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Jewish community organ­isa­tions and leaders across Australia continue their efforts to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Jewish insti­tu­tions, families, indi­vidu­als and, most espe­cially, the elderly and vul­ner­able.   We recognise with deep appre­ci­ation the con­tinu­ing work being done by the Jewish community roof bodies in each State, the Crisis Man­age­ment Teams of the Community Security Groups, shules, the Day Schools, the aged care sector, the welfare sector and volun­teers, and commend them for the high sense of respons­ib­il­ity they have demon­strated.

With the approach of Pesach, when families typically gather to celebrate the Seder, many indi­vidu­als and families will be feeling the effects of physical isolation from relatives and friends.  Perhaps in the future we will look back upon these times and appre­ci­ate all the more the joy of being able to celebrate Pesach with family and friends, and have all the more com­pas­sion for those who have nowhere to go on Seder night, and are all alone.

The following is an update from last week’s summary of the current status of Jewish community life in each State and Territory.

New South Wales

• Jewish Emergency Man­age­ment Plan (JEMP) operated by CSG NSW has formally opened its Emergency Oper­a­tions Centre and is already fielding enquires, coordin­at­ing responses and providing volun­teers. It is anti­cip­at­ing an increase in demand and efforts are being under­taken to cent­ral­ise the response by directing the attention of community members to its website. A community wide SMS and other mech­an­isms are being employ to achieve this.
• The medical sub-committee continues to actively plan and prepare for a potential increase in spread of COVID-19 within the Sydney Jewish community.
• The financial sub-committee is working on a number of potential financial scenarios which will likely impact the oper­a­tions and wellbeing of community members and community insti­tu­tions. It is working in con­junc­tion with JCA to deliver financial relief and assist­ance as and when it is required.
• Mental health experts have been tasked in anti­cip­a­tion of an increase in community demand and a video has been released.
• https://www.csgnsw.org.au/alerts is the place to go to for regular updates and inform­a­tion relevant to the NSW Jewish community.

Victoria

• The COVID-19 Taskforce is preparing a Pesach com­mu­nic­a­tion which will go out shortly.
• Jewish Care Victoria announced they would make available further interest- free loans of up to $2,500 each for immediate needs that are not covered by gov­ern­ment or other sources.  Jewish Care assigns a case worker to each loan recipient to provide non-financial help as well as the loan.
• https://vic.thecsg.org.au/covid-19-community-information/ is the place to go to for regular updates and inform­a­tion relevant to the Victorian Jewish community.

Western Australia

• Maurice Zeffert Home (MZH) in full lockdown from Sunday, 29 March at 12.00 noon
• Carmel School closes today for the holidays.
• Super­mar­ket and pharmacy shopping door to door has been made available to the community
• Flyer from The Black Dog Institute has been send out to community with some helpful thoughts on getting ourselves and families through the present crisis
• Menora Charity setting up a buddy system for the isolated and lonely in the community.  Statement will be send out today

Queens­land

• No change since last week.

ACT

• Exploring options for delivery of online classes for Tuesday and Sunday cheder for Term 2;
• Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah services now offered via zoom;
• All of the Rabbi’s classes are now offered online;
• A team of community volun­teers under the oversight of Rabbi Miller and ACTJC youth lead­er­ship employee have been busy con­tact­ing, visiting, pur­chas­ing and deliv­er­ing shopping and meals to those in need.
• Rabbi Robuck has been organ­ising an online program for the Pro­gress­ive Con­greg­a­tion.

South Australia

• An email bulletin was issued by the Jewish Community Council of South Australia to all Jewish community insti­tu­tions in the State, with practical inform­a­tion about the avail­ab­il­ity of in-home support for the frail and elderly, options for shopping and home delivery, and online community gath­er­ings.

Tasmania 

• Hobart Hebrew Con­greg­a­tion continues to engage with the vul­ner­able members of the Tasmanian Jewish community and for­tu­nately they are doing well.
• With help from Sen. Eric Abetz and volun­teers in Melbourne, Chabad of Tasmania was able to negotiate the tight border controls and collect and dis­trib­ute Kosher for Pesach items to the community.

Please keep safe and keep those around you safe, by main­tain­ing physical dis­tan­cing require­ments and good hand hygiene, and exer­cising every pre­cau­tion.

Shabbat shalom, and wishing all a chag kasher v’sameach for next week.

Contact
Peter Wertheim | Co-CEO
ph: 02 8353 8505 | m: 0408 160 904 | fax 02 9361 588
e: [email protected]| www.ecaj.org.au