Opinion

Closed houses of worship and lonely seders aren’t a surrender to covid-19

Chaim Steinmetz is the senior rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York.

The Passover seder has always been a multigenerational gathering of Jewish family and friends. But this year, amid the covid-19 pandemic, there is a communal consensus that no guests should be allowed to join the seder. The most significant Jewish celebration of the year, when Passover begins on Wednesday at nightfall, will be a muted affair.