Westchester Coronavirus: Officials Close Synagogue

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Westchester County health officials have shut down Young Israel of New Rochelle due to potential exposure to the new coronavirus. County Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler acted at the direction of state health officials.

The order is connected to the Westchester man who is in serious condition in a New York City hospital. SEE: 2nd Coronavirus Case Confirmed In NY; Family In Quarantine.

Young Israel officials were ordered to halt all services immediately and for the foreseeable future due to potential COVID-19 exposure, county health officials said.

"Additionally, congregants of the temple who attended services on Feb. 22, and a funeral and a bat mitzvah at the temple on Feb. 23 must self-quarantine until at the very earliest March 8," health officials said.

Those who do not self-quarantine will be mandated to by the County Department of Health to do so.

A person who answered the phone at Young Israel of New Rochelle Tuesday afternoon said no one there is speaking to the media right now.

The 50-year-old New Rochelle man's family includes a wife and four children, two of whom are in Israel, Westchester County Executive George Latimer said Tuesday. One of the children, a daughter, attends SAR Academy in Riverdale. It closed for the day. One son is in college, the name of which was not immediately released. The man's family is under self-quarantine in their home.

Two other private schools — Westchester Day School in Mamaroneck and Westchester Torah Academy in White Plains — also closed for the day.

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