Press - The Village Temple

The New Yorker

A New Rabbi Schleps Through the Village to Meet Her Flock

Shvitzing in a tallis and a leopard-print mask, Diana Fersko does her Shabbat Walk, greeting the faithful on stoops and in lobbies.

“An emotional switch went off, and I knew I needed to be aggressive,” Fersko said. She conceived of a neighborhood amble, the Shabbat Walk, with stops on stoops and in lobbies, to get to know her flock.

NY1

The Village Temple Goes Virtual for High Holiday Services

“I really sort of took Jewish history as inspiration and said, you know, ‘What did Jews in the past do when they faced challenges to their worship?'” Fersko said. “One thing I noticed is that there’s always a response to crisis with creativity … And what that led me to do was really embrace technology. I figure if people are at home watching a screen, we should make that screen as visually interesting and stimulating as humanly possible.”

AMNY

Manhattan rabbi talks observing social distancing while celebrating the High Holidays

“Much of the world is broken,” the rabbi reflects. “This is an opportunity for the Jewish community to nourish themselves. I’m hoping people find comfort and uplift in our religious services.”