Every day for years, a tight-knit group of 12-15 men has gathered for morning prayers at the red-carpeted, oak wood-furnished synagogue in their Sandringham Gardens residence for the Jewish elderly in Johannesburg. Since the advent of COVID-19, however, their prayers have taken on an additional resonance.
With Sandringham Gardens having been locked down early, and no cases of COVID-19 among its 400 residents, the morning prayer session is believed to be the only organized minyan still functioning in the city. And as word of its unique status has spread, the group of worshipers has been inundated with requests — from Jews both local and far afield — to say mourning prayers for the deceased, and to hold naming ceremonies for newborn baby girls during the Torah reading, featuring a prayer for the physical and spiritual health of the mother.
Read the full article on Times of Israel
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.