Celebrations of Purim, a Jewish holiday that is celebrated with gatherings in costumes and masks, have been cancelled, or limited, amid the response to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, The Washington Post reports.
More than two-dozen coronavirus cases in New York state have been linked to one lawyer, and many of those infected are connected to the modern Orthodox synagogue the attorney attended in New Rochelle. Several synagogues in New York City cancelled their Purim evens, which were scheduled to take place Sunday and Monday.
"The nature of the carnival, where physical contact is not limited, presents an unnecessary risk for our community," Temple Emanu-El on the Upper East Side said in an announcement Friday, according to the New York Post. "There is currently no known exposure to our congregants or facilities."
Multiple synagogues in California cancelled their events. Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills cancelled several Purim parties, Shabbat services, and a Torah study that were scheduled last weekend, saying the Santa Clara County Public Health Office guidelines dictated the decision, according to The Jewish News of Northern California.
The Rabbinical Council of America, which is the largest organization of Orthodox rabbis in the country, issued a set of guidelines for preventing the spread of the coronavirus. It warns against kissing the Torah or mezzuzahs, and the Rabbinical Assembly, which is the Conservative movement's largest group of rabbis, released a similar list that warned against shaking hands, among other recommendations.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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