Nancy Koenig paints a sign for the front of the Lake Placid Baptist Church building, which says “Praying for you.” (Provided photo — Jim Koenig)

LAKE PLACID — It was all there. The bitter herbs, a reminder of the bitterness of slavery endured by Jews in ancient Egypt. The wine. The bone. The Seder plate was full of traditional foods — but this year, the people who would typically share it were far away.

Rabbi Alec Friedmann, of the Lake Placid Synagogue, led a communal Seder open to all members of the community on Friday, April 10. But instead of gathering around a dinner table, members of the community gathered in a virtual teleconference meeting on Zoom.

The spread of the novel coronavirus and the threat of exposure has changed how nearly everyone lives their everyday lives, including how people continue lifelong traditions, observe holidays and practice their religions.

His voice echoing from above a camera pointed toward a Seder plate, Friedmann explained the 15 steps of the Passover Seder based on the Haggadah, a book of prayers and stories that underpins the rituals of this traditional observance. He spoke about the blessing of the wine, the process of breaking the matza and what this bread symbolizes.

“When the Jews ran away from Egypt, they didn’t have enough time to let the bread rise,” Friedmann said.

Rabbi Alec Friedmann of the Lake Placid Synagogue breaks matza during a communal Seder over the virtual teleconference app Zoom on Friday, April 10. (News photo — Elizabeth Izzo)

He told the story of Jews’ exodus from ancient Egypt — and explained why there are multiple rounds of handwashing throughout the process of Seder.

“The washing of the hands is very important these days,” he said, “And it always has been.”

A woman watching told the group that she was sad she couldn’t be with her family this year, but grateful to have the opportunity to participate virtually. The day prior, the rabbi had also hosted a virtual Seder for members of the congregation. People watched from as far away as Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Throughout the call on Friday, Friedmann kept the mood light. He slipped in subtle jokes while answering questions and sharing stories about himself, and about this holiday and the rituals that must be done.

“You have to have a sense of humor if you are Jewish,” he said.

As the meeting wound down and people began logging off, the rabbi parted with a few final words.

“Be safe, be well. Wash your hands, and enjoy,” he said.

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Churches

As churches have moved their services online some have found an audience larger than that filling the pews every Sunday morning.

“We’re seeing more people attend live stream than attend just a regular service on a weekend,” Pastor Jim Koenig from Lake Placid Baptist Church said.

The Rev. Joann White from the First Presbyterian Church in Saranac Lake said people are sharing the link to the live stream with family, friends and social media acquaintances across the world.

“We end up with a virtual congregation that may be completely different from the people who are typically in the pews on Sunday morning,” White said.

The Rev. Martin Cline from St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Saranac Lake said his mother and father have been able to enjoy his teachings for the first time in a while.

Pastor Ryan Schneider from Saranac Lake Baptist Church said family members who wouldn’t usually attend church are tuning in from the Midwest.

All of the pastors said the wider reach of internet evangelism has little to do with viewership numbers, though. As a virus spreads around the entire globe and people isolate, they are looking for connection, understanding and purpose.

“I think with the times, a lot of people are more spiritually curious,” Schneider said. “When there are crises people will either go back to the roots they grew up in or they will look for a spiritual answer for ‘Why?'”

Cline said like many people are getting around to doing chores they have put off during quarantine, there are spiritual chores that have more time to be taken care of, too.

Pastor Derek Hansen at Adirondack Community Church in Lake Placid said the church is turning the challenge into an opportunity to share the gospel.

Koenig said the world is in a “contemplative time” and seeking a message for the soul. He said he has deviated from his planned preaching schedule to more specific messages speaking to where people’s emotions are, teaching how God can fit into a crisis.

Schneider said he has seen a trend of less fear in the church, and he believes that peace is attractive. He said one of the places that peace is found is in Matthew 24, which says that the earth will feel “birth pains” in the days before Jesus’ return.

“I think it’s naturally built into man to search out God,” Schneider said. “Ecclesiastes says God has put eternity in the heart of every man.”

He said this functions as a homing beacon to God and that sometimes it takes a crisis to set the beacon off.

Cline said the Easter theme of resurrection and renewal is strong today. He referenced a homily from the Rev. Joe Giroux at St. Bernard’s, in which he asked if, after the coronavirus threat ends, we want to go back to how things were, or if we should be changed by it and continue forward with new values, like helping neighbors, or connecting with family.

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Technicalities

Cline said it has been a bit awkward to go from preaching to around 100 people every Sunday, to only having a handful of people in the building.

He is literally preaching to the choir, as organist Andrew Benware is one of the only people there.

Still, he said the parishioners have appreciated it. Cline said it is nice to have a local church service to tune into, rather than a national or international one. It is more personal.

Schneider said he has kept up his Monday night Bible study with the athletes through Zoom.