Members of the Christian and Jewish communities will be celebrating their holy holidays a little differently this year while trying to maintain social distancing.

The religious communities will be celebrating Easter and Passover this week. Families will typically hold large gatherings to celebrate, but the coronavirus pandemic means that people will need to celebrate together apart.

“Thank God for technology. Families are going to be able to celebrate their Seder at home with the help of FaceTime and Zoom and all the different online platforms,” says Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer.

Eisenkramer of Temple Bnai Shalom in East Brunswick says that the traditions and rituals of Passover will remain.

VIRUS TRACKER: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut coronavirus cases and deaths 
MORE: LIVE BLOG - Coronavirus updates from the tri-state area and beyond
MORE: New Jersey Coronavirus Dashboard 
FULL COVERAGE: Coronavirus Pandemic

“And so, we’re going to continue to do those traditions like eating matzo and flat bread and bitter herbs to remember the bitterness of slavery of the Passover story. And those traditions, I think, are even more important,” he says.

Holy Week for Christians will culminate on this Easter Sunday. Churches are typically filled with worshippers on this day. But now congregants will have to celebrate from home.

“We’re in a situation now where our most basic instinct – to be together – is not able to be fulfilled,” says the Rev. Timothy Christy.

Christy says that most parishes will stream Easter services online.

“There’s nothing like people getting a livestream from their local church, their local parish, to be able to hear their own priest,” Christy says.

Passover and Easter represent a time of resilience and hope, something both the rabbi and the priest say is very needed right now.