COVID Resources

• Minyan registration is currently NOT required for any minyan - whether Shabbat or weekday.
• To make everyone feel as comfortable as possible, we have THREE minyan "zones":
  (1) Inside the building (approximately 15 spaces).
  (2) The back porch (approximately 10 spaces).
  (3) Outside the physical building by the windows (approximately 6 spaces).
  
  Additional Notes:
  -- Both men and women are welcomed to attend minyan and we have women's sections available in all three minyan "zones."
  -- All building windows and doors will be propped open to maintain steady airflow which will maximize the safety of our congregants.
  -- Please note the use of the term "spaces" (not "seats," per se). There can be multiple seats in a "space." This will allow multiple members of the same household to occupy the same "space" and sit together.
  -- Please do not move any chairs; they have been set up in a very specific arrangement to maintain social distancing.
• DO NOT ATTEND SHUL IF:
  -- You have received a positive COVID test.
  -- You (or anyone living with you) is experiencing any of the COVID symptoms as defined by the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html).
  -- You have been exposed to someone who has either tested positive for COVID or who is experiencing any of the COVID symptoms (see link above). Exposure guidelines are defined by the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html).
• Members who believe that they have COVID are asked to report their condition through a confidential form created for our local synagogues: Atlanta Synagogue COVID Alert Network. This initiative is being spearheaded by local health experts, and you can read more about it below. We need accurate data in order to run our community safely, and we expect if you daven with us that you will cooperate with this effort.
• If you have been traveling (Public Air/Train/Bus or Private Car):
  Anyone traveling from out of town (whether a guest or a returning member) should contact the shul about attending minyan/services. In general, we require a 5-7 day wait before testing, OR a two week wait without symptoms, before returning to shul. The rabbi and executive committee will review individual cases. Please email: exec@newtocoshul.com. We thank you for your cooperation!
• On shul property, everyone must:
  -- Wear a mask that covers BOTH the mouth and nose at all times.
  -- Maintain appropriate distance (6+ feet) from anyone else (unless there is a partition).
• In general, even off shul property we kindly ask that those who attend our minyanim to exercise appropriate caution when they socialize. In particular, please avoid private or public kiddushes and multifamily indoor meals in which masking and separation are by nature difficult to maintain.
• Our shul is a "no touch zone":
  -- Please bring your own siddur, chumash, and/or any other sefer (books).
  -- Please refrain from kissing the mezzuzah and/or Torah.
  -- All doors and windows will be propped open.
• We have one available bathroom (the hall bathroom) available to congregants. Please:
  -- Wipe down any surfaces as you leave (wipes provided by the shul).
  -- Please use hand sanitizer before returning to minyan (hand sanitizer provided by the shul).
• At this time, no children under the age of 9. Any children 9 or above must sit with a parent and follow all other protocols.
• We strongly encourage anyone who is considered "higher risk", as defined by the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-increased-risk.html), to seek a medical professional's advice regarding attending shul.

Atlanta Synagogue COVID Alert Network

Dear Members -

Thanks to an initiative launched by Dr. Raphael Harpaz, we are able to take part in what we hope will become a community-wide system that will help us track COVID-19 rates in our shul and in the broader Orthodox community throughout Atlanta. 

While Rabbi Seeman is often one of the first to know if there is serious illness among congregants, that is not a robust or foolproof system, and you may not know if it is adequate to guide your decisions. To address this problem, we are initiating a shul-based COVID-19 tracking system. The system is confidential, and it works like this:

In brief, congregants who believe that they have COVID-19 are encouraged to report their condition and to respond to a few questions using this form. The information goes to a confidential mailbox that is managed by a trusted individual, and a weekly report is shared with participating rabbis. This part is thus quite effortless.

In addition, each rabbi at participating shuls (at this point, BJ, OHT, and NTS) can decide whether he wishes to be alerted in a more immediate manner should a congregant learn that he/she had been contagious when attending minyan, so that steps can immediately be taken, if necessary, to alert others participating in that minyan.

If there are any questions regarding the rationale or details of this project, please feel free to contact Reuven Travis at exec@newtocoshul.com. We thank Dr. Harpaz for taking the lead on this important initiative!

All the best.

Reuven Travis
Rebecca Schmerer
Yoni Graber
NTS Executive Board

• Women's Mikvah (Gerson Mikvah) at Beth Jacob
• Message from the OU Regarding Mikvahs 

• Support During the COVID-19 Crisis
• Financial Support During the COVID-19 Crisis (JIFLA)

• Please donate to the Rabbi Dr. Barry Broyde Memorial Charity and Discretionary Fund of NTS to help those in our community who are in need.