Emanu-El works to keep services, events accessible during pandemic

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The pandemic has upset life for everyone, but older people face special challenges. They didn’t grow up with computers, and many of them are not comfortable with digital technology. As COVID-19 has shifted most services and events to virtual gatherings, Temple Emanu-El, in Providence, has taken several steps to ensure that these congregants can continue to participate.

Emanu-El’s congregants and staff tackled the challenge in multiple ways. The main effort was to help congregants master Zoom and related technologies, but the synagogue also hosted extra outdoor events so people could still see each other in person. 

But even before helping people connect online, the temple had to decide on worship services. Shabbat raised a special concern because of its general prohibition against using electronics.

Following rulings by the Conservative movement on the special nature of the pandemic, the congregation is broadcasting, on Vimeo, Shabbat services in the large sanctuary. There have to be at least 10 people in the sanctuary to make a minyan, but no more than 15 to meet the state’s restrictions on gatherings.

The same rule applied to holiday services. The clergy and others on the bimah kept their distance and wore masks most of the time.

Then the challenge was to make sure that everyone could connect, not just for Shabbat services but for the many gatherings held during the week (on Zoom). Before this year, the synagogue had twice-daily services as well as lectures and performances, adult education classes, weekly study sessions and religious school. Almost everything shifted online.

The congregation formed a technology committee to help. Jon Lentz, who ran an electronics business before recently retiring, chaired it with two other congregants. They fielded dozens of calls for help, mostly from older congregants. Besides helping with logging in, they advised on upgrading hardware and software. They resolved the vast majority of problems over the phone, but in three cases one of them volunteered to make a house call. Meeting online still isn’t as good as in-person – it’s harder to socialize afterward on Zoom, for one thing. But it has a silver lining. As congregant Maxine Cohen pointed out, “We’re like a captive audience.” She and her husband Avram have found that they are attending more events because of the convenience of tuning in from home.

Rabbi Michael Fel said the constraints brought on by the pandemic are forcing the synagogue, and the Conservative movement generally, to get creative in finding ways to bring people together. Among Emanu-El’s efforts: A “Pop-Up Sukkah” that traveled the state so people could shake the lulav and etrog; on Rosh Hashanah, the shofar sounded in several cities across the state; and on Simchat Torah, house signs for each of the 54 Torah portions were placed along a walkable route near the synagogue.

Some of these efforts have proved so popular that they may continue even after the pandemic ends.

JOHN LANDRY, of Providence, serves on the adult education committee at Temple Emanu-El.

seniors, Temple Emanu-El