Shul News & Notes

High Holidays Services Will Be Different This Year, Yet Reverential

Tifereth Israel Greenport2020-09-03T12:06:26-04:00September 3rd, 2020|

Planners OK Mostly Zoom Services; Tashlich And Yizkor In-Person

Congregation Tifereth Israel is moving forward with a mostly virtual model for High Holidays worship this year. Consideration of congregant safety imposed by the spread of Covid-19 has forced our shul to adopt virtual means for Sabbath and holiday worship. Yet, the upcoming High Holidays when, under ordinary circumstances, communal prayer encourages worshippers to connect with each other as Jews in their devotion to the faith, seemed in jeopardy as the virus continued to affect our local villages.

The shul’s Task Force of medical, religious and civic leaders considered the wisdom of virtual vs. in-person services and made its recommendations to the shul’s Ritual Committee, which is charged with determining the procedural details of High Holiday worship, among other aspects of synagogue observance.

Following an investigation of Covid-19 responses by other Long Island synagogues, and also Task Force and Ritual Committee discussions, our synagogue will offer most High Holiday services on Zoom, with two exceptions. Zoom is the teleconferencing program that the shul has used successfully for Shabbat services and Passover Seders as well as meetings and fundraising events that have kept our shul operational. The exceptions to Zoom services are an in-person Tarshish service on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, which will be held at the water’s edge, and an in-person Yizkor memorial service that will be held in Andrew Levin Park, the garden adjacent to our shul building. A second Yizkor service will be conducted on Zoom for those reluctant to participate in-person in the park.

The planners believe that this model of mostly virtual services with a few in-person opportunities responds to safety concerns considering the usual large attendance at High Holiday services, while catering to the need for some communal connection at the in-person Tashlich services and one of the Yiskor services, usually attended by fewer members and guests.

Format for Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur services

The following format will be observed throughout the High Holiday services:

Rabbi Gadi Capela will officiate on Zoom from the sanctuary, with the screen queued to “speaker view.” Gabbai Paul Nadel, representing the congregation, will be the only person other than the rabbi allowed in the building during the virtual services.
Rabbi Gadi will use the shul’s regular High Holidays prayer book. Thanks to a generous donation, copies are available for members to keep. See information below.
The cantorial portions of the services will be fulfilled by Rabbi Gadi and also by interspersing videos of selected cantors within the virtual services. Andrea Blaga and Steve Benthal will facilitate the video portions, to be chosen by Rabbi Gadi and members of the shul.
All members and guests will be muted on Zoom, except those selected for aliyot and English language readings, who will be unmuted during each one’s portion.
In case of questionable weather, please check the shul’s website for decisions on the outdoor Tashlich service and the outdoor Yizkor service.

Shul Organizes Telephone Chain To Keep Tabs On Member Safety

Tifereth Israel Greenport2020-09-03T12:03:56-04:00September 3rd, 2020|

Hurricane Isaias swept through the North Fork early in August, downing power lines and uprooting trees in its wake. The storm alerted residents to what might be ahead if Isaias is any predictor of weather to come during the 2020 hurricane/winter storm season. Bottom line: we’d better organize and prepare.

To that end, the shul has organized a telephone chain, headed by shul president Judith Weiner, who will instruct phone-chain members to call the names on their lists to check on the health and safety of shul members, who could be affected by dangerous weather or other emergencies here on the North Fork. Snowbirds, vacationers and members living out of the immediate area are advised to keep a close watch on their local conditions and take proper precautions.

Telephone-chain volunteers include Sara Bloom, Elaine Goldman, Ann Hurwitz, Thelma Novick, Susan Rosenstreich, Irma Strimban, and Judith Weiner. Sara Bloom solicited the callers and organized the lists. Like good insurance, we hope the phone-chain won’t be needed.

High Holy Days Services, Mostly On Zoom

Tifereth Israel Greenport2020-09-14T14:04:44-04:00August 31st, 2020|

Tashlich and Yizkor Services Will Be In-Person

Congregation Tifereth Israel, the synagogue in Greenport, will offer services for the Jewish High Holy Days this year mostly on Zoom, a videoconferencing application the synagogue has used successfully for weekly Shabbat services, Passover Seders, and other events. The 10-day High Holy Days period begins on Friday, Sept. 18, with services at 7:30 p.m., the evening before the two-day celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah will be observed on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19 and 20, beginning at 9:30 each morning. The observance of Yom Kippur, the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar, will begin on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 6:30 p.m., with the Kol Nidre service, followed Monday, Sept. 28 at 9:30 a.m. Rabbi Gadi Capela, spiritual leader of the synagogue, will conduct all of the High Holy Days services.

Exceptions to the Zoom services include two in-person Tashlich services, where participants symbolically cast away sins in the water; this service will be held on both days of Rosh Hashanah, at 1 p.m., at the water’s edge behind the Seaport Museum in Greenport. Also, one in-person Yizkor service, a remembrance for those who have died, will be held on Yom Kippur, at 1 p.m., in Andrew Levin Park, adjacent to the synagogue building. These services, which traditionally are attended by fewer worshippers than the traditional services, can be held safely in-person; nevertheless, masks are required, and social distancing will be observed. In case of inclement weather, alternate arrangements will be announced by the rabbi.

The High Holy Days are the most introspective observances on the Jewish calendar. The 10-day period between Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, are a time for reflecting on the past year, making amends, and celebrating hope for the future.

The synagogue, which has maintained a Jewish presence on Fourth Street in Greenport for 119 years, always welcomes worshippers to its High Holy Days services, including its virtual services this year. To attend, please call Elaine Goldman at 631-765-3504 to sign up and receive the numerical code for entrance to the synagogue’s Zoom room.

Virtual Journal Launch Party – Sept 3@5PM

Tifereth Israel Greenport2020-09-10T13:11:30-04:00August 30th, 2020|

The 2020 Virtual Journal is going live at 5 on Sept. 3. For a sneak peek at the eye-popping colors and hi-tech design, come to the Launch Party. For fun videos about our honoree, Susan Rosenstreich, and some personal views of “the real Suzi,” come to the Launch Party. And to raise a toast (BYOB) to the success of this breakthrough project initiated by our little shul, come to the Launch Party. Sometimes smaller is just plain smarter. You’ll see…

Date: Thursday, Sept. 3

Time: 5 p.m.

Place: The shul’s Zoom Room