SZ REOPENING POLICY: VACCINATION REQUIRED

Please read the letter that was sent to our community about our vaccination requirement:

October 4, 2021

The High Holidays have now passed and autumn is here. We are moving toward resuming in-person services and events in our Mishkan Dolores building at 290 Dolores Street, and are preparing the building and ourselves for when it is safe to do so. We are hopeful that will be soon!

We are writing to let you know that the Va’ad, following the recommendation of the Reopening Task Force, adopted a policy to limit attendance at indoor, in-person services and events to age-eligible persons who have provided proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except for rare individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and children below vaccination age who may attend Beit Sefer Phyliss Mintzer and b’mitzvahs. We will continue to require masking and appropriate distancing by everyone who attends indoor services and events for the foreseeable future.

The Reopening Task Force and Va’ad decided to require proof of vaccination after extended discussion and thoughtful consideration of the various possible ways we could safely reopen for in-person services and events in light of the health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was guided by our shared Jewish values of, among others, Kol Yisrael aravim zeh bazeh – our duty to take responsibility for the needs of the whole community – and Pikuach nefesh – the sacred mandate to protect and preserve life expressed in the community Brit adopted last summer (see below).

All persons who wish to attend indoor services and events – including members, guests, and visitors – must provide proof that that they are fully vaccinated by presenting their CDC vaccination card or digital vaccination record to Sha’ar Zahav staff¹. The office will keep a record of individuals who have confirmed their eligibility to participate during indoor, in-person services and events. The record will be secured in the Sha’ar Zahav office and treated as a confidential record. Copies of underlying vaccination cards and/or QR codes for digital vaccine records will not be kept. The record will be used by designated greeters to check-in members and visitors upon entry to the building.

You can provide proof that you are fully vaccinated by email or text, or in-person via Zoom, or in the office, as follows:

• Email an image of your card or QR code to [email protected]
• Text an image of your card or QR code to (415) 894-2004‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• “Zoom meet” to show cards on Thursday mornings at 10:30 am through December. Register here: Registration Link  
• Stop by the office. Call Sharon Heath or Susie Idzik to arrange a time at (415) 861-6932
• Show your card or proof at the door of Sha’ar Zahav

If you are unable to be vaccinated due to a documented medical reason and wish to attend an indoor service or event, please contact Susie Idzik, Director of Administration. All information regarding medical exemption requests will be kept strictly confidential.

While we are certain that not everyone will welcome or agree with the vaccination policy the leadership has adopted, please know that both the Reopening Task Force and the full Va’ad carefully considered multiple perspectives. If you have questions or wish to discuss any aspect of this new policy, please do not hesitate to call Susie Idzik.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Mychal Copeland

Marc A. Lipschutz, President

Susie Idzik, Director of Administration

¹ Digital vaccine records accessible using a QR code can be obtained from the State of California and can be stored on a smartphone. Go to https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/ and follow the instructions.