Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19
March 13, 2020
Dear Temple Adat Elohim Community,
We hope this email finds you and your loved ones well during these challenging times. Though the situation with the COVID-19 outbreak remains ever-changing and at times overwhelming, Temple Adat Elohim is continuously monitoring announcements and recommended safety measures as they become available.
We have decided at TAE to be part of the solution – to keep the virus from spreading – to flatten the curve. Therefore, we have made the difficult decision to close our campus to all programs, classes, events and services. We will also be restricting access to our campus to essential personnel only.
*Religious School will be closed starting this Sunday, March 15, 2020 and will reopen on Sunday, April 19, 2020.
*ECC will be closed starting Monday, March 16, 2020 and will reopen on Monday, April 20, 2020.
*Shabbat services will be live streamed only. Please go the temple website to join.
*Talmud and Torah study will be held as a Zoom meeting. Click on this link to join from your home computer or phone: https://zoom.us/j/192735222
*Women’s Torah study will be live streamed only starting Thursday, March 19, 2020 until further notice. Click on this Zoom link to participate from your home computer or phone: https://zoom.us/j/741763114
*The Community Passover Seder, Brotherhood Seder and Women’s Seder are cancelled.
*Clergy and staff will contact anyone with an individual appointment.
*We will be using this time to do a deep cleaning of our entire campus. We will continue to send updates to keep us connected and informed as a community.
In this time of uncertainty, as always, we are here for you. Our clergy, school leaders, and congregational family are here. Even as we can’t see each other face to face, we can call, video chat, email, and text. Please reach out to us. And, we will reach out to you. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
We value your continued respect and trust; we appreciate you as a important member of our community and we look forward to when we can gather together again in-person. May you and your family remain healthy, safe and virus-free.
FIND INFORMATION ABOUT STAYING CONNECTED AT TAE
Coronavirus Update from 3/12/2020
Juli Rycus, President
Rabbi Barry Diamond
Cantor David Shukiar
Aliza Goland, Executive Director
Marcy Goldberg, Director of Education
Donna Becker, ECC Director
Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19
Dear Temple Adat Elohim Members,
As always, the health and safety of all our members and guests is of primary concern to us at Temple Adat Elohim. There are no confirmed nor suspected cases of Coronavirus in the TAE community; however, as a precaution, we have decided to modify and or cancel some of our programming.
Schools
ECC remains open; however, some programs are being cancelled, modified, or postponed. Look for direct communication from ECC.
—Friday, March 13: ECC Tot Shabbat morning service is cancelled.
—Friday, March 13: Hedgehog Potluck dinner is cancelled.
—Friday, March 13: Tots ‘n Torah evening service is cancelled.
Religious School remains open; however, some programs are being cancelled, modified or postponed. Look for direct communication for Religious School.
—Saturday, March 14: 6th grade program and service is cancelled.
—Sunday, March 15, 22, & 29: Religious School T’fillah is cancelled.
**Students should go directly to their classrooms.
—Sunday, March 15: 3rd grade Family Education program is cancelled.
—Sunday, March 15, 22 & 29: Shirei Elohim rehearsals are cancelled.
—Tuesday, March 17, 14, 31: Religious School dinner is cancelled.
**Students should go directly to their classes at 6pm.
—Sunday, March 22: 4th grade Wedding will be for students only.
**The program will be live streamed.
—Wednesday, March 18, 25: Religious School T’fillah is cancelled.
**Students should go directly to their classrooms.
—Sunday, March 29: 5th grade Family Education program is cancelled.
**Students should go directly to their classrooms.
—Tuesday, March 31: Confirmation visit to Many Mansions is cancelled.
**Students should come to TAE for class.
Shabbat Services
—Friday, March 13: Brotherhood Shabbat Service has been postponed.
—Friday, March 13: Shabbat Services will continue; however, live steaming will be available.
**See the TAE website.
—Social Distancing practices will be employed during worship.
Torah/Talmud Study
—Saturday, March 14: Will meet as usual and be available virtually beginning Saturday, March 21.
Food
The Oneg Shabbat following services is discontinued until further notice.
Friday, March 20: The Community Shabbat Dinner has been cancelled.
Meetings & Programs
Monday, March 16: Spring into Organizing, sponsored by TAE Sisterhood has been postponed.
We continue to use the Ventura Health Department and local school districts as a reference to determine school or facility closure. Please look for our regular updates as well as direct communication from our schools and affiliates.
We encourage you to limit your own and your family’s interactions, avoid group surroundings, and follow health services and directives from the World Health Organization, CDC, or state or local governmental organizations should be followed.
