Update: May 16, 2023
Camden County is listed as “Low” risk. Congregation Kol Ami policy is “MASKS OPTIONAL” in the building for all activities and services.
A designated “masks only” section will be maintained in the Sanctuary for all services.
- Masking at Kol Ami will be encouraged but remain optional at this time. A designated “mask only” section will be maintained in the sanctuary for all services.
Masking will likewise remain optional for all outdoor events and programs, regardless of the county’s green/yellow/orange/red status. - Onegs and other food may be served at indoor events. Until further notice, masking is required for persons serving or preparing food at all times at both indoor and outdoor functions, regardless of the county’s green/yellow/orange/red status.
- Vaccination among our congregants and students is strongly encouraged. Proof of vaccination is not required for attendance at services, programs, or entry into the Kol Ami building pursuant to current CDC and State of New Jersey guidelines.
Future requirements regarding proof of vaccination will be guided by the state of New Jersey for indoor events, like movie and live theater events.
- Student vaccination requirements will be the same as the Cherry Hill public schools. Students will not be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to attend ECC or religious school. However, current New Jersey regulations require employees in schools and preschools with students through grade 12 to be vaccinated, so all of our religious and preschool employees and anyone working within the school (custodial and security) or the building must be vaccinated.
- Private events and party rentals for B’nai/B’rit Mitzvah, weddings, or other life cycle events, not sponsored by Kol Ami or a Kol Ami group, will be treated separately and will be permitted to unmask regardless of New Jersey color status at the discretion of the renters and the caterers. Such events will be subject to whatever rules are in place for catering halls and restaurants in Camden County since these are considered non-synagogue sponsored events.
- Programs, meetings, or events sponsored by Kol Ami groups or committees and held at public locations or homes outside of the Kol Ami building will be governed by masking requirements currently in place at whatever the alternate venue is.
- Exposure, close contact, and quarantine policy will be governed by CDC guidelines. A Quarantine and Isolation Calculator can be found at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html indicating when and how long to isolate, and how long to mask upon return. - Religious School policy will be the same as the Cherry Hill public schools related to masking, quarantine, exposure, and return to work policies for teachers. Cherry Hill Public Schools’ At-Home Screening Policy can be found at https://www.chclc.org/cms/lib/NJ50000493/Centricity/Domain/1095/COVID-19%20Screening%20Checklist%20sections%20Updated%209.12.22.pdf.
- ECC policy will be governed by New Jersey state regulations and requirements for daycares and preschools in Camden County, including masking quarantine, exposure, and return to work policies for teachers.
All provisions of this policy are subject to change by synagogue leadership as circumstances continue to evolve and is subject to review, modification, and approval of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
Update: August 26, 2022
Camden County has moved to “Medium” risk, so Congregation Kol Ami policy is now “mask optional” in the building for all activities and services, and eating is allowed indoors.
In an effort to eliminate confusion and uncertainty in the development of Covid-19 mitigation policy at Congregation Kol Ami moving forward, the following protocols and practices shall be followed effective immediately.
1. Masking policy for building operations, office, synagogue sponsored events and programs, and all services will now be governed by green/yellow/orange/red status of the New Jersey Department of Health website for Camden County: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml
Masking at Kol Ami will be mandatory indoors whenever NJ is in the red “Extremely High” or orange “High” risk C.A.L.I. categories. Masking will be optional whenever New Jersey is yellow “Medium” or green “Low” categories. The county’s status is currently updated every Thursday evening at 8pm, which you can check at the above Department of Health website
2. As of the writing of this policy, Camden County just moved from the orange “high” to the yellow “medium” category, so masking indoors will be optional beginning with July 1, 2022 services/events.
3. Masking will remain optional for all outdoor events and programs, regardless of the county’s green/yellow/orange/red status.
4. Onegs and other food will have to be served outdoors when in orange or red status, but food may be served at indoor events when the status is yellow or green. Until further notice, masking is required for persons serving or preparing food at all times at both indoor and outdoor functions, regardless of the county’s green/yellow/orange/red status.
5. Vaccination among our congregants and students is strongly encouraged. Proof of vaccination is not required for attendance at services, programs, or entry into the Kol Ami building pursuant to current CDC and State of New Jersey guidelines. Future requirements regarding proof of vaccination will be guided by the state of New Jersey for indoor events, like movie and live theater events.
6. Student vaccination requirements will be the same as the Cherry Hill public schools. Students will not be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to attend ECC or religious school. However, current New Jersey regulations require employees in schools and preschools with students through grade 12 to be vaccinated, so all of our religious and preschool employees and anyone working within the school (custodial and security) or the building must be vaccinated.
7. Private events and party rentals for B’nai/Brit Mitzvah, weddings, or other life cycle events, not sponsored by Kol Ami or a Kol Ami group, will be treated separately and will be permitted to unmask regardless of New Jersey color status at the discretion of the renters and the caterers. Such events will be subject to whatever rules are in place for catering halls and restaurants in Camden County since these are considered non-synagogue sponsored events.
8. Programs, meetings, or events sponsored by Kol Ami groups or committees and held at public locations or homes outside of the Kol Ami building will be governed by masking requirements currently in place at whatever the alternate venue is.
9. Exposure, close contact, and quarantine policy will be governed by CDC guidelines. A Quarantine and Isolation Calculator can be found at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html# indicating when and how long to isolate, and how long to mask upon return.
10. Religious School policy will be the same as the Cherry Hill public schools related to masking, quarantine, exposure, and return to work policies for teachers. Cherry Hill Public Schools’ At-Home Screening Policy can be found at https://www.chclc.org/cms/lib/NJ50000493/Centricity/Domain/1095/COVID-19%20Screening%20Checklist%20sections%20Updated%209.12.22.pdf.
11. ECC policy will be governed by New Jersey state regulations and requirements for daycares and preschools in Camden County, including masking quarantine, exposure, and return to work policies for teachers.
12. High Holy Day services will be evaluated separately due to the large number of people expected in attendance and will be addressed in a separate communication.13. All provisions of this policy are subject to change by synagogue leadership as circumstances continue to evolve and is subject to review, modification, and approval of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
