#CALIBRE WOODS TOCO HILLS REGISTRATION#

The information collected from each synagogue will be entered into a database, then coordinated and managed by Frenkel and the Collaborative coordinators. The synagogues sent questionnaires to their congregants, asking who would like a home visit or small group gathering at a specific site.

#CALIBRE WOODS TOCO HILLS REGISTRATION#

Registration is necessary to minimize crowd size for safety. Presently, there are more than two dozen qualified shofar blowers who will share the responsibilities. In extreme cases, it will be arranged for a high-risk or severely disabled person to listen to the shofar through a window. Multiple small-group shofar blowing will take place around the community and many of the volunteer shofar blowers will also visit individuals who are unable to leave their homes to attend one of the limited gatherings. The group includes Chabad of Toco Hills, Congregation Beth Jacob, Congregation Bet Haverim, Congregation Ner Hamizrach, Congregation Netzach Yisrael, Congregation Ohr HaTorah, Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, Congregation Shearith Israel, and the New Toco Shul.Įly Landman is one of the two dozen volunteer shofar blowersĪ representative of each synagogue was selected to identify people who would like to hear the shofar in small-group gatherings or individuals who require a home visit. The result was the formation of The Toco Hills Shofar Collaborative. He reached out, and was thrilled by the unanimous positive responses of all nine synagogues who have homebound members living in the Toco Hills area. Get The AJT Newsletter by email and never miss our top storiesįrenkel found a way to bring together all the area congregations to deal with the increased numbers who will stay home because of COVID-19.

When the subject of homebound congregants arose, it was clear that all synagogues must find a way to enable individuals in this group to hear the shofar. Those who are elderly or have health concerns have been absent from congregational gatherings for six months however, hearing the shofar is a key element of the High Holy Days services, and rabbis have been considering ways for this demographic to fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the shofar live.Ī month ago, Yisrael Frenkel, who is one of the High Holy Days shofar blowers at Congregation Ohr HaTorah, discussed this year’s Rosh Hashanah plans with Rabbi Adam Starr. In the book of Numbers, the Torah mandates Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year, as a specific occasion to sound the shofar: “It will be for you a day of sounding the shofar.” From this verse, we learn of the obligation to blow the shofar during the day, not at night, and sages determined that the shofar blasts during the service coincide with the special blessings that are included in the Rosh Hashanah prayers.īecause Orthodox shuls do not employ virtual programming on Shabbat or Jewish holy days, it was necessary to find ways to offer live shofar-blowing to the increased number of members who will not attend Rosh Hashanah services this year. Hearing the shofar is a central mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah.

Calibre woods toco hills