“It was a High Holidays atmosphere,” said Rabbi Mark Bloom, describing the first indoor event at his synagogue in more than a year. “The joy of just being in the place and being together inside a place that’s so important to all of us, it was really something,” he added. “I was kind of giddy…
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coronavirus
Israel
Israel to allow vaccinated tour groups starting in May
Israel will be reopening its gates to fully vaccinated tour groups on May 23. The Jewish state hopes to allow individual vaccinated tourists by early…
Bay Area
Senior homes reopen for visits after lonely year
Just over a year ago, Susan Grossman Cohen moved her 99-year-old mother, Abby, into the Reutlinger Community in Danville. It was a big day in more ways…
Music
Jewish musicians roll out a year’s worth of spiritual ‘healing songs’
It was only about a week into lockdown last spring when Elana Brody took out her keyboard piano for a jam session. It was late at night, so it made sense…
U.S.
SCOTUS lifts California restrictions on at-home religious gatherings
The Supreme Court extended a string of decisions overturning pandemic restrictions on religious gatherings, ruling Friday night that California’s…
Torah
In a crisis, we can only control how we choose to respond
The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon. Shemini Leviticus 9:1–11:47 The stage is set, the…
Act Two
Pandemic Shabbats offer lessons to carry forward
It’s Friday evening. The fragrance of cooked turkey breast with rosemary and roasted garlic potatoes fills the house. The dining room table is festively…
Israel
Pfizer reportedly halts vaccine shipment to Israel after it fails to pay
Pfizer halted a shipment of 700,000 Covid vaccine doses to Israel, alleging that the country has not paid for a previous shipment of 2.5 million doses.…
World
Pandemic antisemitism: Assaults down, vandalism up
A 19 percent decrease in the number of antisemitic assaults recorded worldwide in 2020 from the previous year was attributed to lockdowns connected to the…