By Barbara Bayer
Contributing Writer
Which congregations will hold in-person High Holiday services this year? Is an online service available for me to watch? If I’m not a member, can I still attend a service or watch one online? Do I need to make a reservation to attend or watch?
Those are the hot topics as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on through the summer months, with no end in sight. The responses are as varied as the unique personalities of the local congregations and depend on many factors, including the size of the congregation’s facilities and membership as well as how each movement interprets halachah — Jewish law.
Jocelyn Fry, president of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, fittingly expressed in a video to members what is happening across the community when she reported B’nai Jehudah’s entire staff “is working tirelessly to develop a unique and meaningful High Holy Day experience in this most unusual year.”
Every single congregation has had to change the way it plans to celebrate and observe the upcoming holidays while adhering to recommended safety standards.
“Jewish Law places safety and preservation of life above all other concerns,” noted K.I. leaders in a recent letter to its members about the High Holidays.
Beth Torah Senior Rabbi Javier Cattapan, who is president of the Rabbinical Association, explained that after speaking with and surveying their members, most rabbis here believe there isn’t a large group of individuals in the Kansas City Jewish community who are pressuring their leaders to host in-person events and services.
“Members of our Jewish community understand that safety — pikuach nefesh, saving a life — is paramount,” Rabbi Cattapan said. “This year will be totally different, but we’re not hearing that [High Holiday services] have to be done in person.”
Rabbi Cattapan explained that the members of the Rabbinical Association have been meeting regularly throughout this pandemic to discuss how they can best provide a High Holiday experience that is filled with spiritual meaning and a sense of continuity to what has come before and what the future yet holds. One of those things, whether in person or virtually, is a shorter service.
“It’s not going to be a four-hour service, it will just be the basics with physical distancing,” he explained. “Many congregations, including Beth Torah, will offer other opportunities to hear the other prayers and poems separately.”
In-person services
Traditional, Orthodox and Lubavitch congregations — including BIAV, Kehilath Israel Synagogue (K.I.), Torah Learning Center (TLC) and The Shul Chabad of Leawood — will have some version of in-person services. Plans for Chabad House Center of KC and Plaza Chabad are still being finalized and will be announced at a later date. In many cases reservations are required.
A few of the more liberal congregations will also offer some in-person prayer opportunities. In addition to livestreaming all High Holy Day services, certain services at Beth Torah will have an in-person component for members of good standing only. Temple Israel will offer both in-person and online services. Congregation Kol Ami will be almost exclusively virtual except for the second day of Rosh Hashanah, when it will hold an outdoor service at Frank Theis Memorial Park (also known as Volker Park).
“There will be an informal service followed by tashlich at Brush Creek in the park,” explained Kol Ami’s Rabbi Doug Alpert, noting that neither reservations nor tickets are required for this service and it is open to the community. “Masks are required and social distance will be maintained. Everyone will be asked to bring their own chairs or blankets.”
Rabbi Levi Perl, director of marketing and development for TLC, said the synagogue plans to hold services inside and outside. Weather permitting, Rabbi Perl hopes TLC will be able to accommodate every member who wishes to attend while maintaining social distancing. Membership is not required to daven at TLC.
K.I. resumed in-person services in July, with attendees required to wear a mask and sit 6 feet apart from those not in their immediate family pods. For the High Holidays, reservations will be required as well and, unlike past years, services will be open only to K.I. members, K.I. family or friends who might be visiting during the High Holidays, and individuals who might be interested in becoming members of the Traditional congregation.
“We’re lucky because we have a very large sanctuary and we’re able to seat a lot of people,” K.I.’s Senior Rabbi Moshe Grussgott explained. “But we’ve found we’re getting a little less than half our usual attendance on Shabbos. I never thought as a rabbi I would say ‘I hope too many people don’t come to shul,’ but that’s really what I’m thinking. I want people to err on the side of caution in consultation with their doctor’s advice about attending synagogue.”
Rabbi Grussgott pointed out that even those who will attend in-person services will notice things are different.
“Sadly, one of the CDC guidelines of this pandemic is that communal singing is not advisable, since singing spreads droplets,” Rabbi Grussgott said. “It’s awkward to ask people not to sing” and instead listen to those chanting from the bimah.
Rabbi Grussgott said he believes in-person services are not as good as what they were before the pandemic.
“With everyone wearing masks and sitting apart and the davening shortened because it increases the chances of exposure for people sitting in the room for long periods of time, it’s not the same kind of experience,” Rabbi Grussgott said.
At K.I., children under age 12 will not be attending this year as well. Rabbi Grussgott said that’s because it’s difficult for that age group to observe social distancing rules.
