Synagogues become virtual communities

What does a Shabbat service look like with no congregants? How does one study Torah via a computer screen and a video link? This week, as people hunkered down in the Greater Phoenix area amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many synagogues had to find out.

“Everyone’s staying connected, that’s the goal,” said Rabbi Micah Caplan of Congregation Or Tzion. “The goal is to have a connection for everybody and to have different outlets that we can provide for people who really are yearning for some prayer and happiness and community. Those are the things I think that people are looking for.”