Join us for our first IN PERSON social events since the COVID-19 shutdown!!!
Earlier this month, AARC members were asked to fill out a survey to assess how and when we should re-open for in-person activities. Based on the survey responses, it was clear that many members would like to start gathering together for outdoor, COVID-safe activities over the summer! In an effort to answer that call, we have organized a series of monthly outdoor social gathering for the summer, as well as hybrid Fourth Friday Services in July and August.
Summertime Socials:
We will host a Summertime Social once a month and pair the event with a tikkun olam activity. The Summertime Socials will take place on the east side of the JCC grounds, under Hebrew Day School’s outdoor tents. You can access the space by heading around the right side of the building towards the soccer fields. We will have signs directing you for those who have not spent much time at the JCC, as well as a welcome table staffed by volunteers. If you have accessibility needs, please contact Gillian.
- June Summertime Social and Pride Poster Painting, Sunday June 13, 11AM-1 PM : AARC will provide paint, markers and poster board for you to paint your own pride poster. Please feel free to bring your own supplies if you would like to avoid use of communal supplies. Bring your beautiful posters home and put them in your yard and windows to show your PRIDE!! Of course if you are not interested in making posters and would like to come just to visit, there will be friends there ready to shmooze! Please sign up here to participate and volunteer.
- July Summertime Social and Seed Bomb Station, Sunday July 11, 11AM-1PM: During this social we will have a seed bomb station loaded with native beneficial plant seeds. You can make some seed bombs and throw them around your neighborhood to populate the area with beneficial plants! Of course, if you are not interested in making seed bombs and would like to come just to visit, there will be friends there ready to shmooze! Sign up will be sent out in July.
- August Summertime Social: Annual Picnic and Food Drive, Sunday August 22 11AM-1PM. This social will be a combination of our annual summer potluck picnic and a tikkun olam food drive. Prior to the event we will get a list of foods needed by local food pantries and send them out to participants. Sign up will be sent out in August.
Fourth Friday Hybrid Shabbat Services:
- July Fourth Friday Shabbat Hybrid Service: July 23, 6:30-8PM. This service will be held outdoors and in-person at the JCC. For those not able to attend in-person, we will also be broadcasting the service via livestream. Families are encouraged to bring their own blankets and chairs, but there will be folding chairs available for those who need them.
- August Fourth Friday Shabbat Hybrid Service: August 27, 6:30-8PM. This service will be held outdoors and in-person at the JCC. For those not able to attend in-person, we will also be broadcasting the service via livestream. Hopefully we will have worked out the kinks for this service and will be ready to roll into the High Holidays with our hybrid wheels under us! As with July’s service, families will be asked to bring their own blankets and chairs.
As we move into fall, we will work with the congregation to plan future hybrid/virtual services. We will update everyone as soon as we can!
Safety Guidelines
The AARC Reopening Task Force has outlined some best practices for us while gathering outdoors this summer. You can review them in their entirety here. Here are some of the highlights:
- All in-person attendees must pre-register for each event or service, providing their name, the names of anyone attending with them, and their email and phone number; those who have not pre-registered will be asked to register on arrival.
- If you currently have or have recently experienced a cough, sore throat, aches, fatigue, gastrointestinal distress, or loss of sense of smell or taste, or have had close contact within the last 14 days with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, we ask that you stay home.
- If you or someone in your home or social circle is considered at high risk, either for health or reasons of advanced age, we encourage you to keep them safe by staying home yourself.
- Everyone, including children (age 4 and older), must properly (i.e., fully covering nose and mouth) wear at least one mask at all times.
- All attendees should maintain 6 feet of distance between themselves and anyone else who is not a member of their family/pod.
- Parents with children are asked to keep their children with them, and/or to ensure that their children are playing in a low-risk manner with other children. Children will have access to the JCC’s outdoor playground.
- Although there will be chairs available, attendees are also encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.
- For now, food and drink will not be served due to the requirement to remain masked. However, if you or your children need to eat or drink for health reasons, please feel welcome to do so, but be sensitive to maintain at least 6 ft of distance from other attendees when temporarily taking off your mask.
- For Fourth Friday Shabbat services, members with AARC siddurim are asked to bring their siddurim with them and return home with them; for those without, siddurim will be available for use. Attendees are asked to bring their own tallitot and kippot.
- With the JCC building remaining closed for the summer, a wheelchair-accessible Porta Potty will be available for everyone’s use.
