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


Israel Story is another wonderful podcast designed in the style of “This American Life” on NPR. The link to Israel Story is here


Virtual Jewish Quarantine book club
Click here


The URJ recently published this list of Israeli TV shows.


Content for children:
We are blessed that there is no shortage of quality Jewish content for children.


Greene Family Camp is producing daily content. Called “Greene Screene,” link here.


The app, “Alef-Bet Bullseye” is great for Hebrew practice and is now free.


BimBam videos range from the weekly Torah portion to observing lifecycles.


Stories We Tell are Jewish stories in podcast form.


Representative Lizzie Fletcher resources

1. Resource Guide attached. This resource is meant to support community members looking for guidance on a variety of issues;

2. Link to Rep. Fletcher’s office where updates are regularly posted.

3. Individuals can always call her office directly at 713-353-8680 with additional questions and/or concerns.

More Jewish Virtual Resources

E-BOOKS
Jewish Science Fiction

B&N Free e-books
E-books
Punk Torah
Digital Book Index
Kobo Cookbooks
Free Jewish Books
Jewish Books on Hoopla
Jewish Books on Project Gutenberg
New York Public Library Guide to Jewish Texts Online
Hebrew, Jewish, Israel Studies
National Library of Israel
Open Library Jewish Fiction  and check their related subjects list or just search “Jewish”

FOR KIDS
Get Epic for Kids
PJ Library
Story Times from Seattle JCC
Josh Gad (voice of Olaf from Frozen, and he is Jewish!) does Storytimes on Twitter
Levine JCC of Charlotte activities for kids
List of Jewish and Secular Resources for Kids
4/9 Kid Friendly Virtual Seder STL JCC
Bim Bam Activities for Young Kids
Tutti’s Promise Book Club, Tuesdays 2pm ET
The Book Meshugannahs
Read-aloud Mommy Can you Stop the Rain?
Read-aloud Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to be Kosher
Read-aloud Trees of the Dancing Goats
Read-aloud Big Sam
Read-aloud Little Red Rosie
Read-aloud Joseph and the Sabbath Fish
Read-aloud The Golem’s Latkes
Read-aloud Joha Makes a Wish
Read-aloud Right Side Up
Read-aloud Hanukkah in Alaska
Read-aloud The Littlest Frog
Rhythm and Ruach Shalom at Home
Passover Game Creation Competition Ji Tap
Read-aloud How It’s Made: Matzah
Shalom Sesame

LECTURES, EVENTS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
Jewish Live, Portal to Live Streaming Jewish Events on the Internet
Israel Library Livestream and Recorded Talks  (use Google translate for English)
Torah Live (distance learning)
Jewish Book Council “Unpacking the Book” Series
Jewish Book Council Network Virtual Conference June 2-4
Jewish Women’s Archive Quarantine Book Club
World Center for Jewish Education
OpenDor Media
AlephBeta
Facebook Jewish Events
Jewish Standup Comedy
JewishGen Databases
Beit Hatfusot Open Databases Project
Primary Sources
Jewish Internet Guide
Jewish Digital Collections