Praying virtually
The buildings of the B’nai Jehudah and The New Reform Temple remain closed to members and the congregations will offer all their services online.
“The best way to reduce coronavirus cases is not to congregate together. If we are apart, the virus cannot spread,” B’nai Jehudah leadership told its members in late July.
Virtual services will also be offered by Congregations Beth Shalom, Ohev Sholom, Temple Sinai and the Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation.
Accessing prayer services through platforms such as Zoom and Facebook on computers, smartphones and tablets is new for the Kansas City Jewish community, but became the norm for many congregations when the pandemic hit in April. Although virtual services have been offered by congregations in other cities for several years, last year was the first year a local congregation, B’nai Jehudah, offered High Holiday services virtually.
Orthodox and other traditionally observant Jews do not use electronic devices on Shabbat or holidays. Up until the pandemic, that was also the case for many Conservative congregations. When this health crisis began, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s law committee and the Rabbinical Assembly gave the go ahead for online minyanim.
“Services for the High Holidays have been planned for an online format in conjunction with guidelines provided by the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative movement,” the leadership of Ohev Sholom told The Chronicle. “Our intent is to create meaningful and spiritual services that will touch people’s senses, and will feel and sound like the High Holy Days and create a sense of community through zoom.”
Beth Shalom Congregation President Jason Krakow said the Conservative congregation has been livestreaming its Shabbat morning service for a couple of months now.
“Our livestream is a fixed camera and the rabbi and chazzan don’t have to do anything. In fact it could even be such that it clicks on via timer,” Krakow said. “For now our non-Jewish staff are there to make sure the technology is working. It is very akin to the microphone system.”
It’s also very easy for members to use.
“If they have our website pulled up, all they have to do is click on the livestream button,” Krakow said.
Krakow believes livestreaming will likely continue at Beth Shalom when the pandemic ends.
“I think we were careful to not rush into it because we knew once we were doing it, we were likely to institutionalize it going forward,” he said.
Community invited to B’nai Jehudah’s virtual Family Service
For many years B’nai Jehudah has opened its family services, featuring the Mesner Puppets, to the community. Those services are “being transformed into family video experiences” and will be available to all members of the community again this year. Senior Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff said the video production team at Church of the Resurrection will assist him “and the rest of B’nai Jehudah’s talented staff” craft this and seven other virtual services/experiences.
Like in-person services this year and most congregations’ virtual services, Rabbi Nemitoff explained that B’nai Jehudah’s virtual services will be shorter than traditional High Holiday services because there are different attention spans with in-person versus on-screen experiences. He estimates evening services will last about 35 to 40 minutes, morning services about 50 to 55 minutes and Yizkor/Ne’ilah around 45 minutes.
“The first prayer book we have dates to around 850 CE, about 1,200 or so years ago. Prior to that, prayers were more fluid and flexible,” Rabbi Nemitoff explained in a recent email blast to members. “As our history developed, prayer became fixed and more elaborate. Today, because of our unique situation, we have the opportunity to reach back to an earlier time and mix fluid with fixed, to be both flexible and elaborate.”
Elul: A time for introspection
Even before the month of Elul began last week, area congregations had begun ramping up its programming to help members prepare for the High Holidays.
“We are placing greater emphasis in the weeks leading up to the holidays on the spiritual readiness for the holidays by providing learning opportunities and connection opportunities,” Beth Shalom’s Krakow said. “We’re all just recognizing that this is the way this year is going to go and we’ve all got to exercise spiritual muscles that maybe we’ve never had to before and help each other through that.”
Other ways to connect
Beth Torah’s Rabbi Cattapan noted that while many are uncomfortable attending in-person services, they are still craving eye contact they aren’t getting on their computers, phones or laptops. Therefore several congregations are creating ways congregants can get together safely.
For example, B’nai Jehudah is planning two outdoor drive-thru afternoon experiences, one on Rosh Hashanah and one on Yom Kippur. Staff and volunteers — wearing masks and gloves — will have the opportunity to greet members who stay in their cars, and, according to B’nai Jehudah leadership, “have that in-person, but physically distant, encounter for which we all yearn.”
Beth Shalom is also planning some in-person outdoor events and Zoom events.
“When our online services are complete, we’ll have time for people to log off if you will, and come to a park where we will have some in-person, social distance, mask wearing options for people to get together,” Krakow said.
Most of these outdoor events, including Beth Shalom’s, are by reservation only.
