United Kingdom Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis announced in a March 17 statement that synagogues will be closed until further notice in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Mirvis said that the United Kingdom’s government’s most recent guidance shows that people need to avoid social gatherings for the time being to stem the pandemic.
“Our Torah obligation to protect the sanctity of life transcends all other considerations,” Mirvis said. “Therefore, with much pain and with the heaviest of hearts, in consultation with the Dayanim and London Beit Din, I have concluded that it is our Halachic duty to suspend all activity at our synagogues until further notice.”
He added that he will later provide guidance on how to keep the Jewish community intact during the social distancing period.
“For now, let us comfort the bereaved and pray for the recovery of the sick,” Mirvis said. “Let us guarantee the physical distance between us will be bridged through compassion and kindness. And let us resolve to play our part in overcoming this pandemic by carefully following medical advice and public health guidelines.”
“Extraordinary times call upon us to take extraordinary measures.”
Following further consultation today with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Rabbi concludes that we have a ‘Halachic imperative to suspend all activity at all of our synagogues’. pic.twitter.com/eGjOfxxvpi
— Chief Rabbi Mirvis (@chiefrabbi) March 17, 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a series of guidelines on March 16 that people should take regarding coronavirus, including to avoid public gatherings, traveling and leaving the house as much as possible. He also suggested that those who are elderly or have compromised immune systems to stay home for 12 weeks.
The guidelines are a stark departure from Johnson’s initial strategy of what’s known as “herd immunity,” the theory that it’s better for the disease to organically spread so people can develop an immunity to it. Johnson reversed course when he learned that this strategy would likely result in 510,000 deaths by August, causing the country’s National Health Service (NHS) to be overwhelmed beyond capacity.
Britain currently has nearly 2,000 cases of people testing positive for coronavirus, although it is believed that there are as many as 35,000 to 50,000 cases. Seventy-one people have died from the virus in the U.K..
