April brings new hope for JCMI

By Sue Baum, President

Since March 12, 2020, the Board of Directors of the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island suspended attendance to all events at the Synagogue. This was done on the recommendation of an advisory task force that I formed in anticipation of the difficult times ahead.

This task force included the advice of Dr. Gregory Poland. A friend of the Synagogue, Dr. Poland is a physician and “vaccinologist.” He is the Mary Lowell Leary professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as well as the director of the Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group. He is also the editor-in-chief of the medical journal, Vaccine.

Heeding the advice of our task force, we looked for new ways to present our annual events. Through Zoom and new livestream equipment, the Saul I. Stern Cultural Series and the Sidney R. Hoffman Memorial Jewish Film Festival

brought monthly programs right into the homes of our congregation and community members. Many religious events — the Holy Days, a Shabbat in Song, Purim and Passover — were also celebrated, keeping our members’ safety in the forefront.

Now, we look ahead with renewed hope for JCMI. Nearly 100 of our members have received vaccinations. Our task force is being called upon once again to determine when we can open our doors for worship, seasonal events and to initiate our membership drive, which is already in the works! We look forward to the day we can again walk through the doors of our JCMI home.

If you would like more information about the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island, call the office at 239-642-0800.