Updated Mask Policy - Email from Board 6.17.21
June 17, 2021 / 7 Tamuz 5781
Dear BJI Members:
As California and the country continue to safely reopen, the Beth Jacob Board of Directors remains committed to reopening in a safe and orderly manner. To ensure that decisions are made with input from the medical and scientific community, we formed a Medical Advisory Committee comprised of physicians and health experts within our community.
After consulting with the Medical Advisory Committee, the BJI Board has voted to modify several policies affecting activities on BJI’s campus. The following changes will be effective immediately:
- Minyanim/services that occur outdoors OR inside of the tent:
- For vaccinated individuals, masks will be optional.
- For unvaccinated individuals, masks remain mandatory. This includes children over the age of 2 years old.
- Minyanim/services that occur indoors:
- Masks remain mandatory for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status.
- If vaccinated, the Torah reader, chazzan, and speaker (during the week or on Shabbat) do not need to wear a mask even if minyan/services occur indoors.
- Advance registration for minyanim/services will no longer be required.
- Small classes that occur indoors:
- For vaccinated individuals, masks will be optional.
- For unvaccinated individuals, masks remain mandatory. This includes children over the age of 2 years old.
These changes apply to all services at all times, whether ashkenaz or sephard, weekday or Shabbat.
The BJI Board and the Medical Advisory Committee continue to monitor the situation. We expect that the next few weeks will shed further light on our ability to safely resume minyan indoors that may permit us to lift the mask requirement for fully vaccinated individuals while indoors. We will promptly notify the community of any changes.
Please note that some members of our community are immunocompromised and others may feel more comfortable wearing masks regardless of vaccination status. Thus, even if you are vaccinated, please consider wearing a mask—I will continue to do so for now and I invite others to do the same. If you are unvaccinated, masks continue to be required while on campus, even for minyanim/services that occur outdoors. While the BJI Board has elected not to require proof of vaccination at this point, please consider the health and safety of those around you and follow the shul’s policies.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at president@bethjacobirvine.org or anyone on the board.
On behalf of the Beth Jacob Board of Directors, thank you in advance for your cooperation and for your patience throughout this ordeal.
B’shalom,
Adam Teitcher
President, Beth Jacob Congregation of Irvine
Board of Directors
Ilan Wolf, Ray Paster, Matthew Brodsky, Marda Kahn, Ashley Nahum, Michael Varon, Marty Goodman, David Hardoon