Taking on a new congregation is challenging at the best of times — but more so in a pandemic.

Ministers who have joined United, Reform and Liberal shuls during the Covid crisis have spoken of the difficulties in getting to know a community when in-person contact is heavily restricted.

For Rabbi Mati Kirschenbaum — who became Bromley Reform’s minister in August after his ordination at Leo Baeck College — hosting Shabbat and High Holy-Day services via Zoom was “a completely different mode of the rabbinate than the one I initially imagined”.

It was a similar story for Rabbi Neil Janes, now at South Bucks Liberal after serving West London Reform. He told the JC that the ability to interact with congregants of all ages “just isn’t there as much” online.

However, Rabbi Kirschenbaum said that his desire to get to know the Bromley membership had brought out his creativity.

For example, there was the case of a barmitzvah scheduled for the first Shabbat following the return to lockdown. Rabbi Kirschenbaum met the family before lockdown to record a service in the sanctuary, parts of which were fed into that Shabbat’s Zoom offering.

When government guidance allowed, the rabbi also met congregants in parks and for walks. “It helps if you are a good walker and you have good walking shoes and a warm coat,” he observed. “That has become a new tool in the rabbi’s toolkit.”

The isolation experienced by many during the pandemic has also made pastoral roles more problematic, not least where there have been bereavements. Recalling a visit to a bereaved congregant, Rabbi Rachel Benjamin — who became minister of Mosaic Liberal in Harrow in July — said: “My natural inclination was to give her a big hug and I can’t do that. And that’s very hard.” As for Zoom funerals, “I hope I never have to do another one”. Rabbi Benjamin added she was “humbled and amazed at the way people have coped”.

Reflecting on some of the stringent restrictions on mixing during the crisis, Watford United’s new rabbi Mordechai Chalk said it had been “a kick in the teeth that you’re not allowed to schmooze with people. The point of connection is being lost time and time again.”

He had missed out on the traditional ways of getting to know congregants, such as Shabbat meals in the rabbi’s home. After six months in the post, “I still haven’t got to know the community as well as I could have”.

For Rabbi Janes, who started at South Bucks Liberal a month ago, first impressions were that people were “itching to [meet] in person” again. He worried that Zoom programming was not meeting the needs of the congregation’s young people, “a challenge that I am exploring”.

With the potential of a return to some sort of normality early next year if the vaccine roll-out goes well, all the rabbis were positive about the future, with each planning to make their mark on their new community.

Rabbi Benjamin has already fostered a social action project for her members to perform a mitzvah a month, inspired by this year’s elongated Mitzvah Day programme.

Rabbi Chalk’s wife Shira has restarted Watford’s cheder. Rabbi Janes hopes to expand South Bucks’ membership and find permanent premises for the congregation. And Rabbi Kirschenbaum has set his sights on managing the transition back to physical services and resuming conversions.