COVID-19 takes Yom Kippur ceremonies outdoors for local chabad

COVID-19 takes Yom Kippur ceremonies outdoors for local chabad

FAITH.YOM KIPPUR ISCONSIDERED THEHOLIEST DAY OF THEYEAR AND IS A TIME TOREFLECT AND TAKE ASTEP TOWARDSPROGRESS IN A NEWYEAR.3NEWSNOW REPORTERJESSIKA EIDSON VISITEDTHE CHABAD OFNEBRASKA TO SEE HOWTHEIR CONGREGATIONIS COMING TOGETHERFOR THE HOLIDAY WHILESTAYING SAFE.SHORTLY BEFORE SUNSET,CONGREGANTS OF THECHABAD OF NEBRASKA LITCANDLES, REPRESENTINGTHE BEGINNING OF YOMKIPPUR.THE HOLIDAY IS OFTENREFERRED TO AS THE DAYOF ATONEMENT.RABBI MENDEL KATZMANSAYS WHILE IT MAY SEEMLIKE A SOLEMN OCCASION,WITH PARTICIPANTSFASTING FROM SUNDOWNSUNDAY NIGHR UNTILSUNDOWN MONDAYNIGHT AND SEEKINGFORGIVENESS, IT IS ALSO ATIME TO CELEBRATE THEOPPORTUNITY TORECONNECT WITH THEIRFAITH AND THEIRCOMMUNITY."REALLY IT'S ABOUTCONNECTING, ORRECONNECTING ORREESTABLISHING OURCONNECTION WITH THEALMIGHTY AND WITHOURSELVES." KATZMANSAYS THIS YEAR HASOFFERED A LOT OFOPPORTUNITIES FOR SELFREFLECTION AND QUITETIME, SOMETHING HE FEELSWILL CONTINUETHROUGHOUT THECOMING DAYS."PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BEMORE FOCUSED ONWHAT'S IMPORTANT.MORE FOCUSED ON THEIRSPIRITUALLY RELATIONSHIPWITH ONE ANOTHER ASWELL AS OUR CREATOR."THIS YEAR THECONGREGANTS AREGATHERING OUTSIDE FORTHE CEREMONIES,FOLLOWING GUIDANCEFROM THE LOCAL HEALTHDEPARTMENT.THE CHABAD SAYS THEYWANTED TO TAKE PART INTHE HOLIDAY IN THESAFEST WAY POSSIBLE."WE COULD DO IT,THEREFORE WE SHOULDDO IT.AND YET, TAKING ALLHEALTHCONSIDERATIONS."CONGREGANTS WOREMASKS WHILE SAYINGTHEIR PRAYERS ANDVISITING WITH EACHOTHER, AND SOMETRADITIONS LIKE KISSINGTHE TORAH HAD TO BEOMITTED FOR SAFETY.THE CHABAD ALSOWELCOMEDCONGREGANTS WHOWERE HIGH RISK TO TAKEPART IN THE HOLIDAYFROM HOME, ANDOFFERED GUIDES FORBOTH CHILDREN ANDADULTS TO FOLLOWALONG.REPORTING IN OMAHA,JESSIKA EIDSON 3 NEWSNOW.THE NEXT BIG EVENT ONTHE JEWISH CALENDARWILL BE THE SUE- COTFESTIVAL.THAT FESTIVAL WILLTAKE PLACE FROMOCTOBER SECOND TOOCTOBER NINTH.A SOUTH DAKOTA