COVID-19 forces Jewish community celebrate Passover through social media

The seriousness of COVID-19 and its deadly consequences has changed one of the most sacred times of the year.

Wednesday night is the beginning of Passover and this year virtual gathering is now a reality.

AND IT'S DEADLY CONSEQUENCESHAS CHANGED ONE OF THE MOSTSACRED TIMES OF THE YEAR.

THISEVENING IS THE BEGINNING OFPASSOVER - AND AS TODD WILSONSHOWS US - THIS YEAR "VIRTUAL"GATHERINGS ARE NOW A REALITY.<< NATS: (VO) IT'S THE FIRSTEVENING OF PASSOVER ANDDANIELLE HARTMAN ISCELEBRATING WITH HER KIDS ANDFAMILY.

TYPICALLY FOR THISHOLIDAY SHE WOULD HAVE A ROOMFULL OF LOVED ONES.

BUTBECAUSE OF THE COVID-19PANDEMIC THIS PASSOVER IS LIKENO OTHER EVER SEEN.

(SOT21:00:25) 7 SEC UNDER THECURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES PEOPLEHAVE HAD TO COMPLETELY CHANGEHOW THEY DO THEIR SEDER, HOWWE INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.NATS: (VO) HARTMAN IS THEPRESIDENT OF RUTH & NORMANJEWISH FAMILY SERVICES.

SHESAYS THERE ARE 240,000 JEWISHFAMILIES IN ALL OF PALM BEACHCOUNTY.

TYPICALLY HER AGENCYWOULD HAVE A SEDER OR MEAL FORSENIORS BUT THIS YEAR THEY HADTO BRING IT TO THEM.

SHE SAYSHER ORGANIZATION INFORMED THEMABOUT USING SOCIAL MEDIA TOCONNECT.

(SOT 21:01:36) 9 SECWE MISS OUR FRIENDS AND WEMISS OUR FAMILY.

SO IT'SWONDERFUL THAT THEY HAVEPLATFORMS LIKE ZOOM OR SKYPEOR THESE ON-LINE PLATFORMS BUTIT'S NOT THE SAMENATS:21:15:36 WE HAVE NO ONECOMING INTO THE SYNAGOGUEANYMORE.

(VO) RABBI BARRYSILVER SAYS FOR NOW THEPANDEMIC HAS CHANGEDEVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TOTEACHING IN THE SYNAGOGUE .(SOT 21:15:52) 9 SEC IT'SCOMPLETELY RADICALLYDIFFERENT.

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WE'RE DOINGZOOM, WE'RE DOING SOCIALMEDIA, WE'RE COMMUNICATING INMANY, MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.NATS: (VO) HARTMAN SAYSPASSOVER IS ABOUT GATHERINGAND SHARING BUT UNDER THECURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT'SCAUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO NOBE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES THISTIME OF YEAR.

TODD'S TAG: DUETO THE DANGERS POSED BYCOVID-19, MANY SYNAGOGUES WILLBE LIVE STREAMING PASSOVERSERVICES.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TOKNOW WHERE JUST HEAD ON OVERTO OUR WEB SITE WFLX.COM ANDYOU'LL FIND A LIST OFSYNAGOGUES.

IN PALM BEACHCOUNTY, TODD WILSON, WPTNEWSCHANNEL 5.