There isn’t a single person in the UK who wasn’t affected in some way by Covid-19 and lockdown, but how did these events specifically affect the Jewish community? That was the question posed to me last week by the official UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
Tasked with examining the UK’s response to the pandemic and its impact, the Inquiry has begun working on ‘Module 10’, which focuses on the ‘Impact on Society’, including the role of religious institutions. As part of this module, I represented the Jewish community at a round-table discussion with representatives from other faiths.
In preparation, the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) met with rabbis and staff from the spectrum of religious Jewish life in Britain. During each conversation, we discussed events from years past that felt like they belonged to a different world. As we inquired about the closure of synagogues and their responses to the constantly changing restrictions and guidelines, I could see them reliving the trauma of those early lockdown days.
Two weeks before Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced, “you must stay at home,” we celebrated Purim. Although discussions about restrictions had begun, most communal events proceeded as usual. A month later, we found ourselves spending seder nights confined to our households.
Russell Langer, JLC
As lockdown restrictions forced places of worship to close, different rabbis and denominations had varying approaches to halachic questions that arose: Could a minyan be counted on Zoom? How could mourners say kaddish if not? Could Zoom be used on Shabbat? What exceptions could be made in extraordinary circumstances?
Progressive communities were able to use online services to a greater extent, while within Orthodoxy, communities held online prayers on either side of Shabbat but not during. Yet across all denominations, there was consensus: Zoom was no substitute for in-person synagogue life.
Those involved in burial and funeral services faced the pandemic firsthand. Initially, rabbis conducted funerals alone or with only a few immediate relatives present. Mourners could not recite kaddish together, and due to the risk of infection, Tahara, the ritual purification of the deceased, could not be carried out.
The United Synagogue was so concerned about the high number of deaths that it permitted burials to occur on the second and eighth days of Pesach. Another Orthodox Beth Din allowed graves to be dug in advance, fearing that their grave diggers might need to self-isolate.
The pandemic impacted almost every aspect of Jewish life. Weddings were postponed, which was especially challenging for religious couples who would not live together before marriage. Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations were significantly altered, and many simply fell out of the rhythm of community life.
Despite these challenges, the best of our community shone through. Numerous synagogues and communal groups took action to ensure that no one felt alone, organising deliveries for those unable to leave their homes.
As restrictions eased, we gained an insight into the place of faith in modern Britain. On 15th June, places of worship were allowed to reopen, but only for individual prayer. This was the same day “non-essential” shops could reopen. While individual prayer is an important concept in Judaism, performing it in a synagogue is not essential. Jewish communities gather in synagogues for collective prayer with a minyan. Therefore, although the law allowed ten people to be present in a synagogue, it prohibited communal prayer. This was only permitted from 4th July, when pubs, restaurants, and hairdressers also reopened.
While the closure of synagogues was difficult, our community recognised that it was necessary for our safety. The Chief Rabbi issued seven guiding principles for reopening, the first being “Pikuach Nefesh”, the protection of life. The second acknowledged that “reopening is a process.” Indeed, the United Synagogue chose not to reopen synagogues on Saturday 4th July but instead, trialled its reopening procedures during weekday services first.
Since then, synagogue attendance has slowly returned to pre-pandemic levels. Some mid-week services in smaller communities never resumed, yet new communities formed online or outdoors during the pandemic have since thrived. Lessons have been learned, most notably, the continued provision of online services for those unable to attend in person.
We must not forget the impact of Covid-19 on our community: the lives lost, the disruption to our religious practices, the support extended to the vulnerable, and the tireless efforts of those who ensured our safe return to synagogue life. This chapter of our history was one of profound challenges but also of resilience, adaptation, and unity.
- Russell Langer, director of public affairs, the Jewish Leadership Council
