Jewish high holy days celebrated COVID-19 style
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services could not be held in person due to COVID-19. Many synagogues in Westport and across the country instead held services via livestream or Zoom. People were still able to observe the holidays from their homes without making contact with others.
Snacking on apples and honey, hanging out with family and friends, attending services and fasting looked a lot different this year when Jewish families celebrated Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Due to Covid-19, the Jewish holy days couldn’t be celebrated in the traditional fashion. Normally many attend services at synagogues where family and friends from all over the country, sometimes even around the world, gather to celebrate together.
Instead of holding in person services, many synagogues broadcasted their services on Zoom or livestream.
“I honestly wasn’t looking forward to attending services virtually because I knew it wouldn’t be like it normally is,” Josh Leon ’21 said, “but it was actually really nice that people were still able to come together to celebrate the holiday.”
In addition to virtual services, many people held their Rosh Hashanah dinners over Zoom. In this case, nobody had to leave the safety of their home and potentially come in contact with COVID-19.
As for Yom Kippur, synagogues held services via Zoom like they did for Rosh Hashana. Some synagogues also held very small services that a select amount of people were invited to attend. On Yom Kippur, it is tradition to fast the whole day.
“Spending time with my extended family and friends is usually what helps me get through the day without any eating or drinking,” Ellie Kaplan ’21 said, “so it was definitely weird not being with them, on top of not attending services in person.”
I honestly wasn’t looking forward to attending services virtually because I knew it wouldn’t be like it normally is, but it was actually really nice that people were still able to come together to celebrate the holiday.
— Josh Leon '21
According to Westport resident Peter Green, he never imagined that he would be celebrating the Jewish holy days on a computer screen. However, his family did not let the distance stop them from celebrating together.
“It was very special in its own way,” Green said. “Where Covid interrupts the holidays, we did not allow it to interrupt our tradition of being together, we just had to continue it through zoom.”
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