NEW YORK (JTA) – Despite Wednesday’s announcement that New York state will now allow religious services to resume with up to 10 people, some Orthodox rabbis are saying not so fast.
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A group of 27 Orthodox rabbis on suburban Long Island announced last night that they will not immediately resume in-person services.
“Please continue to show the patience and respect that has enabled us to get to this point and continue to maintain proper social distancing,” the rabbis wrote in an email distributed to at least one of the rabbi’s synagogues. “We anticipate being able to start Minyanim in the very near future, and we look forward to sending out that information when appropriate.”
The announcement comes on the heels of tensions in Orthodox communities on Long Island and across the country over when and how to resume services as infection rates drop and the country reopens. While some rabbis in the haredi parts of the Orthodox community have allowed services to resume outdoors in recent weeks, many Modern Orthodox rabbis have continued to discourage them.
The decision by the Long Island rabbis is in line with guidance that the Orthodox Union, an organization representing mostly Modern Orthodox synagogues, offered earlier this month cautioning that services should not resume until 14 days after gatherings of 10 people were allowed.
OU way of thinking vs Agudah way of thinking. I cannot understand the Agudah. T’fillah B’tzibur a d’rabonim at most. Safek pekuach nefoshos questions I THINK a dioraysa. They must have BIG shoulders if they are willing to take a chance on EVEN ONE PERSON dying because they feel the need to daven IN a shul is so important. Not sure where it’s coming from. HaShem should watch over us all no matter which camp we belong to.
I didn’t hear even one rabbi say not to? Which rabbis are you referring to?
If I’m wrong I apologize. I was under the impression that based on the OU’s guidelines there are shuls across NYS that would be waiting until 14 days AFTER the governor allowed “gatherings”…….of UP TO 10 people to open their shuls. Btw, most shuls are allowing up to 15 people per minyan. I’m not sure how they can do that if the rules are up to 10 but again, if I wrong, I apologize.
Since the scientist all agree now that the danger is to people who are 65 and over, young Israel rabbis and others should not be shaming Haredim for doing what God calls upon them to do, Daven. This whole thing has become a politically correct fiasco and it’s just being pushed by the Democrats in order to undermine Trump. Rabbis, Stop playing the big tzadik. It’s all baloney at this point. People have to go to work, school, and get on with their lives.
ומי שׁמיחדים בּתי כּניסות לתפלה …..ויסור מהם כּל מחלה וירפּא לכל גופם
Get it thru your head minyan saves lives you say it in davening every shabbos.
Now you need to stop this cold ltifish modern orthdox view. Stop this halacha only darabonin stupidty. Its fake fluff narrow judiasm. Yiddishkiet is about a beis medersh and davening together. For thousands of years thats what klal yisroel did. Its the eibshter’s mikdash mat. The koach of an amen etc…
As Rabbi Frankel said, a big rav in BP gave an guarantee to his shul that if they join his social distant minyan noone will die. He had hsi shul open troughout. And NOT ONE PERSON died. This was a huge kehila with 300+ people
Now we are talking abut social distance safe guards even in shul. one who violates that, its on his head not any rov’s head. With the curve at zero for frum jews and safe guide lines in place noone will die.
Got it?
What has Judaism become to the rabbi’s? it sounds like they’re just playing the same game as the Democrats it’s just a power grab to who is calling the shots, when we could daven with minyan when we could not daven, the government says it’s okay so now what? make up your minds are you following guidelines or you make your own guidelines
For those babies who are nervous, STAY HOME!!! FOR YOU IT’S TAKEH ASSUR TO LEAVE YOUR HOME, AND CERTAINLY ASSUR TO COME TO SHUL! LEAVE THE REST OF US ALONE! BABIES!
these Long Islanders Modern “Rabbis” belong to a Beach Club and will be Mekabel the Torah on Shvuos at the Beach.
I know as a fact that Rav Spiegles minyan is operating secretly.
Same reckless ppl who argue to open up shuls now are going to fight tooth and nail to intubate brain dead corona patients basically cadavers with zero possibility of regaining consciousness. So if you’re all about erring on the side of caution with end of life why aren’t you doing the same with prevention ? Furthermore Aren’t we supposed to be a smart nation, why don’t we at least start with people who have made antibodies and see how it goes with that and than gradually mix in people who have never had it. So that most of the minya 6 or at least half are ppl who’ve had it already?
Nothing in Yididshkeit is cut and dry your right it is a safek pikiuach nefesh. However there are other halachos at play to. Bzman the gemorah going on a boat was more dangerous than this virus and they still allowed it for work and other things. The question here is if there is still a mageifa going on assur to go to shul if it stopped even if still dangerous live has to go on in a safe as possible way
Thank you 5TResident, you spoke very well and to the point. However, don’t waste your breath on people who don’t have the intelligence to understand, not science and not halacha.
You’re comparing apples to oranges!
There’s a vast difference between a store or any other business and a shul!
As to your question … every day you drive to work, etc, while knowing fully well that according to daily statistics, several individuals will die at the end of that day as a result of auto-collisions.
Therefore, by driving to work on any given day, you could become responsible for the death of one or more people.on that day.
Does that mean that now that you’ve been made aware of that, you’re no longer gonna drive any more? Since according to your logic you absolutely must stop driving altogether, or risk being a hypocrite!
After reading the disrespectful comments here, it is now clear why we don’t deserve Moshiach yet.