“Our entire online offering is open and available to anyone, with our goal to provide spiritually uplifting opportunities on the holiday to everyone in the community,” Krakow said. “But, just by virtue of numbers and capacity and need for knowing who’s going to be where with potential to have to do some tracking afterwards, G-d forbid, in-person activities will all be for members only by reservation.”
Zooming before and after the holidays
Several congregations, even those who are planning in-person services, are also planning virtual events before and after the holidays for those who do not feel safe attending an in-person service or are not comfortable using electronics on Shabbat and holy days.
“We absolutely have very active, very engaged members that refrain from technology and we certainly want to see their faces coming in and coming out of the holidays,” Krakow said.
Simchat Torah
While all rabbis were working hard to develop meaningful holiday experiences for the community, when The Chronicle spoke to Rabbi Cattapan in early August, he said that he was most concerned about Simchat Torah.
“I haven’t yet been able to figure out how to do Simchat Torah because that is so much about carrying the Torah and touching,” Rabbi Cattapan said. “We can’t do any of that, even outside. So that, to me, might be something that we’ll have to mourn the loss of that this year.”
Regardless of what each congregation has planned, it’s been described as a very difficult and challenging few months for all.
“We pray that the incoming year of 5781 will be a year in which we can put this pandemic behind us and return to normal shul life with renewed enthusiasm and joy,” noted the leadership of K.I. “May it be, in turn, a year of renewed health and good fortune for our shul community and for the entire world!”
Who, what, where
The following is the information The Chronicle has received from congregations regarding in-person, virtual or a combination of activities as well as their websites, phone numbers and email contact addresses. More detailed times will be included in the service schedule, set to publish in the Sept. 10 issue. For information regarding reservations, virtual access or membership, contact the individual congregation. Congregations offering services to the community and non-members welcome donations.
CONGREGATION BIAV
913-341-2444
Congregation BIAV’s preliminary plans are for in-person services with limited attendance employing a variety of safety measures. More details should be available after Sept. 1.
CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM
913-647-7279
All services will be online, free and open to the community. Additional holiday-related outdoor and Zoom events are for members only and will require reservations.
CONGREGATION BETH TORAH
913-498-2212
Beth Torah’s virtual High Holy Day services are open to the community and are accessible through the congregation’s Facebook page. Limited opportunities for members in good standing to attend some in-person components will be available.
The Temple, Congregation
B’nai Jehudah
913-663-4050
All services will be virtual, livestreaming on Facebook and the congregation’s Vimeo channel. The community is invited to all virtual offerings, including the virtual Family Services featuring the Mesner Puppets on Rosh Hashanah morning and Yom Kippur morning. Members are invited to drive-thru afternoon experiences on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur afternoon.
CHABAD HOUSE CENTER OF K.C.
913-649-4852 — OP
Plans for the High Holidays are still being finalized.
THE SHUL–CHABAD OF LEAWOOD
913-228-2770
Shul — Chabad of Leawood will hold in-person services; reservations and masks are required and social distancing will be observed.
CHABAD ON THE PLAZA
816-200-1770
Plans are still being made and will be announced at a later date.
KEHILATH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
913-642-1880
www.kisyn.org
In-person services will take place. Reservations are required. Children under age 12 will not be admitted. Zoom services before the holidays will be offered for those not attending in-person services. Information regarding tashlich, or obtaining tickets, is available by contacting K.I.
CONGREGATION KOL AMI
816-510-4895
www.kolamikc.org
All services are virtual and open to the community with the exception of the second day of Rosh Hashanah. An informal outdoor service on Sept. 20 at 10:30 a.m. will be held at Frank Theis Memorial Park (also known as Volker Park) in Kansas City, Missouri. Masks will be required as will social distancing; reservations or tickets are not need. Attendees should bring their own chairs and blankets.
LAWRENCE JEWISH COMMUNITY CONGREGATION
785-841-7636
www.lawrencejcc.org
All services, except tashlich, will be virtual. Registration required for all events, including tashlich.
THE NEW REFORM TEMPLE
816-523-7809
www.thenewreformtemple.com
All High Holy Days religious experiences will be virtual and can be viewed at no cost.
CONGREGATION OHEV SHOLOM
913-642-6460
All holiday services will be virtual and are opened to non-members.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
913-940-1011 (Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn)
In-person services will be held for members by reservation only following strict safety guidelines including social distancing, masks and temperature checks. The service will be available for viewing on Zoom as well with password given to those wishing to attend after submitting name, email, phone number, address to either or .
TEMPLE SINAI
913-232-7455
All services and appropriate holiday readings will be virtual.
TORAH LEARNING CENTER
913-385-5770
In-person services will be held both indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. Services are open to the public; reservations are not required.