COVID-19 Updates

Letter from Rabbi Adler to the Adath Community March 21, 2023

Adath COVID Policy Update

Dear Members,

I hope that you are all doing well as we prepare for the upcoming Passover holiday. I am writing to you today with an update on Adath’s COVID policies. Since the onset of the pandemic in March of 2020, the Health and Safety Committee has worked to create policies that would allow Adath to safely reopen after the initial emergency shutdown. We then transitioned to creating a framework for our community to gather appropriately in our building. For the past year, we have been guided by the CDC’s COVID Community Levels to determine the policies that are in place.

Through the ebbs and flows of the last three years, the committee has been responsive to the changing conditions and health environment. Now that COVID has transitioned from an emergent pandemic to an endemic disease, the work of the committee has concluded and the need for ongoing COVID policies has ceased. Therefore on March 20, 2023, the Health and Safety Committee recommended and the Board of Trustees decided that all COVID-19 policies be lifted and the Health and Safety Committee be dissolved on May 11, 2023 with the expiration of the U.S. federal government’s Public Health Emergency.

We understand that COVID will continue to be with us, and while Adath will no longer send out notices about CDC Community Levels, we encourage all members to take any precautions you feel are necessary to keep you safe and healthy. As of May 11, 2023, the wearing of masks will be optional, regardless of CDC Community Level for Mercer and Bucks Counties, and no restrictions will apply to the serving of food.

I want to thank the former and current members of the Health and Safety Committee for all of their hard work and dedication these past three years:

Abe Abramovich, Amanda Arena, Scott Berger, Lisa Ganzman, Rabbi Brad Hoffman, Hazzan Art Katlin, Irwin Margolin, Ira Snyder, and Cara Weiss.

In the Haggadah, we thank God who “brought us out from slavery to freedom, from sorrow to joy, from mourning to festival, from darkness to great light, and from servitude to redemption.” As we celebrate the rebirth of spring and the promise of freedom on Passover, I hope and pray that in this new phase for Adath we continue to experience joy and light together as a community.

With best wishes of health for us all,

Rabbi Benjamin Adler
Chair, Health and Safety Committee

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During the COVID pandemic Adath Israel is open for Shabbat and holiday services in person and on Zoom. Our office is open to visitors. Please send us a message or call 609-896-4977 for more information.

Health and Safety Committee Resolution August 23, 2022

Dear Members,

The Health and Safety Committee met on July 5 to review the COVID policy survey we sent to the community and discuss possible changes. The survey found that almost 70% were satisfied with the policy as it stands and provided useful feedback. In addition, some realities have changed with regard to the COVID pandemic. For one, nearly all adult Adath members have been vaccinated. While we will continue to highly recommend full vaccination and current boosters, we will not check vaccination cards at any CDC COVID-19 Community Level. Additionally, because attending a kiddush or oneg after services is an optional choice, the committee felt it was reasonable to allow food during the “orange” high level as we now do during the “yellow” medium level. Finally, the committee recommends making masks optional during the “yellow” medium level, which aligns with the CDC’s recommendations for that zone.

As a result, we recommended the following alterations, and the Board of Trustees approved them on August 22. As always, our policy continues to meet CDC recommendations.

If CDC COVID-19 Community Levels in Mercer or Bucks County is in the  “high” (orange) range:

Everyone attending Adath programs, services, and meetings must wear a mask (N/KN95). Food will be served only at kiddush and oneg following services (except the High Holy Days). You may remove your mask to eat only when seated.

If CDC COVID-19 Community Levels in Mercer and Bucks counties are in the “medium” (yellow) or “low” (green) range:

The wearing of masks will be optional, and no restrictions will apply to the serving of food.

Please refer to the following chart for a summary of changes:

For more information on the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels and transmission levels in our area, visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

As always, the Health and Safety Committee will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary. Please let me know if you have any questions. Stay safe and be well.

Rabbi Benjamin Adler – Chair, Health and Safety Committee

To view the above as a PDF letter, click HERE

Health and Safety Committee Resolution February 15, 2022

An FAQ on the following update can be found HERE  

Dear Members,

Amid rapidly falling COVID cases in our nation and local area, the Health and Safety Committee met on February 15 to discuss policy changes in light of these developments. Our policy has always met or exceeded CDC recommendations, and as a result, we have decided to make the following changes:

If COVID-19 Community Levels in Mercer and Bucks counties, as defined by the CDC, are in the “high” (orange) range, our current restrictions will stay in place:

Everyone attending Adath programs, services, and meetings must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask (N/KN95). No food may be eaten in doors.

If COVID-19 Community Levels in Mercer and Bucks counties, as defined by the CDC, are in the “medium” (yellow) range, the following changes will apply:

You will not need to be vaccinated to attend Adath programs, services, and meetings, but everyone must wear a mask (N/KN95). Food may be served, and you may remove your mask to eat, but only while seated.

If COVID-19 Community Levels in Mercer and Bucks counties, as defined by the CDC, are in “low” (green) range, the following changes will apply:

The wearing of masks will be optional, and no restrictions will apply to the serving of food.

Please refer to this following chart for a summary:

The COVID-19 community level is determined by the higher of the new admissions and inpatient beds metrics, based on the current level of new cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days

For more information on community transmission levels in our area, visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

If Bucks and Mercer counties are at different COVID-19 community levels, Adath will follow the more restrictive level between the two. As of March 7, 2022, both Mercer and Bucks are in the “low” level. Therefore, Adath’s current level is “low” (green). Each week, the Adath office will monitor levels, publish the information in the Adath weekly email, and post it at the entrance to the building. As always, the Health and Safety Committee will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Stay safe and be well.

Rabbi Benjamin Adler – Chair, Health and Safety Committee

 

Clicking HERE will generate a letter image of the above update.