Covid-19 Resources
Prayers for Health and for Healing
1. PRAYER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
Mi Sheberakh Imoteinu Sarah, Rivka, Rachel v'Leah,
Ve’Avoteinu Avraham, Yitzhak, v'Yaakov,
Hu yevarekh viyechazek otanu, veyaggein aleinu,
al kehiloteinu ve’al artseinu,
veyatsileinu vechol yoshvei tevel
mimagefah umikol pega ra.
Hu yishmor al kol ha’oskim betsorkei tsibbur be’emunah,
veyishlach refuah lechol hacholim
God, who blessed our ancestors Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, bless us and give us strength and resilience.
Shield us, our communities, our country, and all the inhabitants of the world from plague and disaster.
Protect everyone working for the good of the community, especially those engaged in medical care, in public health and in providing for our basic needs in hygiene, food and safety.
God, send healing to everyone who is ill. Help us to care for each other with sensitivity and kindness. Guide us in supporting everyone who is worried about vulnerable family and friends across the globe.
God, be with us and sustain our spirit, as it says in Your name in the Psalms,
Immo anochi betsarah,
I am with you in your troubles
Venomar
and let us say: Amen
2. EL NA – THE PRAYER FOR HEALING
On Shabbat services we recite a prayer for healing, and we chant perhaps the oldest prayer in our liturgy, El Na Refa Na La - אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ, said by Moses for his sister Miriam. This prayer can be chanted at home as well. These two versions are sung by Cantor Jacky Chernett.
Masorti Responsa on COVID Vaccinations
We studied two responsa on this subject with Rabbi Joel in March 2021. These are provided here:
Here is Rabbi Joel's source sheet.
Health and Assistance in the Wider Community
JAMI
At this time of heightened anxiety, looking after our mental as well as our physical health is more important than ever. JAMI continue to provide practical and emotional support for everyone affected by a mental health problem and are further expanding our services to support people who may be isolated by Coronavirus (COVID-19).
They have tips on looking after your mental health here: https://jamiuk.org/mental-health-and-covid-19/
Further information and guidance can also be found at these sites:
https://jamiuk.org/mental-health-and-covid-19-advice-for-carers/
and
https://jamiuk.org/mental-health-and-covid-19-2/
If you know of someone who needs their help at this time, please contact JAMI here or by calling 020 8458 2223.
The Paperweight Trust
This is a Jewish charity that can help people with financial, administrative, benefit or legal problems. They now have a page on their website with up to date information on COVID19, including changes to the benefit system, kosher shops that do home deliveries, changes to Barnet parking restrictions, etc. Their website is https://www.paperweight.org.uk/covid-19/. You can contact Paperweight if you need help in this crisis.
Sex and Social Distancing
Those members (and adult children of members) who have partners who don't live in the same household should read this government advice. Thanks to our member Dr Jill Zelin for this information.
Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service
As well as 1:1 bereavement counselling, JBCS started a new support group, ‘Bereavement during Covid-19 – for people bereaved during the virus’. The group will meet fortnightly on a Monday morning for an hour and half via zoom and will be facilitated by two JBCS counsellors, and is for anyone who has experienced a death during the period of Covid. Further details about JBCS are here.
Psychological Resilience through the Pandemic
From the Care Coordinator at NNLS, Deborah Golend:
"How can we stay resilient during this time? We are being presented with so many psychological challenges all at once. Prolonged anxiety and enforced separation from one another, the loss of so many everyday freedoms, structures and routines – and real fear, no wonder it feels overwhelming and hard to manage at times.
The following information is not intended to be the answer to everything. Different people find different things that work for them. But I have put together a range of evidence-based techniques and ideas from the field of psychology, neuroscience, resilience research and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which I hope will be useful and help to keep us psychologically buoyant at this challenging time."
The information and links to resources are here.
Online life
The UK Jewish Film Festival has new films that can be watched online (payment required).
Their website is https://ukjewishfilm.org/.
Seret, the Israeli film festival, is showing new Israeli films. Films are available to stream (pay per view), and their programme is here.
JW3 have been working to upload some of their excellent archive of recorded content for you to enjoy at home for free. Their programme is here.
Jewish Book Week have also posted a lot of free content from their recent festivals on their website.
Jewish Renaissance are listing all sorts of Jewish content on their website.
If you want to study some coronavirus-related Jewish texts, Sefaria has an interesting anthology.
Let us know of any other resources that we could usefully add here.