#Jews to celebrate High Holy Days with online services, masked shofars

A rabbi blows a masked shofar at the West Side Sephardic Synagogue yesterday.
Seth Gottfried

The end of the ram’s horn, which is sounded during the Jewish New Year celebration that begins Friday night, will be covered at the West Side Sephardic Synagogue lest any potential coronavirus germs escape to congregants.

Attendance will also be limited to 60 people, the five-hour service will be cut to limit the amount of time worshipers spend indoors, and everyone will have to wear a mask, said Ari Afilalo, the president of the Upper West Side synagogue whose members include immigrants from Israel, France and Morocco.

Some 400 people might typically attend the holiday services, which are usually the most crowded of the year at congregations throughout the city.

“The most important goal for us is to do the holidays, be in person as much as we can, but minimize the risk to the greatest extent possible,” Afilalo said.

Unlike other synagogues, the orthodox congregation will not be streaming its service online adhering to the prohibition for observant Jews against using electronics on the Sabbath and High Holy Days which conclude on Sept. 28 with Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement.

At the Central Synagogue, a Reform Jewish congregation, no one will attend services in its landmark Moorish revival building on Lexington Avenue and the sounding of the shofar has already been prerecorded. Normally 1,100 people fill the synagogue’s pews.

“We spread out the shofar blowers a minimum of 20 feet apart,” said Daniel Mutlu, the senior cantor.

The services, which will be streamed online, are shortened to avoid digital fatigue and congregants will receive honors via Zoom so that they can participate live, Mutlu said.

“That’s another way to kind of widen the tent and bring people together,” he said.

Temple Emanu-El, the massive Reform synagogue on Fifth Avenue, is inviting only 100 people to its sanctuary, giving preference to those who were front line and essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic, those who lost a loved one in the last year or who had to cancel important events such as a bar mitzvah.

“For 175 years, Temple Emanu-El has been open for the High Holy Days and we want 5781 to be no exception,” the temple website says. “Together, we will pray for a better year — one of health and happiness in our homes, one of justice and peace in our country and the world.”