Rabbi Cooper's Letters

August 18, 2021 / 10 Elul 5781

Mann Tracht……  A Letter from Rabbi Cooper

Dear Friends,

Among the few Yiddish sayings I know, is  Mann tracht un Gott lacht / Man plans and God laughs.  We do all that we can to assert control over our lives.  We do not simply let “things happen as they will”. From looking both ways before crossing the street, to managing our diets and exercising, we do our best to remain healthy and strong.  And yet, despite my best efforts at staying healthy, despite my plans for my own safety, ”God laughed….”.  I received the result of my recent COVID 19 test last night and it was positive.

First, I was, frankly, shocked by the test results.  Aside from some cold symptoms, which motivated my test, I felt and feel fine.

Second, the minor symptoms I had could have been easily ignored.  In fact, had Lori not insisted, I might have overlooked this possibility altogether.  If you have any COVID-like symptoms, get tested.  (There is a free testing site for Montgomery County residents on Lancaster Ave, in Ardmore. Check the Montco website to sign up for the test). If you were in close contact with me, our doctors have recommended getting tested. 

Third, I was not supposed to get COVID 19.  I had been in Morocco with a bus-load of congregants when COVID broke out.  Everyone on the bus got sick…except me.  Clearly, I had no pre-disposition for such a virus. In addition, I had been vaccinated twice, the last time only five months ago.

And finally, both at home and at the synagogue, I and we try to be careful.  The protocols and policies we have in place for the synagogue, created and approved by a team of synagogue-member doctors and infectious disease specialists, minimize contact and limit, as much as humanly possible, the spread of COVID 19 and, in particular, the Delta variant.  And yet, here I am, at home, in quarantine and recovering.  Do not think that if you follow all the protocols you are in the clear.  You are not.  Remember, God does have a sense of humor!

A few thoughts: 

1. Do what you can to minimize the possibility of contracting COVID.  I confess that, although I tried to be careful, I did not always wear a mask.  I did not realize just how contagious this disease is.  No one gets a free pass here.
2. Please be assured that, at the synagogue, over the High Holidays, you will be as safe as you can be in a closed, albeit large, room.  I am confident that, given the onset of my symptoms, I contracted the virus at the airport or on the plane returning last week from Israel.  Our synagogue is a safe space for you to enter. The synagogue will be sharing some additional Covid-19 protocols about social distancing in the next week or so.
3. This Delta variant is more contagious and dangerous than the original.  With two previous vaccines, my own case should be very light.  So far, it has been just that.  Yet, again, there are no guarantees here.  The vaccines do an excellent job of preventing serious illness, with the exception of those that are immunocompromised, but the virus is still dangerous and highly contagious. 

Don’t stop living. Every situation is different and everyone has different risk factors that they need to make decisions based off of, as vulnerable as we may feel, with prudence and caution, we can go about most of our day to day business:  Mask.  Maintain a distance of six feet from others. (News flash:  even if you know the person, they could still be infected and/or contagious, they could be asymptomatic carriers and you can catch the virus from them).   Wash your hands frequently. Disinfect surfaces which others have touched.

These safeguards are in place and recommended to keep us safe while living our lives. What is important to remember is that our lives cannot always be put on hold.  But we can live our lives more safely and with greater confidence by following the guidelines. 

God may chuckle every once in a while, but better to make plans for prudent living, in order to be on the safe side.  For the next couple of weeks, I’ll be at home, in quarantine, in accordance with the guidelines of the CDC.  A quick check of the calendar confirms that I will be in services, live, for the High Holidays.  I look forward to seeing you there.

With blessings of good health to us all,

Rabbi Neil S. Cooper