In an attempt to slow a recent uptick in COVID 19 cases in Crown Heights, and to avoid unnecessary overcrowding in the Main Shul at 770 Eastern Parkway, all the benches in the Shul have been removed beginning this week.
As of Monday morning, entry to the Shul will only be allowed for davening, the Gabboim announced.
All learning will be held outdoors in the open air, while maintaining health guidelines, they said.
A statement issued by the Gabboim reads: “The shul is open this week only for prayers and reading the Torah, with masks only and standing only. Please pray and go out. Do not stay long. There will be place for davening in the courtyard.”
On Rosh Hashanah there will be benches only for those who have purchased seats, the Gabboim said. All others who arrive to daven at the shul will remain outside.
They said that during the days following Rosh Hashana, the Gabboim will assess the situation and decide on the next steps.
The possibility of setting up a tent for prayers outside the women’s section, in the open air, is being discussed as well.
Following a recent surge of coronavirus cases in Crown Heights, on Friday the Gabboim announced that only those wearing a mask will be allowed entry into the Shul.
On Motzei Shabbos, however, a large crowd of residents and guests packed into the Shul for Selichos prayers, most not wearing masks or social distancing, despite the announcements by the Gedalia Society and the Crown Heights Rabbonim that health guidelines should be followed.
On Thursday, the Gedalia Society warned about residents davening in 770 Eastern Parkway.
“Given the recent developments of continued positive cases in our community, many of which are associated with 770, and given the inherent crowded indoor mixing nature of 770, we strongly advise that all people avoid davening in 770 for the time being,” they said, stressing that currently “there is significant risk of contracting the virus in 770.”
In a message to the community, Rabbi Yosef Braun of the Crown Heights Beis Din said, “The doctors have recently notified to avoid davening in 770 due to the high risk of being there at the moment,” he said. “The rabbonim fully support this statement of the doctors in relation to being cautious of those risks.”
“As to what the administration of the shul should do based on these guidelines, this also includes the possibility of closing 770 (G-d forbid) if that is necessary, unfortunately,” Rabbi Braun said.
This is a complete lie and waste of time. There are still benches inside 770 and Kevutza 81 continues to learn inside and treat COVID-19 as one big joke. No one has any responsibility for them. We must stand up as a community and see that the head of their “Vaad” steps up to the plate and cleans up the mess that he made.
If the Kvutza 81 had your son in it, would you also have this attitude? They came here to study.
yes if my son had the potential to kill people by him being there i would stop him
dont say wow what an extreme thing to say, unfortunately many people in crown heights passed away from covid and time for us to keep the virus out we dont need more spreaders of the virus right now
think of the other people your son should have stayed home and learn and not spread the virus
keep crown heights safe
It’s really special that they came here to study. Lesson number one needs to be responsiblity for the people around them. If it were my son, I would make sure he keeps others safe by quarantining. By them spreading the virus, they are causing people here in crown heights not to be able to daven in shul. That’s so wrong
CLOSE 770 NOW OR PEOPLE WILL RESORT TO CALLING 311. LIVES ARE AT STAKE HERE
President Trump can hold his rallies with thousands of people not wearing masks and not social distancing, but we yidden can’t be together in 770?? This makes no sense!
We are Jews. Everyone looks at us with a closer eye and we have to be conscious of that.
AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! It’s the yidden who lead the goyim not the goyim who lead the yidden! If the goyim can do it how much more so us, for shame!
People are getting sick. We value life or did you forget that? The only thing is important is that you get to do what you want and when you want. Dr Rosen said outside minyanim. Close 770
comes winter time, where is everyone going to daven, outside…. ???
There have been no minyonim in Melbourne for months, and won’t be for R’H and Y’K. You can either preserve life or pretend nothing’s wrong. Can’t have it both ways.
Melbourne is absolutely not preserving lives, the increase of suicides, abuse, depression, poverty, and domestic violence that is going on there, is bringing the death rate far higher than if they wouldn’t have their extreme lock down, That is not to discount safety measures, we need to follow guidelines, and be smart about not crowding, but to say you can’t have it both ways, is a blanket statement, there is a middle ground of continuing with life, (=preserving life) and being safe. Bottom line, neither 770 nor Melbourne is safe, however there are plenty of frum communities which found that… Read more »
…you weren’t around in, say, the time of the Romans. Or the Communists in Russia. There was danger to life then too, but R. Akiva, the Frierdiker Rebbe, etc., taught us that there are things more important than that. With your attitude, Torah would long since have ceased to exist, ch”v.
Under Roman and communist rule it was a She’as Hashmad when we have to have Mesiras Nefesh even for smaller things.
The virus is not a She’as Hashmad and it’s forbidden to endanger your life for it unless it’s one of the “big three”.
If the Rabbanim say to listen to the doctors and not go to shul who are you to decide that you’re holier than them and go?
The same way Hashem wanted you to go to shul last year, he wants you to daven at home this year, by going to shul you are violating His will!
Melbourne is doing what it needs to do regardless of how difficult to preserve life. In CH no one cares. It is each person for themselves
The number of mispallelim needs to be limited, a maximum of 300 at any one time, so social distancing can be observed.
Otherwise the efforts to control the virus are a complete waste of time and energy.
People could register for a wristband which would give access for certain tefillos.
The Gabboyim need to be strong enough to stand up to the wild elements in their midst.
The CHBD is to be commended for the balanced stand it has taken.
I have no idea how one can daven on porches after Rabbi Braun came out against it again and again before Passover. He must of written and spoken against davening on the porches at least 50 times.
he had given instructions on how the porch minyanim should be run with accordance to the local doctors
So you read one thing and jumped on it!!!! After that article there were many others…and if they are telling us porch minyanim now then that is what we should do.
Can I ask the readers a simple question. If a Covid person was found on the NY Subways, would NY close down all the trains?
depends 50 in one station at one time,
yeah it would stop!!!
770 is the same as the subway system…yeah i guess you are right at this point with all the people who don’t care about each other or their community and insist on breaking our own doctors protocols and all the germs that they spread. FYI We need to be the example of value for life and consideration for people. We are failing miserably
On the subways and busses it says essentials only, MUST wear a mask properly otherwise the bus driver announces you miss with the green jacket your mask must be on properly and now there is 50 dollar fines if not wearing a mask. i have been on the bus everyday. until last week the buses were free and you could balance your way and if it gets full can go off and wait for next bus. Yes they closed the front of the busses and sanitized a few times a day. it made certain stops and we had to wait… Read more »
By not closing, the gabaaim are encouraging orchim on the way to come for rosh Hashanah, yom Kippur, sukkos and simchas torah.
If the shul was closed… People would change their plans.
It’s just way too crowded and social distancing isn’t really possible. It’s not safe to have so many people from outside the community come now
People should do like the doctors recommend and make plans to daven in outside porch minyanim for safety
Every photo on COL, no matter the topic, has people front & center, no masks, no social distancing. WHAT IS IT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND? How many Crown Heights residents died from Covid? I knew almost all, including a very close friend. These bachurim and guests are either totally clueless or they just don’t care about anyone except their own wants. This health crisis is just the latest example of a lack of leadership. Nobody has the backbone to do what needs to be done. It’s all hyperbole & empty threats. You won’t close 770, even though it’s the right thing… Read more »
THERES ACTUALLY MORE DEATHS FROM SUICIDES THAN COVID-19