Coronavirus Resources

Looking for ways to volunteer?

The JCC’s Meals on Wheels program is looking for drivers to make no-contact deliveries for people in need. You can find out more information here.

Houston Food Bank and several other Houston organizations are coordinating volunteer efforts. If you are able to help in the COVID-19 pandemic, whether it be delivering food to elderly neighbors, writing letters to folks in quarantine, or helping disseminate important information, please sign up here.

Kids’ Meal, Inc., is seeking a variety of volunteers be a rider, driver, or to help in the kitchen. You can sign up to help here.

You can also volunteer for Kids’ Meals from home! All you need is brown paper lunch bags, markers, and your creativity. You can find all of the information you need here.

If you need assistance of any kind, please reach out to your Congregation Beth Israel clergy. They are here for you.

High-risk members of our community who are in need of food (high-risk is categorized as being 65 years old and older, having an auto-immune disorder, and/or having chronic illness) can utilize Houston Food Bank’s no-contact delivery system. You can sign-up for this service here.

The JCC continues its Meals on Wheels program for individuals who are 60 years old and older and who meet other criteria. You can find information about how to apply here.

Houston has FREE COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites available to ANYONE, regardless of symptoms. Call 832-393-4220 to be provided an access code and instructions on where to go. A FEMA contractor calls with test results and they are made available through the LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics website, as described in this document.

The Houston Health Department provides a vulnerability map including COVID-19 cases by Super Neighborhood.

The SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council provides data on hospital capacity, including bed, ICU, and ventilation usage.

Our seminary, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion has an ongoing series called “College Commons.” There is an extensive archive of podcasts, courses, and videos on a wide variety of topics with leading Jewish thinkers.

The URJ has a number of podcasts on this list. A few of them that they produce include a commentary on the weekly Torah portion. One is by Israeli shero Anat Hoffman.

ELITalks are like TEDTalks on Jewish themes with a variety of people speaking.

Dr. Rachel Korazim has a Facebook Group and is teaching courses many times per week in English about Israeli poetry. You can access the Facebook Group where updates to class sessions are listed here.

Israel’s State Archives has a website with a variety of types of content for research and learning including articles, videos, and online exhibits.

Unorthodox is a smart, fresh, and fun weekly podcast on Jewish news and culture hosted by Mark Oppenheimer, Stephanie Butnick, and Liel Leibovitz. here.

Many people are needing help with the new Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (and quick funds). ScoreHouston, has a wonderful website to help. Click here for more information.

The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.

The latest COVID-19 special edition of the Houston Health Department newsletter is now available. Read the Newsletter

Mishkan T’filah for Shabbat:
• Free online flipbook
• Discounted Kindle ebook

Plaut Torah Commentary
• Discounted Kindle ebook

When God seems far away, Psalm 139
When you feel discouraged, Psalm 40
When you are lonely or fearful, Psalm 23
When you forget your blessings, Psalm 103
When you want courage for your task, Joshua 1
When the world seems bigger than God, Psalm 90
When you leave home for work or long-distance travel, Psalm 121
When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, Psalm 67
When people fail or disappoint you, Psalm 27
When you have stumbled or transgressed, Psalm 51
When you feel that you are in danger, Psalm 91
When you feel sad or despairing, Psalm 34