By JULIE CUNNINGHAM
(Greenfield, MA) Andrea Cohen Kiener, Rabbi at Temple Israel in Greenfield, is adjusting to the new normal that has pushed services onto a Zoom platform. Everything has been pushed to an online format, from Hebrew School to worship services to the teen theatre program. Despite the reopening of religious organizations in Massachusetts, Kiener said she plans to continue to use Zoom for services and move slowly to a full reopening.
“ We are hosting Zoom Shabbat dinners with young families and b’nai mitzvah (approaching confirmation) aged families,” said Kiener.
Kiener said that attendance has increased with the new Zoom platform, a plus in the middle of a difficult pandemic. But downloaded line prayerbooks have proved challenging, and singing together over Zoom took some work. Despite these challenges, Kiener does not plan to bring people back into the temple until at least the high holidays of early Fall.
“We are able to have the benefit of feeling more centered and elevated over the course of the service,” said Kiener.
Like many of the surrounding communities in Franklin County, Temple Israel does have a high elderly population. Kiener and her community need more time to digest the rules put out about reopening process, so Kiener is not in a rush to bring people back into the temple right away.
”I actually consider all ages vulnerable to COVID-19,” said Kiener.
As for the work that needs to take place in the building, Kiener said that has been staggered and distanced to meet social distancing guidelines. She is using a printed copy of the Torah, rather than taking out and reading the physical Torah.
Temple Israel may hold some services outside during the nice weather, but those have not been scheduled yet.