We recognize that these recent changes are a departure from the consistently warm, vibrant, and dynamic experience we aim to foster every day. Please know these decisions were made with the genuine goal of increasing safety and providing accessibility and community for our synagogue family. In the coming days, we will reach out to you with opportunities to care for one another and maintain our sense of community during these difficult times. Be well!
Additional information regarding the coronavirus is available from:
California Department of Public Health
CDC
LA County Public Health
Ventura County Public Health
With continued prayers for everyone to remain healthy.
Rabbi Barry Diamond
Cantor David Shukiar
Aliza Goland, Executive Director
Juli Rycus, Temple President
Mar 12, 2020 | COVID-19
March 27, 2020
Dear TAE Family,
We hope you are all safe and healthy in your homes and want you to know how we are responding during these unprecedented times. In just a few short weeks, we have transformed from a community that meets exclusively in person to a virtual community, with live streaming services, online education, and other programming via https://www.adatelohim.org/ and on our social media. In this way, we continue to connect with our TAE community, strengthen relations, educate one another, and pray together from within our homes and across any distance. You will receive regular updates in your email, and they also will be made available on our website.
Connecting All Members
To stay connected, we have organized a team of volunteers to reach out to each of our members. We want to check in on your spirits and general well-being. We also want to help you and everyone in the congregation access technologies to connect to TAE services, classes, and meetings being held over Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, etc. Additionally, we are helping all of our members to log into the TAE online database so each member can access our online directory, update their information, and more. We are also assessing whether people need help with shopping to determine if this is another area where we may be able to assist.
Shabbat and Worship Services
We hope that you are enjoying our weekly Shabbat services with Rabbi Diamond and Cantor Shukiar, which are being streamed Fridays at 7:30 p.m. over YouTube and Facebook.
You can also join them for Havdalah at 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening on TAE’s Facebook page. Click here to access the live stream page on our website or join us on our Facebook page.
Let’s Count Our Blessings each weekdays morning at 9:00 a.m. with Rabbi Diamond for this 30-minute orientation to our day. Click here to access the service and here to access a free online version of our prayer book.
Educational Programs
Our educational programs are being transformed to maximize the on-line learning experience. ECC Director Donna Becker, Director of Education Marcy Goldberg, Cantor Shukiar, and our education staff are creating online learning experiences that will connect our students to one another as well as continue to develop their knowledge and skills. Yasher Koach to our wonderful educators for rising to the challenge.
Early Childhood Center
- Our ECC teachers in all grades are creating live, interactive time with students three times a week, on either Zoom, Facebook, Webex, or Houseparty.
- Teachers are posting multiple videos, including story time, singing, yoga classes, and Passover content to explore the upcoming holiday.
- More enriching content is being created and posted regularly, as well as links to professional resources.
- Our music specialist is preparing sing-along videos for our students and their families.
- A parent meeting with Bette Alkazian, LMFT and parenting specialist, is in the works.
- Director Donna Becker is contacting families and students individually.
- Finally, every Friday, we’ll be offering recorded, favorites songs from our morning Tot Shabbat services with Cantor David and Rabbi Diamond.
Religious School
- Religious school students, kindergarten through 6th grade, will meet online Sunday mornings through Zoom. Parents will receive a link from their child’s teacher prior to class.
- Grades 3–6 are already receiving private Hebrew tutoring from their teachers via Zoom during the week.
- Students in the final stages of preparing to celebrate their bar/bat mitzvah will meet with Cantor and their individual trope tutor via Zoom.
- Classes for 7th grade through Confirmation will meet via Zoom on Tuesday nights.
- Our 11th and 12th grade Sunday Night Live program will continue Sunday evenings via Zoom.
Adult Meetings and Classes
- Tea Time with Rabbi Lotker meets at 4:00 p.m. daily. Click here to access.
- Talmud and Torah Study classes will continue as well, with regular Saturday classes at 8:00 a.m. for Talmud and 9:00 a.m. for Torah. Click here for the classes and here for the Talmud text.
- Click here for Men’s Torah study, Mondays at 7:00 p.m. and click here for Women’s Torah Study Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. (their regular times), also on Zoom.
- Reminders and Zoom links are posted in our weekly email updates, as well as on the website.
Information
As we continue to move through these difficult times, we encourage you to stay updated on the latest, factual news provided by the CDC and other government agencies. We hope you find the links provided below helpful.
Resources
As we draw together, we hope you know how deeply we cherish you and the community that we create together.
3-13-2020 Coronavirus Update
3-12-2020 Coronavirus Update
L’shalom,
Juli Rycus, President
Rabbi Barry Diamond
Cantor David Shukiar
Aliza Goland, Executive Director
Marcy Goldberg, Director of Education
Donna Becker, ECC Director
The whole world is a very narrow bridge. And the most important thing is not to be afraid.
—Nachman of Breslov
