Religious services

Prayers

through the pandemic

ORGANIZED RELIGION ADAPTS TO COVID-19

PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL sophomore Abdullah Naviad recalls kneeling on a patterned prayer rug with six feet of space surrounding him, reciting his prayers in the sun-beaten asphalt lot of the Mountain View Palo Alto Musallah — an unrecognizable scene to pre-pandemic Mosque attendees.

Naviad is one of countless people of faith in Silicon Valley whose religious practices have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. From shelter-inplace orders to bans on indoor gatherings, COVID-19 safety regulations have restricted the ability of followers of all religions to attend churches and temples, conduct communal prayers and celebrate religious holidays.

These restrictions have sparked legal battles and debates in the U.S. over whether the severity of COVID-19 safety regulations should be indiscriminate or flexible to the needs of religious practitioners, who may be especially reliant on their faiths during this uncertain and unprecedented time.

Religious regulations

Last summer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom prohibited indoor worship services in purpletier counties, the most restrictive of California’s colorcoded system based on COVID-19 conditions. In response, numerous lawsuits were filed challenging the stringent new restrictions.

In February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in South Bay United Pentacostal Church v. Newsom that California could not enforce its ban on indoor church services and had to reduce the severity of the restrictions to the level of essential businesses such as retail stores and shopping centers.

This case, and the more recent ruling against California’s restrictions on at-home religious gatherings in Tandon v. Newsom, which took place this April, has spurred debate over whether religious services should be deemed an essential business.

“While my religion and the worship that we do is very important, I do not think that churches should be exempt from COVID-19 regulations,” wrote practicing Christian and Palo Alto High School junior Harin Kim in an email to Verde.

When California’s ban on indoor church services was lifted, Kim’s church did not rush to return to normalcy. “While our church has been allowed to do in-person sermons, we have waited until it was safe for other businesses, such as restaurants, to have people,” Kim wrote. “I believe that a physical place is not needed in order to take part in worship … It can be done capably over an online platform.”

Community adaptations

Many religious members of the Palo Alto High School community have felt the impact of the pandemic on their practices.

Naviad’s mosque has adhered to COVID-19 restrictions by holding prayers in an untraditional location.

“The prayers are held in the parking lot outside due to the building being closed,”

Text by ISHAAN BATRA and TIMOTHY HUNG Art by SELENA CAO

“The pandemic is something that has impacted us all. We can find hope within all the turmoil.” — ELEANOR WANG, senior

Naviad says. “There is a maximum capacity While Kim says she understands the in addition to the usual religion-based of about 50 people who have to pre-register need for virtual services right now, she discussions. before coming.” stresses the importance of physical presence “Plenty of synagogues have programs

Paly history teacher Daniel Shelton, and interaction for communal prayer, that have done a lot to make sure that we who identifies as Jewish, says the echoing the thoughts of Shelton and can have this online platform,” Blumenfield community aspect of worship that existed before the pandemic has been lost in the past year after COVID-19 “Not having the whole congregation singing together takes a lot Kofman. “It was much better for worship to be in person as you can feel the presence says. “For us, it just means that we’re moving the meeting to online and making sure that programming is more engaging to an online format.” Paly Christian Club leaders say that restrictions have of your fellow sisters moving their club online has improved limited gatherings. out of the experience.” and brothers of accessibility to students. “Our synagogue is very singing-based and — DANIEL SHELTON, teacher Christ,” Kim wrote. “I believe that is an “We are so fortunate to have the technology to continue meeting online,” there’s a lot of choral important part of senior and Christian Club co-President components,” Shelton says. “Not having worship as it is very community-integrated, Eleanor Wong says. “I now use technology the whole congregation singing together and the success of it feeds off the energy of to go to church, do the club and attend my takes a lot out of the experience.” The loss of the community experience that Shelton laments is a major reason Paly students and teachers take part in organized religious activities, as they provide a sense of belonging for many. Physical education teacher Stacey the people.” Many studentrun religious clubs are also feeling the effects of the pandemic. Despite challenges, however, religious “You really miss the connections.” — STACEY KOFMAN, teacher church youth group. So I think it’s just knowing that people are still there and that we [are] together.” While the year has been exhausting and Kofman, a practicing Jew, says religious clubs at Paly like the tumultuous, Wong says gatherings can bring together people who Jewish Student Union and the Christian her faith has helped ground her through do not see each other on a regular basis. Club have been continuing to meet hardships.

“You really miss the connections, throughout the past year. “The pandemic is something that especially around the High Holy Days Sophomore and Jewish Student Union has impacted us all,” Wong says. “But it’s when you see some of these people that President Arielle Blumenfeld has organized something that we also address a lot as a you normally don’t see throughout the year, new activities as the club has transitioned church. … We can find hope within all the when you sit in a temple,” Kofman says. online including icebreakers and raffles, turmoil.” v