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Are Area Jews Returning to
Synagogues Post-COVID?
Jarrad Saff ren | Staff Writer
Photo by John Kellar Photography
I n Judaism, a community needs 10
people praying to make a minyan. But if
10 people meet on Zoom or livestream, it
does not count according to Jewish law,
argues Rabbi Isaac Leizerowski of the
Orthodox Congregation Beth Midrash
HaRav B’Nai Jacob in Philadelphia.

As the rabbi explained: “Zoom is not
considered a physical presence. And
you need a physical presence. That was
considered an electronic picture and,
therefore, was not considered an actual
presence.” For that reason, Leizerowski’s
congregation did not meet electronically
during the pandemic. But it still had to
follow city restrictions on crowd sizes.

The rabbi estimated that groups were
50% smaller during COVID than they
were before.

But when the restrictions were lifted,
Leizerowski said, “We’re open.”
“The next day, they’re all back,” he
said of his congregants.

A similar scene is playing out across the
Philadelphia area right now. Synagogues
are reopening; members are coming
back to buildings for services and activ-
ities; and the Zooms and livestreams of
the COVID era are now only a tool for
those who cannot make it, like certain
elderly or disabled members or people
who live out of town.

“It’s been a congregational benefi t,”
said Bruce Toben of the Conservative
Congregation Tifereth Israel in
Bensalem, referring to virtual gatherings.

“But we shouldn’t rely on that.”
Almost any rabbi will tell you that
a Jewish community should meet in
person. But it’s not just a principle of
Jewish law. It is also a practical action
that congregants prefer because it
makes them feel better.

Joel Horwitz, a member of
Congregation Beth Hamedrosh in
Wynnewood, described a virtual gather-
ing as “a very limited interaction.” Lately,
he’s been sticking around after services
on Shabbos morning to “kibbitz with
people and catch up on the week.”
And he has noticed that an in-person
event gives people time to talk, make
eye contact and see each other’s body
language. Rachel Fox, a congregant at Beth
Tikvah-B’nai Jeshurun in Glenside, is
back in the shul now as often as she can
be, even for board meetings. As Fox put
it, “everything’s better in person.” You
can hug people, focus on services and
fi nd a deeper sense of belonging.

“Community,” she said.

But not all congregants in the region
are ready to fi nd community in and
around the building again. Many
synagogues are not yet back to the
same crowd and group sizes for services
and activities that they saw pre-COVID.

Some are not even close.

Toben said Tifereth Israel’s crowd
size during the High Holidays in the
fall was 85% of what it was in 2019.

At Congregation Mikveh Israel in
Philadelphia, crowds and groups are
about 10% smaller than they were before
2020, according to Rabbi Albert Gabbai.

But at both places, momentum seems to
be moving in the right direction. Tifereth
Israel saw almost 50 people show up
for a young family Shabbat service in
January. And Mikveh Israel is getting
60-70 members every week for Shabbat.

“They are coming. Some are still
hesitant. Not too many,” Gabbai said.

Congregation Kol Ami in Elkins Park
is not so lucky. Before the pandemic,
it attracted 40-60 people to special
Shabbat occasions, according to Rabbi
Leah Berkowitz. Post-COVID, maybe 30
are coming in person, with 20 partic-
ipating online. Beth El Synagogue in
Margate, New Jersey, is in a similar situa-
tion. Only about 50% of congregants
who attended services before 2020 are
returning to the building in 2023, accord-
ing to Rabbi Aaron Krauss.

“Most of the people just got into the
habit of doing it on Zoom, and they still
keep the habit,” Krauss said.

Berkowitz is hesitant to take away
the Zoom option because it’s conve-
nient for several groups, including
homebound seniors, people with
disabilities and young families with
kids on tight schedules. It also makes
services accessible for congre-
gants who retire into the city, winter
elsewhere or move away. At the
Rachel Fox and her family at her
same time, Berkowitz knows she
daughter’s Bat Mitzvah in Beth
probably needs to limit it.

Tikvah-B’nai Jeshurun in Glenside
Some synagogues, like Tifereth
Israel, have made their livestreams
“We established the Zoom partic-
one-way, meaning congregants can only ipation as an emergency during the
watch from home, not participate. They pandemic. I can’t justify it anymore since
have to come back in to participate. Beth the building is open,” said Rabbi Jeff
Hamedrosh only uses Zoom to make Schnitzer of Tifereth Israel. “I can’t fi nd
gatherings like board meetings easier. an excuse within all of Jewish law to
Gabbai said Zoom is good for congre- allow this to continue.” ■
gants who live outside the city in Cherry
Hill to use for weeknight activities.

jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com
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