Young and old within Liverpool Jewry are facing up to further restrictions after the city was the first to be placed in tier three lockdown measures under the government’s new categories.
In the city’s universities, “quite a number” of Jewish students are quarantining in halls of residence, having either tested positive for coronavirus or awaiting test results, reported Chabad chaplain Rabbi Shmuli Brown.
At Merseyside Jewish Community Care, chief executive Lisa Dolan said elderly Jewish locals were being “very cautious”.
MJCC has made thousands of mental health support phone calls and volunteers are shopping and collecting prescriptions for the most vulnerable. Since March, the charity has experienced a 75 per cent increase in demand for its meals-on-wheels service.
Financial hardship among community members as a result of the pandemic has also been “a massive issue”. The charity previously allocated £15,000 yearly in crisis grants, including food vouchers and money towards utilities bills and clothing. This year, MJCC anticipates distributing £56,000 in financial aid. With a May golf fundraiser cancelled due to the pandemic, the charity’s finances are under strain.
Sara Radivan, the regional coronavirus co-ordinator for the Board of Deputies, said the whole of year 11 at King David High had been in quarantine for a fortnight a few weeks ago following a single confirmed case. A King David spokesperson told the JC that all pupils were currently in school. Since the government allowed schools to reopen, King David has had four cases of Covid.
Allerton Hebrew Congregation closed its premises over Yom Kippur because of a suspected case. Rabbi Natan Fagleman said this was “precautionary” given the age of the congregation. The shul reopened a few days later after the test came back negative.
Although Rabbi Avinoam Czitron of Childwall Synagogue complained of a lack of clarity over the latest restrictions, he added that as houses of worship within tier three areas could still hold services, “our shul is going to remain open”. Forthcoming barmitzvah services would also go ahead.
Rabbi Czitron said that many congregants were shielding but he was unaware of any Covid outbreaks.
The JC has been told of a social gathering within Merseyside Jewry a month or so ago that allegedly led to several cases of the virus.
Rabbi Fagleman said there had been “rumours of such a thing” but added: “I don’t think it affected anybody who was coming to shul at the time.”
In order to support the Jewish students isolating, Chabad has been handing out meals and delivering food to those unable to book delivery slots with supermarket chains.
“It’s so hard for the students,” Rabbi Brown said. “One student messaged me late last night. His whole house is not going to be here for Shabbat. He’s going to be all alone. What can we do? He knows that we [would normally] open up our home. But not in these circumstances.” Instead, the chaplain has provided the student with Shabbat meals.
The Stapely care home reported no current cases of Covid-19 but was “in increased lockdown, with no external visits of any kind for the foreseeable future,” said trustee Philip Ettinger.
“We appreciate this is not pleasant for our guests and their families and loved ones but [it is] essential.”
