Update 3 - Erev Shabbos Kodesh Mevorchim Nissan, HaChodesh, Ve'Chazak
COVID-19 & Our Community
The Board and Management of Tzemach Tzedek take the welfare of our community very seriously and every single one of you is very dear to us. The upcoming few week are critical in doing everything that we can to control our safety and the safety of others.
We are doing all that we can to reassure people and provide emotional support and we will continue to do so be"H. However: we must bear in mind that we are in new and risky times. The Jewish community is taking extra precautions to fulfil the mitzva of venishmartem me'od lenafshosaichem and of saving others. Therefore, with the full support of the Tzemach Tzedek Leadership and as announced today by the Sydney Beis Din, everyone everywhere should endeavour wherever possible to stay at home and to workfrom home. Please keep your children at home. (We appreciate and empathise that this is hard to do and we will be providing lots of tips and inspiration for parents in the following Updates iy"h). When you must go out for necessary errands, maintain social distancing and hand/face hygiene. COVID-19 can come with minimal symptoms and as such, technically any of us could be carrying it and passing the virus around to others. The quicker we all act to slow the spread, the safer we will all be.
B"H we are in an age of international scientific cooperation. There is currently a massive research focus with over eight projects underway to seek a successful vaccine. There are currently over 80 clinical trials to manage and cure the COVID-19 virus. We have never been in a better era to fight a pandemic. We must do our part to slow the spread as outlined above, the scientists are doing their part. Combined with torah, tefillah and acts of chessed/ tzedoka and brochos from Hashem may we collectively overcome this soon!
With that said, we hope that everyone is doing well. Families with kinderlach are now learning from home. It is a very new experience as we all learn to adapting to a new way of doing things and to a new routine. A big yasher koach to all the teachers who have been working round the clock to prepare work packages and online lessons for our kids and wish hatzlocha raba to all the children.
This Shabbos
This shabbos is Shabbos Chazak, Parshas Hachodesh and Shabbos Mevorchim Nissan. We would usually be taking out two sifrei torah. This month Hashem is doing it for us. We still bless the month of Nissan at home.
This shabbos is also Chof Hei Adar, the birthday of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, wife of the Rebbe. The Rebbetzin נ״ע was born to her parents the Rebbe Rayatz & Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, in the town of Babinovitch, near Lubavitch. She conducted her life in dignity and was known for her privacy. However she made an exception when she went public during the court case about who owned the library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad. During the court case she famously said that the Rebbe and the library belong to the Chassidim. There are many stories of the Rebbetzin and further information can be found here: https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/110745/jewish/A-Brief-Biography-of-the-Rebbetzin.htm#Birth Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson (1901–1988) - The life and legacy of the Rebbe’s wife
You will have noticed that Gershon Gunsberger has still emailed his misheberach reminder this week. (Thank you Gershon). This is because we are trying wherever possible to continue our usual activities albeit in a different way. As such we felt that it would be very appropriate to include those names instead, in your shabbos mevorchim tehillim. Leadership Training This morning some of us from the TT Board and Management attended the first in a series of online training sessions for Rabbis, Rebbetzins and Community Leaders to train us with timely and relevant skills to help support our communities during this time. It was facilitated by Rabbi Kastel and the Jewish House with training by trauma and clinical psychologist David Goldman. Today's session focussed on supporting community members who are in isolation. It was a very informative and useful session and well attended. Chavrusos We are organising chavrusos for men and women who would like to start learning from home (over the phone, video call etc). Thank you to Hershel Tuvel who is coordinating the men's chavrusos. Please call text him on: 0425-823-093 Thank you to Chaya Gourarie who is coordinating the women's chavrusos. Please text her on: 0412-455-815 Resources: Please look out for the next Updates which will iy"H contain many resources for your use and support. This includes social, emotional and financial welfare, home schooling/parenting, informational, inspirational etc. Wishing everyone a gut and gezunte shabbos. We will all be thinking of each other and will celebrate shabbos together in spirit. !שבת היא מלזעוק ורפואה קרובה לבוא