Among our most cherished Jewish values is the imperative for preserving life and maintaining health. We embrace this value specifically by taking preventive measures to protect the public health of our Temple community as a whole. This is why, beginning August 2019, we require all children planning to attend any Temple Beth Sholom education and/or youth programs to adhere to the immunization standards described below.
Vaccination is a shared responsibility and is our expectation.
Parents bring their children to Temple Beth Sholom and assume that their children will enjoy themselves, have positive social interactions, learn from the rich Jewish environment and be safe and healthy. All the learning experiences, friendship building, Jewish identity affirmation and character development can only happen if we are absolutely confident that individual safety and public health remain at the center of every decision made throughout Temple Beth Sholom. Reducing the risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses from entering any of our Temple programs is simply the single most effective strategy to protect public health. This goal can be accomplished only through the appropriate vaccination of all members of our education and youth programs. Individual families may choose to defer the vaccination of their children; at Temple Beth Sholom we cannot and will not defer the safety of our education and youth programs.
ALL THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING PROGRAMS AT TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM OR ARE TRAVELING ON A TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM PROGRAM are required to have completed the age-appropriate vaccine schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Please visit https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/immunizations/Pages/Immunization-Schedule.aspx for the most up-to-date immunization schedules.
Yes, there are exceptions to the Temple Beth Sholom vaccination policy, and they are very, very rare.
We recognize that individuals who have had a documented allergy or severe adverse reaction to a particular vaccine may not be able to complete the immunization schedule as outlined. Additionally, individuals with medical conditions such as congenital immunodeficiency or HIV, cancer and who are receiving chemotherapy, transplant patients, and persons receiving immunosuppressive drugs and chronic steroids also may not be able to receive certain vaccines. In these extremely rare circumstances, current documentation from a Physician (MD or DO), or a Pediatric/Family Practice Advanced Practice Nurse (ARNP or PNP), describing the reason for exemption from immunization must be furnished to Temple Beth Sholom. We are happy to discuss case by case management of the extremely rare circumstance of medical contraindication to partial or complete vaccination.
Thank you!
The vaccination of all children and teens in our community is essential in order to maintain a safe educational and travel environment for your child. We thank you for your timely attention to these requirements.