How do you get people to pray in a pandemic? For one synagogue, it’s a drive-in

Linda Truppman missed her community.

Bet Shira brought her religious services, friends, family and leadership. Most importantly, the Pinecrest synagogue brought her a community every day.

But that hasn’t felt the same via online services since COVID-19 changed the course of the world.

“We haven’t been able to pray together,” she said. “And one of the special things about Bet Shira and the community is that we always come together. ... That’s one of the big things of Judaism — we do it together.

So Truppman, who was president of the congregation from 2017-19, turned to Ana Fidanque, an event planner who is also part of Bet Shira, to brainstorm a safe way to bring everyone together.

Fidanque planned a drive-in Shabbat to reunite congregants and keep them engaged with the temple. The weekend will feature three events in the Bet Shira parking lot, 7500 SW 120th St.

It kicks off Friday with a children’s service at 6 p.m. and a traditional service at 7 p.m., and continues Saturday with a Havdalah service at 7:30 p.m. Gates open 30 minutes before each service.

Pre-registration can be found online at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/bet-shira-congregation-30437489356. The event will also be livestreamed on Bet Shira’s Facebook page.

“Bet Shira is all about building community and keeping community,” Fidanque said. “We really felt that this was an essential part of building our community.”

Rabbi Ben Herman will be on a stage 20 feet from the first car. A stream of his service will be displayed on a screen 15 feet high for people in all 70 cars to see. Cantor Andres Levy will also participate from Argentina via a broadcast on the screen.

Miami Heat arena host Dale McLean is joining Saturday night to emcee the event, Fidanque said. And children who are part of the congregation filmed themselves thanking first responders who have been keeping Miami safe during the pandemic.

When Fidanque looked for inspiration online to plan a socially distanced event, she couldn’t find any other synagogues that had done this. So she creaated the model, raising $25,000 for equipment and to temporarily employ at least 15 people.

Bet Shira is not the first event to reimagine religious services to adapt to the pandemic. With mosques closed, Muslims celebrated Ramadan with food-sharing drives rather than prayer gatherings. Before Miami Catholic churches reopened on May 26, one Coral Gables church offered drive-thru confessions.

Rabbi Frederick Klein, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami, previously said synagogues are making individual decisions about when and how to reopen.

Rabbi Herman said the drive-in services are the “big event” to kick off lots of smaller events in advance of the high holidays: Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, which he hopes to celebrate in person with social distancing.

Herman has been hosting classes and services via Zoom since stay-at-home orders began. But he said he wanted to bring congregants back together. Recognizing that a portion of his population is vulnerable, he was glad Truppman and Fidanque led the drive-in Shabbat events.

“It’s something that enables people to come together, to build community, just by seeing one another from our vehicles,” he said.

Herman described Saturday night’s lineup as “legendary.” While he didn’t want to give away any surprises, he said celebrities in the Jewish community are participating.

“I’m looking forward to the spirit that it will give with people singing and dancing and the melodies in their cars,” the rabbi said.

Lori Blum, who has been attending Bet Shira since 1993, is excited for the same reasons. She will attend services on Friday and Saturday, and said she is excited to see people celebrating the same way she and her husband will be, even if it’s through a car window.

“I would not miss this for anything,” she said.

As a clinical psychologist, she said she thrives off interaction and relationships with others. Since being unable to go to services every Saturday, she feels like something has been absent from her life.

“It’s something very novel,” Blum said. “It’ll bring people together, and it’s safe.”

This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 7:06 AM.