When I wrote to you in mid-July about our plans for the High Holidays, I noted that we would continue to monitor the status of COVID-19 and reevaluate as necessary in order to ensure that our plans considered the safety of our community.  While we are excited to offer a variety of in person options, based on the recent increase in infections in our area and updated information on the spread of the virus, the Board of Trustees has implemented several policy changes.

We will have both indoor and outdoor options as well as streaming. Indoor services will have a further reduced capacity than originally anticipated.

Dear Shomrei Friends,
It is with great joy and gratitude that I write to you, announcing that this year’s High Holy Days will be back in person for those who wish and are able to attend. We understand that our community’s needs vary as we start to emerge from COVID, and some continue to prefer to view services from home. That option will be available to you as all the indoor services will be livestreamed. But for those that are ready to be in person, we are planning a variety of ways to worship together.

To the Shomrei community,

As we approach spring I think about renewal, emergence from the long winter and change.  We continue to be in an ever-changing and uncertain environment as vaccines become more available and we learn additional facts about COVID 19.

I understand that many of you may be eager to resume our in-person services while others are content to continue with online services.  We have been diligently working over the last year to bring a myriad of services and programs to our Shomrei Community and we are now thinking about options for in person services with appropriate safety protocols.  We will be doing an outdoor Kabbalat Shabbat in April but as we plan for additional services, we want to understand what you, our community, would like during this period of transition.

I am asking you to fill out a short survey to provide input that will play an important role in our planning.  We will endeavor to find ways to gather together as a community.

Here is the link to the survey:  https://montclair.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_556YsaQ5ZWPItpQ

Please respond by Thursday April 8th so we can incorporate your feedback into our planning.

Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey.

Wishing all of you a very Happy Passover.

Miriam Haimes,
President

First I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Hanukkah.  Last night [Sun, Dec 13] we lit the fourth candle and many of you participated in our Zoom Community candle lighting and donut decorating.  Often when we wish people a Chag Sameach for Hanukkah we say “May your Hanukkah be bright”. Well the glow of the candles do not begin to match the glow of the warmth that you as a Shomrei Community showed yesterday.  As we distributed almost 100 bags of Hanukkah goodies, we collected so many toys and socks for our greater community. The Sunday minyan had a sunny warm day to meet as well.  We most certainly will make the holiday brighter and the winter a bit warmer for so many people in need of some help and thoughtfulness.  Thanks to all of you who attended minyan, donated and participated in our program and a special thanks to our coordinators and helpers.  I am sure I will leave someone out so I apologize in advance.