code to find out the nearest COVID-19 test site. (from US HRSA.gov website) https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/ Go to clinics instead of crowded large facilities. (Testing and Treatments are free.) 12) Any member of our community who has tested positive must immediately inform family and friends (or any acquaintances if applicable) who may have been exposed to him or her. This includes informing your rabbi or head of school. 13) We call on all of our community members and institutions to create formal systems and mechanisms by which people who are in need of assistance and people who can volunteer to provide assistance, are connected with one another. We encourage also helping the general public by donating to community charities of your choice. Please also remember to generously support Maot Chittim campaigns. |
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POSSIBLE SCAM ALERT – DOOR TO DOOR CRIMINALS
Not sure if this is true but a letter is circulating that a group is going thorough neighborhoods with letterhead that looks official saying they are from HOME AFFAIRS taking the census and that everyone needs a ID and then robbing homes. NO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE GOING HOME TO HOME DO NOT OPEN DOOR TO ANYONE UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE. Again we are not sure of the truth of this information but it is always a good idea to remind each other how to stay safe.
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Guidance for Shuls and Communities
We recognize the great need for practical guidance for shuls and communities with regard to the continuing situation surrounding COVID-19. With the guidance of our Poskim, HaRav Hershel Schachter שליט״א and HaRav Mordechai Willig שליט״א, we share the guidelines below. Please keep in mind that the situation is evolving at a rapid pace and these guidelines have been drafted with the information and recommendations that we have as of now.
As always, shuls and communities must strictly follow the guidelines provided by local and national authorities, including the CDC and local health departments.
Due to the unique social patterns of many of our communities, where we share daily Tefillah and Shiurim, children’s schools and frequent festive events, we may be exceptionally prone to communal transmission. As such it may be appropriate for us to adopt an even stricter standard than the authorities require.
The medical advice we have received and wish to share is as follows:
- In communities where there are confirmed cases, it would be prudent to severely limit all public gatherings, and to close shuls.
- In communities where there are not as yet confirmed cases, significant restrictions should be placed on how shuls gather. In addition to the known restrictions on attendance for people displaying symptoms of any kind, as well as individuals considered at greater risk, shuls should hold multiple minyanim to avoid large crowds and ensure significant spacing between individuals.
The above guidance is the minimal standard. The communal rabbi and leadership may assess the situation and wish to exercise greater caution and close the shuls.
In communities where schools have been closed by local government – whether or not there are existing confirmed cases – children must not get together in homes, parks, or other venues. In these communities shuls should be closed as well. Not closing the shuls will render the school closures essentially meaningless in limiting communal transmission.
The Leadership of the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America
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