Metro Chicago Hillel

Metro Chicago Hillel Covid 19 Response

COVID-19 Response

 

MCH & Base COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

and Safety Brit/Covenant

Revised September 27, 2023

We are so excited to host events in person, and meet our student and young adult communities on campus and across the city. To protect the health and safety of our participants, staff, and volunteers, and in accordance with recommendations from the CDC and in alignment with our campuses and the Chicago Jewish United Fund (JUF), Metro Chicago Hillel requires COVID-19 vaccinations in order to participate in any in-person Hillel or Base event, or program, and/or when occupying any Hillel office space, building or other rented location.  

The details below describe procedures which will be in place until further notice, and the values guiding our approach. These rules apply to all of our Hillel spaces, including Base. Our COVID-19 policies are reviewed regularly to take into consideration evolving recommendations. We reserve the right to change these policies at any time.

Thank you for working with us to keep each other safe and healthy, and to ensure Hillel and Base events continue in-person throughout the year.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

MCH/Base COVID policies require that all individuals participating in in-person events/programs be fully vaccinated. “Fully vaccinated” is currently defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as having received both the primary series of vaccinations as well as any boosters for which you may be eligible. If you are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons, please contact MCH’s Executive Director Charles Cohen at charles@metrochicagohillel.org so we can make proper accommodations.

Current MCH/Base Policy on Masking

Following the City of Chicago guidelines, masking is strongly recommended for all MCH/Base staff, visitors, and indoor event attendees. Disposable masks will be available to all guests who do not arrive with their own mask. Proper mask wearing covers both the nose and mouth.

Base Chicago Additional COVID Information

Because our Base teams welcome people into their homes, they have additional COVID policies. At Base Chicago, we care deeply about the health of our community and our family. Please do not attend any programs in our homes if you feel sick. If you have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last ten days, please only attend programs if you are symptom free and wearing a high quality mask. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have attended a Base program within 48 hours before symptoms began or you received a positive test, please let us know. If we are informed of a COVID exposure at one of our programs, we will inform everyone who registered for the program - for this reason, among others, we require registration for all our programs. We care about you, so we highly encourage you to get all recommended vaccines. If you are sick, please let us know so our community Souper Heros can bring you soup!

What you can expect from MCH’s Professional Team

All MCH and Base staff are fully vaccinated. 

Staff are responsible for enforcing MCH’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. Please follow their instructions.

If a member of our staff is exposed to COVID-19 and was in-person with you at an event or a one-on-one meeting, we will let you know so you can take precautions and follow the exposure guidelines in the section below.

Event/Building Guidelines

MCH/Base in-person events may require pre-registration or walk-in registration. Registration helps us determine how many attendees to expect for a program and if additional safety precautions need to be taken. Registering will also help us with contact tracing if there is a subsequent positive test from an attendee at an MCH/Base event.

You may not come to any Hillel or Base location or event if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever, chills, or repeated shaking/shivering

  • Cough, sore throat

  • Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

  • Unusual weakness or fatigue

  • Loss of taste or smell

  • Muscle pain, headache (more than usual)

  • Runny nose or congestion

  • Diarrhea

  • A temperature over 100 degrees. 

You should not come to any MCH or Base event if you feel sick. If you feel ill during an event or while in a shared space, you should notify a staff member, get tested, and quarantine until your results return. If you have been exposed to COVID-19, please follow the exposure guidelines below. 

You’re responsible for your own well-being, as well as for the well-being of other students, community members, guests, and staff. Personal safety measures differ from person to person, but at an MCH or Base event, you must comply with these guidelines.

You will assess your own comfort and respect others’ comfort level for physical contact and space as we engage with one another. You will respect others’ boundaries, and ask before engaging in physical touch, like hugs or handshakes. 

What happens if you’re exposed to COVID-19?

We can’t help being exposed to COVID-19. Our personal and professional lives are built around being with people - exposure is going to happen, and it is no one's fault. 

If you have been to an event in the last 7 days and found out you have been exposed to or have tested positive for COVID-19, please let us know as soon as possible, or immediately after you are aware of your exposure/test results by emailing info@metrochicagohillel.org or calling (312) 829-1595. 

Current CDC guidelines differ depending on vaccine status.  Please consult the full CDC guidelines for detailed information: 

  • If you have COVID-19, you can spread it to others, even if you do not have symptoms. If you have symptoms, get tested and stay home until you have your results. If you have tested positive (even without symptoms), follow CDC’s isolation recommendations. These recommendations includes staying home and away from others for at least 5 days (possibly more, depending on how the virus affects you) and wearing a high-quality mask when indoors around others for a period of time.

  • If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19, you may have been infected with the virus. Follow CDC’s recommendations for what to do if you were exposed. This includes wearing a high-quality mask when indoors around others (including inside your home) for 10 days, testing, and monitoring yourself for symptoms.

If you attend an event with someone who tests positive for COVID, we will inform you as soon as we learn of the positive test results so you can go through the necessary school/community processes and get tested when appropriate. 

Cancellation Policy

In the event that weather or other circumstances require MCH to cancel an event, this will be communicated up to 2 hours before the event begins. For events that are scheduled for during Shabbat or during the high holy days, we will communicate any cancellations 2 hours before the holiday starts.

MCH’s COVID-19 Safety Guidelines are rooted in our Jewish Values 

Pikuach nefesh is the Jewish mandate to save a life. It is so important that it takes precedence over all other Jewish ethical obligations.

Kol Yisrael aravim zeh bazeh means that we are all responsible for one another, not just ourselves. We take precautions for our own safety, but also for the other members of our community, especially the most vulnerable. We agree to follow all precautions, even if they do not resonate with us individually so that we may be able to be in community and spend time together. As we practice communal responsibility, we may, at times, hold ourselves to a different standard of safety than other places we frequent.  

We are guided by the principle that all human beings are created b’tselem Elohim, in the Divine image. Everyone across the spectrum of identity, background and belief deserves respect and belongs in our community.

Emunah is the trust we put in others. Personal safety measures may differ for each of us, but in our community, we trust the policies and processes outlined by our staff, lay and student leaders.

Thank you for being a part of our community, and taking responsibility for our collective health and safety.  

If you need help or want to give help during this difficult time, please reach out to any Metro Chicago Hillel staff. 

For more COVID resources, visit juf.org/CoronavirusResources.