Covid-19 Updates

March 6, 2020, 11am

Dear Restoration family and friends,

As you are aware, Seattle is the epicenter of the COVID-19 virus in the USA, and King County has recommended that all gatherings with more than 10 people be canceled to help keep the virus from spreading.

King County’s website notes the following:
“Public Health recommends that people at higher risk of severe illness should stay home and away from large groups of people as much as possible, including public places with lots of people and large gatherings where there will be close contact with others. This includes concert venues, conventions, sporting events, and crowded social gatherings.
People at higher risk include people:
• Over 60 years of age
• With underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes
• With weakened immune systems
• Who are pregnant
Caregivers of children with underlying health conditions should consult with healthcare providers about whether their children should stay home. Anyone who has questions about whether their condition puts them at risk for novel coronavirus should consult with their healthcare providers.”

With this in mind, Restoration is postponing our All-Star Purim event, scheduled for this Saturday night (March 7). Haman (boooooo) can’t win, so we will reschedule the event to celebrate in the near future.

We will also cancel our Shabbat Gathering for Saturday, March 7. This is not out of fear but rather a caution for people in our community that have a potential of risk including those listed above.

We encourage you to stay informed as there is always misinformation that is spread in times such as these, especially on social media.

For information we recommend:
King County: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/novel-coronavirus/protection.aspx

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Know this for sure: Yeshua is Lord, and by his instruction we should not be afraid! In times like these we choose to care for one another, encourage one another, and lift one another up. If you know people who have high risk, call them on the phone to check in - it’s important. We also exercise wisdom that comes from God in all things, and it is prudent for our community to suspend large group events to help stop the spread of this virus.

We will record the sermon on the prophet Micah and post it on the Restoration App as well as YouTube on Saturday. Please watch it and share it with friends - it will certainly be relevant to our current struggles. You can find the whole series, “The 12”: https://subsplash.com/restoration/media/ms/+8w9xrzt

If you're feeling anxious, here is an amazing song (with lyrics) by Lauren Daigle called, “Under Your Wings”: https://youtu.be/Ny-brwqpyGw.

To stay updated on what Restoration will do moving forward, watch the Restoration App and ShalomSeattle.com.

I love you all and will not let fear overcome me, my family, our congregation, or our Seattle community. As we have been saying through our series on the Minor Prophets, it is our responsibility to “grow the remnant,” and the truth is, God uses events like this to call people who are far from Him to return to Him. Let’s be ready to be a place of hope, healing, and of course restoration!

The best is yet to come,

Rabbi Matt