Chief Rabbi Emphraim Mirvis has confirmed that synagogues must close from Thursday as a result of the government’s new national lockdown measures.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chief Rabbi said that while it would be tempting to use permission granted for individual prayers to open shuls, there was concern that those arriving alone may be tempted to daven together.
Rabbi Mirvis said this would be a clear breach of the law as well as being a “desecration of Hashem’s name.”
Responding to the announcement on Saturday evening of a 27 day national lockdown after midnight on Thursday until December 2nd, he said: “Over recent months during times of unprecedented challenge, I have been inspired by our remarkable Rabbis, Rebbetzens, lay leaders, staff and communities as you maintained the vitality of our Synagogues through regular services, events and programmes.
“Public health professionals and government officials have recognised your determined commitment to protecting the sanctity of life before all else in what has been a true Kiddush Hashem.
“I have no doubt therefore that whilst you share my sense of profound pain, following the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday that places of worship must once again close for congregational prayer you must share my desire to take whatever further action is necessary to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“This directive from the government confers an imperative upon us to close our Synagogues from Thursday.”
Explaining his decision not to allow shuls to remain open for individual prayer, the Chief Rabbi said he wished to “bless all of humankind with healing and a speedy end to the pandemic.”
In a further statement from the United Synagogue, it was announced that communities are not permitted to facilitate any off-site minyanim and that no youth, children’s and family programming, cheder and educational events are permitted to take place, except online.
Nurseries based in shul buildings are permitted to remain open, in line with government guidance.
The government has said that funerals are permitted and can be attended by a maximum of 30 people. Only close friends and family should attend. Stone settings can also continue with up to 15 people in attendance. Anyone working is not included in that number.
Weddings are not permitted unless in exceptional circumstances and in-person Bar and Bat mitzvah ceremonies must be postponed.
A statement from the US executive said: “This is an extremely painful exercise for us to be undertaking for the second time.
“We are aware of the hurt this will cause our community members who will lose the comfort of communal prayer and seeing friendly faces, mourners who will lose the opportunity to say kaddish and families who will need to postpone those weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs that they have been planning for so long. We share this pain.”
