We are all adjusting to a new reality, and things are still continuing to change quickly.
We are doing our best to stay together as a community spiritually by maintaining our daily minyanim (prayer services) on Zoom. You can find the latest log-in information on our website,www.kolrinahstl.org .
We are, as a synagogue community, and as a Jewish community, working to care for those most vulnerable, dependent and isolated. Elderlink, a program of Jewish Family Services, is coordinating the effort to care for our seniors 60+ as well as adults who are cognitively or medically vulnerable.
Please be in touch with me if you or anyone you know is:
A community member with financial resources but no social network who needs a volunteer/neighbor to pick up groceries/ a prescription/ toiletries/ etc.
A community member without financial resources or social network who needs groceries/a prescription/toiletries/etc.
A community member who is feeling lonely, scared, worried
A community member who has a severe emotional or physical health condition that requires attention.
I will work with you and the person or people you have in mind to make sure that we have the right support set up for them.
If you are or someone you know is struggling, financially or otherwise now, please be in touch with Rabbi Shafrin or me to talk and see how we can help and help connect you to resources.
As we are realizing, this situation is a marathon, not a sprint. We will slowly adjust, individually and as a community, and learn how best to support ourselves and each other. I’d love to hear your suggestions.
The most important thing to do is to stay healthy and to help others stay healthy, by following all the recommendations of health professionals.
If you are wondering how you can help out others, just calling people to talk, on the phone or video chat can be such a source of comfort and connection for all of us fighting isolation.
I’ll offer one Torah thought for now. Before beginning the narrative of the building of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle), the Torah reminds us that we can work on six days, but that we should rest on the seventh day. With all the changes to our lives this past week, we may need to think proactively about what it means to experience Shabbat. We may need to work a little more during the week, if our week doesn’t look like it used to. And we made need to rest a little differently on Shabbat, since our regular Shabbat activities (meals with family and friends, shul, other activities) are likely disrupted.
For me, I’ve been particularly glued to my phone and computer, following news and social media, as well as having more video meetings than ever before. I will be particularly aware of the different way of being on Shabbat, of not using my phone or computer.
See you on Zoom, Rabbi Noah Arnow
Kol Rinah 829 N Hanley St. Louis, MO 63130 314.727.1747 kolrinahstl.org
MISSION: Create a welcoming community that embraces Torah, meaningful worship, lifelong learning, music, Israel, and tikkun olam, guided by the tenets of Conservative Judaism.
Phone: 314-727-1747