PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Friday Shabbat service is a time for faith and reflection for the Pembroke Pines Jewish Center. It’s also a time to pray for new members.
The congregation used to be a popular stop for politicians, but the coronavirus pandemic has changed it.
About two dozen members died of COVID-19 and others lost loved ones. Carol Grossman said her mother-in-law died in February and her husband in September.
“We had just celebrated our 61st wedding anniversary,” Grossman said. If it wasn’t for Temple I wouldn’t have survived it.”
Services were only held on Zoom to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. With access to the COVID-19 vaccine, the congregation reopened about three weeks ago.
“We’ve lost people to COVID,” Price Adani said. “We haven’t been able to have services.”
Merv Levin, the co-president, said some of the survivors of the pandemic are Holocaust survivors. The congregation is worried about being able to stay open.
“We are a family. We make every effort to take care of each other,” Levin said.
And now with fewer and older congregants ...some Holocaust survivors
Carol Furman, a vice president, said the congregation is in need of support and more members.
“We need people who need to have a house of worship,” Furman said.
Jesse Dobrinsky, the executive vice president, said the congregation is continuing to have virtual services.
“Come on and join us,” Dobrinsky said.
For more information about the services, visit the congregation’s page.