LOS ANGELES, – MARCH 12: Visitors view the city skyline at dusk from a terrace at the Griffith Observatory, which will be closed starting tomorrow due to the spread of the coronavirus, on March 12, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti called for public events and meetings with 50 or more people to be banned on city-owned properties in an effort to contain COVID-19. California has now recorded 198 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Los Angeles Jewish community leaders announced in a March 17 emailed statement they are launching an initiative to provide aid to those who are the most vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.
The leaders, which include Pico Shul Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, Sinai Temple Rabbi David Wolpe and B’nai David-Judea Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, wrote in the statement that while it’s been tough for local synagogues and schools to temporarily shut down, it’s important for the community to still be involved in helping those in need.
“This is a time in which people will both need their various micro-communities even more than their macro ones,” they wrote.
They added that Jewish organizations are engaging in efforts to constantly check in on the elderly through phone calls, FaceTime etc. and delivering food and other supplies to the elderly. For instance, Pico Shul is looking to connect specific volunteers with senior citizens in need of help.
Community leaders urged people to volunteer or donate to these efforts.
“We know the stock market is down, people are worried about parnasa (livelihood) and the future is unknown,” they wrote. “We are not minimizing those concerns. But if you are fortunate enough to have more than enough resources, please do as much as you can to make sure the elderly are cared for during this time.”
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