Articles

Reopening Beth Tzedec while Protecting Our Community
Beth Tzedec
Jun 9th 2020

Yesterday afternoon, Premier Doug Ford announced the provincial government's plans for the safe and gradual reopening of Ontario. Many of us were excited to learn that, as of this Friday, places of worship will be able to welcome a limited number of congregants, albeit no more than 30 percent of our building capacity.

While we are looking forward to gathering together once again, our first priority continues to be the health, safety and well-being of our entire community. Our lay-led Reopening Taskforce is working with health professionals and public health officials to ensure that any reopening is done in a manner that offers the most protection to our members as is reasonably possible.

We affirm the statement from the Toronto Board of Rabbis, reminding us all to move forward with patience and caution. "The purpose of our rituals and mitzvot are to live by them. The mitzvah of pikuah nefesh—saving a life—is paramount to all discussion of reopening."

As our province and city move toward reopening together, we will be in touch with further developments about what that process will look like at Beth Tzedec.

L'shalom,

Debbie Rothstein, President
president@beth-tzedec.org

Bernie Gropper, Chair of the Board
chair@beth-tzedec.org

Rabbi Steven Wernick, The Anne and Max Tanenbaum Senior Rabbi
rebsteve@beth-tzedec.org

Randy Spiegel, Executive Director
rspiegel@beth-tzedec.org