Kol yisrael arevim zeh b’zeh

Caring for one another and helping to keep our community safe are The Associated’s top priorities.

The Associated and its network of agencies continues to actively monitoring the evolving updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are working closely with our beneficiary agencies – and in concert with public health officials and other organizations – to ensure the critical needs and services continue to be provided in a manner that maintains the health of our community members.

As of March 18, 2020

Jewish Community Services Access Center call line will remain active during business hours. The number is 410-466-9200 for information about services or resources.

Volunteer at Home

As we follow the directive to create social distancing, Jewish Volunteer Connection (JVC) has identified volunteer projects that can be done at home – please take a look at the project list and other urgent direct and indirect volunteer needs related to community response to this crisis.

This list is being continually updated as the situation continues to develop. To learn more and register or order supplies, go to jvcbaltimore.org/covid19.

JVC is also working with partner organizations to identify ongoing and new ways that they will address the needs of the most vulnerable members of our community. Please fill out this form if you want to be notified as new opportunities to serve the community during this challenging time are identified.

Virtual Programming for Young Families

Beginning on Wednesday, March 18, CJE will host:

Daily online story times for families with young children. Go to the CJE Facebook page and PJ Library Baltimore Facebook page for more information.

In addition, PJ National is live-streaming at 11:00 a.m. for stories and 1: 00 p.m. for craft ideas.

Community Closings

As of Monday, March 16, The Associated building at 101 Mount Royal Avenue will be closed to visitors. We will continue to operate as normal.

The Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC, the Gordon Center for Performing Arts, the Weinberg Park Heights JCC and the DBJCC is closed through March 22. Look here for further updates.

Here are the latest community closings:

Synagogues

• Beth Israel Congregation has canceled all in-person meetings and events for the time being, with the exception of services which are being livestreamed.
• Chizuk Amuno has closed their building as of Friday March 13 at 3:00 p.m. and moved to “Chizuk Amuno online.”
• Beth El Congregation will cancel all in-person programs and events through Sunday, March 22 and prayer services including this Friday night and Saturday morning, will be conducted only through livestream. Early Childhood program is cancelled through next week and Hebrew School is cancelled until further notice.
• Baltimore Hebrew Congregation will have limited activities next week and will live-stream Shabbat services.
• Beth Tfiloh Congregation cancelled their Annual Dahan Lecture.
• Bolton Street Synagogue has decided to cancel all in-person services, programs, and Hebrew school. Everything over the next few weeks will be done remotely.  
• Har Sinai – Oheb Shalom, including the Learning Ladder pre-school will be closed through March 29, 2020.
• Pikesville Jewish Congregation has suspended all activity
• Bnai Israel decided to cancel all events, including services, for the next two weeks. 

Community Organizations

• The Baltimore Jewish Film Festival is being cancelled and will now take place from late June through early August.
• The CHAI Home Buyer Workshop scheduled for April 22, has been cancelled. For alternative resources please visit chaibaltimore.org/workshop.
• The Edward A. Myerberg Center will be closed until further notice. For latest updates, please visit myerberg.org or call 410-358-6856.
• Jewish Community Services will close its offices on Tuesday, March 17. Their Access Center call line will remain active during business hours. The number is 410-466-9200 for information about services or resources.
• JVC has canceled Good Deeds Day activities.
• CJE has postponed larger scale programs such as the early childhood conference and the PJ Our Way trip to New York.
• The Jewish Museum of MD is postponing and/or cancelling all public programs from March 12 through April 14 and is closed to visitors and volunteers as of close of business on Monday, March 16.
• Starting Monday, Sol Levinson will only have private chapel funerals (with immediate family present and video recording available to the public), or graveside services.
• This Sunday, the Shinshinim will return to their homes in Israel. We are hoping this is not a final goodbye, and that they will be able to rejoin our Baltimore community after Passover.
• The CHAI Home Buyer Expo scheduled for Sunday March 15 is cancelled.
• “Of Substance Stoop Storytelling scheduled for March 31 at Goucher College is closing. The program will be rescheduled for the fall.
• The Holocaust Survivor Trip to the BSO is cancelled.
• The JCC is closing its early childhood education center next week.
• The Gordon Center is canceling all rentals and performances for next 30 days.
• This year’s Yom HaShoah program will be held virtually.
• Jewish Federation of Howard County is limiting meetings and conducting some programming online.
• JCS is cancelling all in person group support programs and looking into providing opportunities to conduct them virtually.

If you are planning to visit our other agencies, including the JCC, please stay at home if you are not feeling well.

Day Schools

• Krieger Shechter Day School is cancelling classes as of tomorrow, Friday March 13.
• The E. B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center will be closed for the coming week. 
• Maryland public schools will be closed March 16-27.

Volunteers Needed

Jewish Volunteer Connection is in active and ongoing communication with its social service partners to identify their ongoing and new needs, as they strive to serve the most vulnerable members of our community. Needs and volunteer opportunities regularly updated.

Go to JVC’s website.

Keeping Healthy

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, the CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to  others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Links to other resources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

http://www.lifebridgehealth.org/main/CoronavirusPreparedness.aspx