2020-4-7 Vaad Statement PDF available to view.
י”ג ניסן תש”פ
April 7, 2020
To the Detroit Jewish Community,
In anticipation of Pesach, we remind everyone of the following extraordinary but necessary protocols to allow us to do our utmost to protect one another from the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• If Chas V’Shalom a person is not feeling well to the point where they are having shortness of breath, are having significant changes in breathing, or mental status (e.g. lethargy, delirium and/or unresponsiveness) they and/or those who are with them should call Hatzalah or 911 IMMEDIATELY. Do not hesitate and do not ask a Shayla. If someone has a relative in the hospital with Covid-19, they should speak to their Rov before Yom Tov regarding halachic issues specific to the virus, i.e. communicating with the nursing station and transportation if it becomes necessary.
• No Minyanim should be held anywhere or anyplace, whether indoors or outdoors. Holding a Minyan at this time severely undermines efforts at containment and puts lives in danger.
• Social distancing at a minimum of six feet must be practiced at all times. As we make final preparations, extra diligence should be exercised while shopping at stores.
• Unless absolutely necessary no one should have guests join them for Yom Tov, Chol Hamoed or weekday meals. This includes friends, as well as local family members who live in another home.
• We must be extremely vigilant on Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed to practice CDC recommended social distancing of a minimum of six feet. There should not be any congregating in front of homes, on the street or at parks. In addition, when taking walks, we must be careful not to walk within six feet of other community members. Please remember that in Oakland County all playgrounds must be closed for safety reasons. Parents must be extra vigilant to explain these safety guidelines to their children and supervise them when they are outside so that they don’t mingle with other children in yards, on the block or elsewhere.
• Everyone should strongly consider taking the advice of the CDC and wear a face mask or cloth face covering, whenever they are outside in public.
During this time of great danger, everyone should remember that we can and must proactively do our part to remove this gezeira ra’ah, this frightening and destructive plague, by engaging in heartfelt and sincere teshuva, tefilla and tzedakah.
Lastly, although times are most certainly difficult, concerning, and upsetting, we should not lose sight that we are also about to celebrate Pesach and usher in the simcha of Yom Tov. Although we are all disappointed that our plans for Pesach have been radically changed, we still have the capacity to create and find much meaning, fulfillment and joy over the upcoming Yom Tov.
May we all have the wisdom and resolve to follow these critically important safety and hashkafic guidelines. May Hakadosh Baruch Hu bring refuah and yeshuah to all those in need of healing. May all those in the medical field be blessed with wisdom, protection and endurance. And may all of us be blessed with good health, healing, strength and a Yom Tov that brings with it simcha, refuah, yeshuah and geulah.
Rabbi Avrohom Bleich
Rabbi Yosef Bromberg
Rabbi Asher Eisenberger
Rabbi Levi Jundef
Rabbi Shaya Katz
Rabbi Simcha Klein
Rabbi Ari Kostelitz
Rabbi Boruch Levin
Rabbi Yisroel Menachem Levin
Rabbi Dov Loketch
Rabbi Yechiel Morris
Rabbi Moshe Radner
Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg
Rabbi Chaim Gershon Steinmetz
Rabbi Yissachar Wolf
Rabbi Eli Yelen