Since the threat of the coronavirus became apparent last month, various organizations in the Jewish community have concentrated on members’ physical and emotional needs. Now attention is turning to spiritual and educational needs. Much of this focus is online, since in-person gatherings are becoming rarer, in an effort to reduce the odds of spreading or contracting the disease.
This week, the Torah Umesorah day school organization (torahumesorah.org) called for a day of prayer (Tuesday) to be observed online, and Rabbi David Wolpe of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles spoke Tuesday about “Jewish Values during a Pandemic” during a Jewish Council of Public Affairs webinar. (For other such JCPA webinars, visit jcpainfor@thejcpa.org.)
Chabad has produced four “Stress Less” videos (Chabad.org/StressLess) for homebound people. In addition, the chasidic movement’s Coronavirus Resources website is updated several times a day.
A coalition of several Jewish organizations will sponsor a “Soulful Community Kumzitz” night of music and storytelling on Zoom Sunday at 6:30 p.m. For information: Isaiah.rothstein@hazon.org.
B’nai Jeshurun on the Upper West Side is streaming its morning and evening minyan: www.bj.org/live
Lab/Shul, in downtown Manhattan, part of the Jewish Emergent Network, has a daily “Soul Spa”: labshul.org/event/daily-soulspa-2020-03-23
Repair the World and Amplifier have produced a resource (go.werepair.org/caring-for-sick) for caring for the sick in times of crisis.
The Jewish Education Project (jewishedproject.org) is offering educational materials and resources for educators on dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. And eJewish Philanthropy (ejewishphilanthropy.com) has produced “Resources for Quarantined Families.”
The Israeli American Council (israeliamerican.org) is offering several online activities for children, adults, college students and young professionals.
The Jewish Funders Network (jfunders.org) has produced a “hub” of resources for dealing with coronavirus.
Limmud North America will hold its first online eFestival of dozens of classes on March 29, noon-5 p.m. For information: facebook.com/events/450289095687713.
The NCSY youth movement (ncsy.org) has announced a series of offerings, including “Bringing Seder to Chaos” pre-Pesach thoughts to prepare participants for next month’s seders, a “Spreading Positivity” photo-sharing template, an “NCSY Box” with three boxes of educational playing cards that can be ordered online, “Latte and Learn” programming for teens to replace coffee house-based meetings and inspirational flash mobs.
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The pro-Israel Stand With Us (standwithus.com) organization launched a new digital platform that features programming for people of all ages on such topics as anti-Semitism, Israeli archaeology and Zionism.
HIAS has issued a guide that outlines a “Jewish response to the refugee crisis,” stressing the Jewish obligation to counter “attempts to falsely blame migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers for the spread of coronavirus.”
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