21 March 2020

By Rabbi Charley Baginsky
Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Liberal Judaism

Along with all faith organisations, Liberal Judaism is determined to do our part to help limit or slow down the transmission of COVID-19, while maintaining support for our communities and members in these unprecedented and unsettling times.

Every single one of our autonomous communities is taking strong affirmative action based on the advice from Public Health England and the Government.

Services as we have known them have been suspended, however as a cutting-edge movement Liberal Judaism is able to reach out in different ways. Traditional concepts of minyan and interpretations of the restriction of technology on Shabbat are not a concern for us in these circumstances.

Some communities will therefore be streaming Shabbat and festival services with just a rabbi present (where that rabbi is not in a vulnerable category). It may be that there a very small number of congregants in this time that really need the presence of other human beings, and if so one or two people will be able to join the rabbi – but staying at a safe distance away.

For smaller congregations who do not have the resources to stream, Liberal Judaism has created a hub centrally where they can watch streams from those Liberal and Reform communities that are offering this.

Furthermore, we are putting all appropriate liturgy online as well as creating a hub full of support, guidance, information and creative ideas and tools – so that we can continue to support the Jewish journeys of our members and communities no matter what.

Please be sure to visit our Liberal Judaism At Home web pages, which contain various resources to cover all aspects of Liberal Jewish life – including guidance on how to stream services, activity ideas, lists of upcoming online events and digital copies of publications including a Shabbat Siddur.