COVID-19 Updates

Masks will be optional at Congregation Or Shalom

Our tradition teaches us that kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, all of the Jewish people are responsible for each other. 

This sense of communal responsibility has been the foundation of our congregation’s response to COVID-19 and by extension, the health and wellness of our Or Shalom community. 

As we prepare to welcome the new Jewish year 5783, a new school year, and the third year of the pandemic, we acknowledge that we are in a very different place from where we were in March 2020. Vaccines are now widely available for ages six months and older, and have proven effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization. We also have more information about how COVID-19 spreads and access to improved treatment options. In addition, Or Shalom is fortunate to have a strong collaborative partnership with physicians, health care experts and authorities. These partnerships have supported us in refining our protocols moving forward.

Updates to our health & wellness policies moving forward include:

• Masks will be optional at Congregation Or Shalom.
• Recommending staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines is the best protection against serious illness.
• Our commitment to online and streaming of services will continue.
• If you do not feel well, please do not come into the building or attend in-person programming.
• Keeping children home when sick is essential to maintaining a healthy school environment.
• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must continue to isolate for 5 days and wear a well-fitting mask through day 10. If your child tests positive, please notify our Education Staff.
• Masking guidance may change based on local transmission levels.
• Masks will always be available at our main entrance. 
• We will no longer require social distancing and cohorting based on recent CDC recommendations.

We will monitor the public health situation, remain up-to-date on CDC/IDPH guidance, and consult with our medical advisors to make any necessary adjustments to the above policy and provide updates to our Or Shalom community.

**The High Holy Days offer special opportunities for our community to gather. We will continue to review recommendations from our Health and Wellness Task Force and provide you with updated information closer to the High Holy Days.**

We ask you to join us in ensuring a culture of kindness that supports those who choose to wear a mask and those who choose not to wear a mask. 

Looking forward to a happy, sweet, and healthy new year!

Jeremy Seaver, President

Dr. Susan Sheinkop, Health & Wellness Advisor

Rabbi Ari Margolis