The Book of Leviticus used to be every rabbi’s nightmare, Joshua Stanton remarks, as he tries to find a bright side to a year in which he has conducted too many funeral services from his bedroom. Teaching biblical passages about leprosy had been a challenge in the 21st century, but “now all of a sudden it resonates differently”.
A modern-day plague is forcing Rabbi Stanton to hold most of this month’s Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services via Zoom. But “Rabbi Josh”, as he is known at East End Temple, his reform congregation in Manhattan, sees Covid-19 bringing bigger upheavals to what he calls the business of religion. “Religion is facing a day of judgment,” he declares, noting that many US synagogues and churches risk financial collapse — even as demand for spiritual comfort is booming.
Empty pews mean empty collection plates, and more than 88,000 religious organisations have received rescue loans under Washington’s Paycheck Protection Program. Still, by one estimate, one in five US houses of worship may not survive the next 18 months.