• Have questions? As reopening nears, the Community Security Initiative staff is collecting useful information and guidance for reopening. Check back often for more. If you have a question or want to contact your regional security manager click here.
• New publication. Click here to download  a copy of JCRC-NY’s Reopening and Reentry: a guide for New York Jewish organizations.
• FEMA: As organizations across the country plan for when and how to resume full operations while
  protecting the well-being and safety of their employees and communities, FEMA has created an
  Exercise Starter Kit to help organizations facilitate their own internal workshops based on
  reconstitution planning principles and a FEMA fact sheet on ”Planning Considerations for Organizations in Reconstituting Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic..
• For more information see the Community Security Initiative COVID-19 Blog at: www.jcrcny.org/covid.

Reopening Synagogues

All of New York State is currently in Phase 4 and all houses of worship may conduct indoor services at no more than 33% of the maximum occupancy for a particular area for services occurring indoors; or no more than 50 people for services occurring outdoors. To open, leaders must read and affirm the detailed guidelines below and complete the organization safety template.

• High Holiday guidance
  • Reopening for Synagogues: Health and Security with Dr. Howard A. Zucker, New York State Health Commissioner (recording of September 3, 2020 webinar)
  • Reopening for Synagogues: Health and Security (Community Security Initiative presentation)
  • Community Security Initiative/ADL | Keeping Your Online High Holiday Services Secure (recording of September 10, 2020 webinar)
  • SCN | Video Conference Best Practices
• New York Forward guidance for religious services
  • Summary guidelines
  • Read and affirm detailed guidelines
  • Print organization safety plan template 
• Click here for  a recording of the June 3rd presentation, “Reopening Synagogues and Other Houses of Worship”.
• Click here for the June 3rd presentation slides, “Reopening Synagogues and Other Houses of Worship”.
• Click here for the June 16th presentation slides, “Reopening Houses of Worship.” This presentation is updated to include the New York Forward guidance.
• Guide to the Considerations about Re-opening Synagogue Buildings. Published by a working group of the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Movements
• CDC | Community and Faith-based Organizations webpage
  • Checklist for Communities of Faith – Communities of faith are encouraged to use this checklist to protect the health of their staff and congregants during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
  • Interim Guidance for Communities of Faith – This comes under the topic deciding to reopen. CDC offers the following general considerations to help communities of faith discern how best to practice their beliefs while keeping their staff and congregations safe.
  • FAQs for Administrators and Leaders at Community- and Faith-Based Organizations – This may be of value in addressing any questions raised by the documents above.

Reopening Schools

• Click here for  a recording of the June 10th presentation, “Reopening Schools”.
• Click here for the June 10th presentation slides, “Reopening Schools”.
• NY Forward’s Child care and day camp program guidelines. 
• New York State Pre-K – 12 Schools resources
• New York State Education Department framework for school reopening plans (click here for the presentation and here for the press release). School districts must submit their reopening plans through a state web portal that will open on July 17. Plans must be submitted by July 31.
• CDC | Operating schools during COVID-19: CDC’s Considerations, The Importance of Reopening America’s Schools this Fall provides the the latest science on transmission risk, and the costs and benefits of opening schools. The actual guidance at Schools and Childcare Programs​: Plan, Prepare, and Respond, includes links to Preparing for a Safe Return to School,  Operating Schools During COVID-19 and FAQ for School Administrators on Reopening Schools.
• Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza Announce Test and Trace Protocols for NYC Public Schools. Review the NYC ideas, isolation protocols and benchmarks about when to transition to remote.

Reopening Community Centers

• Click here for  a recording of the June 9th presentation, “Reopening Community Centers”.
• Click here for the June 9th presentation slides, “Reopening Community Centers”.
• NY Forward’s Child care and day camp program guidelines. Please note: New York State has not released any guidance for community centers. We suggest that you read the guidelines for child care and day camps which should give you some idea what the school guidelines will look like. When the school guidelines are eventually released we plan to post them on this page. 
• CDC | Communities, Schools, Workplaces and Events webpage

Child Care and Day Camps

• • View NYS Summary Guidelines
  • Read and affirm detailed NYS Guidelines
  • Print Business Safety Plan Template
• CDC | Communities, Schools, Workplaces and Events webpage

Reopening Sites with Vulnerable Populations

• Click here for  a recording of the June 11th presentation, “Sites with Vulnerable Populations”.
• Click here for the June 11th presentation slides, “Sites with Vulnerable Populations”.
• NY Forward Office reopening documents. Please note: New York State has not released any guidance for sites serving vulnerable populations. We suggest that you read the guidelines for offices which should give you some idea what the school guidelines will look like. When the appropriate guidelines are eventually released we plan to post them on this page. 
  • View summary guidelines
  • Read and affirm detailed guidelines
  • Print Business Safety Plan template
• CDC | Communities, Schools, Workplaces and Events webpage

Reopening Offices

• Click here for  a recording of the June 12th presentation, “Reopening Offices”.
• Click here for the June 12th presentation slides, “Reopening Offices”.
• NY Forward Office reopening documents
  • View summary guidelines
  • Read and affirm detailed guidelines
  • Print Business Safety Plan template
• CDC | Businesses and Workplaces webpage