Shabbat Shalom and Happy Independence Day 7/3/2020
Dear Kol Rinah Family,
As we come into this Shabbat, many of us find ourselves in an odd position. On the one hand, this weekend celebrates America's Independence Day, a day typically full of gathering with friends and family, reflecting on our love of country and bonds of community, and crowding in parks, beaches, and city centers to watch our local fireworks displays. On the other hand, the necessary safety precautions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic mean that such gatherings are dangerous for ourselves and those around us. On top of everything, issues of who has a voice in American life and politics, who has access to the American dream, and how we put our shared values into real practice have come up in new and powerful ways. It puts the idea of what it means to live in this country, to be an active and engaged member of the public, to the test in ways we have not seen in a generation.
While some of us may feel saddened by yet another holiday spent under quarantine, I believe this is a powerful time for us to re-establish our own values and commit to living them out in the weeks, months, and years ahead. We are supposed to be the land of the free; see what you can do to help reform our woefully inadequte and unfair justice system. We are supposed to be the home of the brave; take a stand for change and for justice for all, even for those who look, sound, believe, or live differently than you. We are supposed to be the world's largest democracy; speak up and make sure that every person has a voice, that they can access voting in their community reasonably and without restriction, so that those in power are truly accountable to those whom they serve.
This Independence Day, let justice ring.
We continue to have many fantastic ways to connect throughout our Kol Rinah community. All the links for minyanim, programs, and learning opportunities can be found below.
This afternoon, at 12:00 pm, Rabbi Arnow will be leading his weekly Torah Talk. Tonight, mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat begin at 6:00 pm. Candle lighting this evening begins Shabbat tonight at 8:11pm. Havdallah on Saturday night will be at 9:14 pm.
On Sunday, July 5 we have two amazing programs. Our own Melissa Bellows will continue leading a Havdallah program and gathering for families beginning at 10:00 AM. It has been an amazing community building slice of fun for all and we hope you can attend.
Click Here To Register
In addition, at 11:30 am, we will also be holding an incredible program to learn about one of the critical issues coming up on the August 2nd ballot. The Missouri Legislature has proposed a constitutional ammendment which would negate the Clean Missouri Ammendment passed in 2018 by a 2-1 majority of voters in order to curb lobbyist power and stop the severe gerrymandering of voting districts.
Learn about this newest effort and how you can use your voice (and your vote) to help positively impact our state. Sean Soendker Nicholson, who helped build a coalition for transparancy in government here in Missouri will bring insight and experience to help us understand the fundamentals of this important issue.
And now, for a little Torah...
One of the most positive habits I have picked up these last few months is to broaden my reading, both Jewishly and otherwise, and I have come across some truly wonderful insights, some from writers and thinkers I know and love, and others from people who I hadn't encountered before.
In that vein, I hope you enjoy this insightful look by Lila Corwin Berman, a brilliant writer and teacher and a Professor of History at Temple Universiy. She delves deeply into what Parashat Hukkat-Balak can illuminate for us as we individually and globally wrestle with our roles in combating systematic injustice in our world:
https://www.truah.org/resources/lila-corwin-berman-chukat-balak-torah2020/
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Shafrin
As we come into this Shabbat, many of us find ourselves in an odd position. On the one hand, this weekend celebrates America's Independence Day, a day typically full of gathering with friends and family, reflecting on our love of country and bonds of community, and crowding in parks, beaches, and city centers to watch our local fireworks displays. On the other hand, the necessary safety precautions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic mean that such gatherings are dangerous for ourselves and those around us. On top of everything, issues of who has a voice in American life and politics, who has access to the American dream, and how we put our shared values into real practice have come up in new and powerful ways. It puts the idea of what it means to live in this country, to be an active and engaged member of the public, to the test in ways we have not seen in a generation.
While some of us may feel saddened by yet another holiday spent under quarantine, I believe this is a powerful time for us to re-establish our own values and commit to living them out in the weeks, months, and years ahead. We are supposed to be the land of the free; see what you can do to help reform our woefully inadequte and unfair justice system. We are supposed to be the home of the brave; take a stand for change and for justice for all, even for those who look, sound, believe, or live differently than you. We are supposed to be the world's largest democracy; speak up and make sure that every person has a voice, that they can access voting in their community reasonably and without restriction, so that those in power are truly accountable to those whom they serve.
This Independence Day, let justice ring.
We continue to have many fantastic ways to connect throughout our Kol Rinah community. All the links for minyanim, programs, and learning opportunities can be found below.
This afternoon, at 12:00 pm, Rabbi Arnow will be leading his weekly Torah Talk. Tonight, mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat begin at 6:00 pm. Candle lighting this evening begins Shabbat tonight at 8:11pm. Havdallah on Saturday night will be at 9:14 pm.
On Sunday, July 5 we have two amazing programs. Our own Melissa Bellows will continue leading a Havdallah program and gathering for families beginning at 10:00 AM. It has been an amazing community building slice of fun for all and we hope you can attend.
Click Here To Register
In addition, at 11:30 am, we will also be holding an incredible program to learn about one of the critical issues coming up on the August 2nd ballot. The Missouri Legislature has proposed a constitutional ammendment which would negate the Clean Missouri Ammendment passed in 2018 by a 2-1 majority of voters in order to curb lobbyist power and stop the severe gerrymandering of voting districts.
Learn about this newest effort and how you can use your voice (and your vote) to help positively impact our state. Sean Soendker Nicholson, who helped build a coalition for transparancy in government here in Missouri will bring insight and experience to help us understand the fundamentals of this important issue.
And now, for a little Torah...
One of the most positive habits I have picked up these last few months is to broaden my reading, both Jewishly and otherwise, and I have come across some truly wonderful insights, some from writers and thinkers I know and love, and others from people who I hadn't encountered before.
In that vein, I hope you enjoy this insightful look by Lila Corwin Berman, a brilliant writer and teacher and a Professor of History at Temple Universiy. She delves deeply into what Parashat Hukkat-Balak can illuminate for us as we individually and globally wrestle with our roles in combating systematic injustice in our world:
https://www.truah.org/resources/lila-corwin-berman-chukat-balak-torah2020/
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Shafrin
Thu, April 25 2024
17 Nisan 5784
MISSION: Create a welcoming community that embraces Torah, meaningful worship, lifelong learning, music, Israel, and tikkun olam, guided by the tenets of Conservative Judaism.
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Phone: 314-727-1747
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Phone: 314-727-1747
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Thu, April 25 2024 17 Nisan 5784