May 3, 2020

no talking in shul

According to reports, the German government is allowing shuls to reopen, along with churches and mosques, under certain conditions.

Basically the rules for shuls will be social distancing and no socializing.
The rules include:
 - requiring the synagogue administration to disinfect all siddurim and chumashim before and after services.
 - each congregant keep a distance of at least 2m from others. Only family members can sit together
 - face masks must be worn. Only the rabbi and the cantor can go without, and only while they are on the bima alone
 - no handshakes, hugging or kissing
 - no kissing the Torah and mezuzas, and no carrying the Torah around the shul amongst the congregants
 - congregants called up to the Torah should stand away from the bima
 - people should preferably register with their shul to attend services there
 - no singing during services
 - prayer times should be kept as short as possible
 - for now only large shuls can be used, where social distancing can be kept. small shul structures that might be more crowded and harder to allow the necessary distancing cannot be used.

It looks like the Germans also don't like the shleppy long drasha or the drawn out chazzanus....

I am not sure what is wrong with singing during the services. Perhaps they think it will lead to dancing. And maybe even mixed dancing (especially in a non-Orthodox synagogue).

So the Germans are opening the shuls but not allowing the Jews praying inside to socialize. That means no talking in shul.

Presumably, anything the Germans want Jews to do, we are supposed to do the opposite, right? So we should talk in shul, when we get to go back, right?




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3 comments:

  1. Thomas LowingerMay 03, 2020 4:59 PM

    can produce vapors containing the virus. There are incidents of many in a choir getting sick because of one member.
    Singing is somewhat similar to coughing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. interesting. wasnt aware of choirs affected like that. thanks

      Delete
  2. Sounds like a yekkishe minhag in the making ;-)

    ReplyDelete