COVID policy for High Holidays, 2023
This covid protocol pertains to Shir Hadash’s High Holidays services at the Schechter School and Springhouse. It consists of expectations and requirements for everyone attending services. Your compliance will contribute to the safety and comfort of all who will be present.
Masking Masking is recommended but not required throughout services and whenever a person is inside. An exception is that service leaders or others at the bimah are invited to remove their masks while they are engaged in an activity that needs to be heard by the entire congregation, including speaking, chanting and singing. At other times, the recommendation stands. Masks will be available at services.
Symptoms and Covid Exposure Persons who possess an indication for covid or another contagious illness must abide by the conditions in this section. Categories are presented in order of seriousness, so the applicable category will be the first one that applies to you, if any.
1) If you tested positive for covid anytime within 5 days prior to the day you want to attend, do not attend.
2) If you have symptoms of covid or another contagious illness or you had a recent covid exposure, you must test on the day you want to attend. If result is positive, do not attend. If result is negative, you may attend provided you wear a mask whenever you are inside.
3) If you tested positive for covid anytime from 6 days to 2 weeks prior to the day you want to attend, you must either test on that day or have tested in the previous 5 days. If any of those results is positive, do not attend. If all those results are negative, you may attend provided you wear a mask whenever you are inside.
Vaccination We assume everyone who is vaccination-eligible has received the initial vaccination series. We encourage people to get a “bivalent booster”, which protects against the original strain and the Omicron variant. Vaccinations received Sep. 2022 or later quallfy.
Kiddush The havurah is offering kiddushes indoors. People are permitted to remove their masks to eat, with the exception of people covered in “Symptoms and Covid Exposure”. Masking following eating is recommended.
Reporting Covid You are expected to report suspected or confirmed cases of covid quickly. Contact Joel Reisman at 781-718-3895.
Ventilation Service locations are the Schechter School and Springhouse (for RH2). The Schechter School is where the havurah held High Holidays services until Sep. 2019. The space for services is the assembly hall; kiddush will be in the gym. Both spaces have high ceilings. The space at Springhouse has the same volume as the Sanctuary at the Lutheran Church. It has 2 doorways and does not have windows. To the extent practical, air quality will be promoted by using the facility’s air circulation system, operating our 4 air purifiers, and keeping open windows and doors.
Formulated by the Havurah's High Holidays Planners: and Covid advisors