An informal Zoom community that has brought together Jews in Bristol and Bath for weekly Shabbat services during the pandemic has been praised by a Bristol doctor for helping his “emotional and spiritual recovery” after being hospitalised with coronavirus.
When lockdown was introduced, Bath local Daren Gordon launched the Friday night services for Jews in both cities. He enlisted the help of Drew Salida, who plays Spanish guitar during the services, which now attract more than 50 regulars.
One of them is Dr Dan Magnus, head of the paediatric emergency department at Bristol Royal Infirmary, who contracted the virus in April while preparing his department’s response to the pandemic. He spent just over a week in the high dependency unit and was close to being moved to the intensive therapy unit.
Dr Magnus, 41, told the JC that after being discharged on a Thursday, he was back on Zoom the following day for the Shabbat gathering.
