The Covid-19 Pandemic has, unfortunately, changed so much of our lives, and the celebration of Jewish life and practices. In response to these changes, the FJMC has been providing suggestions about celebrating Jewish practice even during these difficult days, and started, prior to Pesach / Passover, with two sessions on conducting a Virtual Seder using Zoom (or other video conferencing software). They became the most popular of the FJMC Webinars series, with almost 700 views from people both inside and outside the organization.
But there are so many other Jewish rituals, while traditionally done in person surrounded by family and close friends, is no longer a standard, given the concerns over spreading such disease. Thus, we’d like to introduce the FJMC’s Virtual Jewish Celebration Initiative. We’ve created a page on the FJMC website, where you’ll be able to find both downloadable information sheets, and where applicable, short videos.
https://archive2.fjmc.org/virtual-celebrations-new
No, this isn’t about leading a service or doing things which are traditionally done inside the synagogue. But, if you’re like me, you may have attended a memorial service, a funeral (three in fact, one in Berlin, Germany; one in Orlando, Florida; and one in Pennsylvania), a shiva, a brit milah, and conducted two Virtual Seders myself during Passover. My family welcomes Shabbat on Zoom, even though two of our children are within the area, and one in Florida, but such virtual celebration makes us together for a short time, doing ‘Jewish’ when under normal circumstances, we’d be apart.
We’ve posted our first video and information sheet on Mezuzah Hanging, and in the coming weeks and months, we’ll be posting others, one on celebrating in your Sukkah with Zoom, during these times, and one on doing Havdalah virtually. More holidays, celebrations and rituals, which we’ll provide guidance at adapting such to a Virtual celebration mode are planned, and if YOU would like to be involved in this initiative (by creating such a guide and possible short video) contact Allan Kahan at akahan@fjmc.org.