High Holiday COVID Policy 2023

The TBB COVID Advisory Committee met on Monday 9/5/23 to determine how best to protect our service leaders and our entire TBB community over the High Holidays. Because the coming weeks are the period we have the most congregants in our sacred spaces at TBB, and because there is yet another prevalent COVID variant, and because the timing of the release of a new vaccine after the holidays will not protect us during the holidays, the committee has agreed on the following protocols for the 2023/5784 High Holidays:

• Surgical (or higher grade) masks will be required for those attending and participating in services in the Kleiman Sanctuary (top floor). Please, no cloth masks.

• Service leaders will test at home each day prior to services. In recognition of the difficulty of singing in full voice while masked, leaders will be allowed the option of removing their masks if necessary while leading.

• Anyone who has an aliyah and will be on the bimah is also requested to self-test prior to coming to services, in addition to remaining masked while in the sanctuary and/or on the bimah. (Free test kits are available at the Somerville Public Library)

• Nissenbaum Social Hall will be set up with a  live stream monitor from the main sanctuary except during the tot service. Although seating there is more flexible and can be socially-distanced, that room will be a mask-optional space.

• Windows in both the sanctuary and Nissenbaum Hall will be opened maximally, subject to weather limitations, to increase airflow. 

• Masks are not required for the family services outside in the tent in the backyard.

• Tot services in the social hall will  be mask-optional. 

• As always, if you do not feel well in any way or have had a COVID contact, please do not come to services! Please be considerate of others and avail yourself of our Zoom option for attending.                

• The Yom Kippur break fast will be held in the backyard tent (with a take away option).

• We will be re-assessing these guidelines after the holidays to ensure they continue to work for us and keep everyone feeling healthy and secure at TBB. We hope you feel these guidelines provide you sufficient choices for your own comfortable level of participation, while respecting the needs of all in our community.