Nassau Rabbi Among Latest Coronavirus Cases

WEST HEMPSTEAD, NY — Young Israel of West Hempstead confirmed that one of its rabbis is one of the latest people in Nassau County to contract the new coronavirus and anyone who came into contact with him needs to be quarantined.

Rabbi Etan Ehrenfeld, who is also an assistant principal at the Yeshiva Har Torah in Little Neck,tested positive for the virus, according to Arthur Cooperberg, president of the synagogue. Ehrenfeld was active at the synagogue Friday night and Saturday, Cooperberg said.

"Rabbi Ehrenfeld informed me that he davened in the Beit Midrash on Friday night, the 8 a.m. Minyan at HANC on Shabbos morning, the Main Shul for Mincha and back in the Beit Midrash for Maariv on Saturday evening," Cooperberg wrote in a letter to Young Israel members.

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The Young Israel of West Hempstead has nearly 700 families among its congregation, and said it is one of the fastest-growing orthodox synagogues in the country.

Anyone who was within 6 feet of Ehrenfeld must be placed into a two-week mandatory quarantine beginning from the time of last contact. Anyone who was in the same room as him should go on precautionary quarantine, which isn't mandatory, but is highly recommended.

The number of confirmed cases topped 1,000 in the United States, with 29 deaths. In New York, 212 people tested positive for coronavirus as of noon Wednesday.

Nassau County continues to have the highest number of cases on Long Island, now reaching 28. One of those is in serious condition, county officials said at a press conference Wednesday. Suffolk County saw its cases jump overnight, going from one to six, bringing the total on Long Island to 31. There are 232 people in mandatory or precautionary quarantine in Nassau, and eight in mandatory quarantine in Suffolk.

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