Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation’s Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman has described his emotions at conducting the funeral of his sister, who died after contracting Covid-19 — the second family member to succumb to the virus.

He returned to his native Belfast for the burial of Rena, 71, who was an interior designer.

“To officiate at your own sister’s levoyah is, of course, a very sad thing,” he told the JC. “It’s not something you necessarily expect to do. You expect to lose a parent but you never really think about losing a sibling.”

He said his sister, who died on September 11, was energetic and “very artistic. She did incredible paintings.”

Rabbi Hyman returned to England to sit shivah. It had not been easy getting up from mourning to lead his congregation in prayer but “sometimes that is what rabbis have to do”.

He added that Southend and Westcliff members had been “extremely supportive” and that he had been “flooded with condolences”. Similarly, the small Belfast community had “made a great effort to make sure we’d have a good minyan”.

Visitors to the shivah were allowed in groups of two in timetabled slots. They maintained a safe distance and his wife Michelle kept a record of their visits for Track and Trace. Touch surfaces were cleaned between each visit.

Adhering to the coronavirus guidance had added significance for the rabbi given the circumstances of his sister’s passing. A family death “makes you acutely aware of the pandemic”.

He was grateful to be allowed to have visitors. Members of his synagogue bereaved during lockdown “sat at home alone mourning — they couldn’t have anyone around. That must be really, really dreadful.”

Sandra, a cousin who died of Covid-19 in the first wave of deaths in April, is buried next to his sister in Belfast. Rabbi Hyman also recently had to comfort his three daughters from his first marriage following the death of their mother, which was not Covid-related.

In spite of all this, Rabbi Hyman remains stoic. “We get our challenges and battle on through what life sends us,” he said.