Shabbat Shalom and Happy Hanukkah from Rabbi Noah Arnow 12/11/2020
Dear Kol Rinah Family,
I don't think I realized how much I needed Hanukkah until I saw the candles burning last night. There was something joyful about de-waxing menorahs (chanukiyot, if you prefer), finding an enormous stash of candles, more dreydls than I remember us having (do they reproduce over the summer?), and laying down more foil than we use during Pesach.
The eight candles are nice at the end of Hanukkah, but that first candle is, for me, the start of everything, the tipping point between darkness and light.
It had been a week with some anxiety. Tuesday night, I'd felt a little feverish and my throat felt sore. So Wednesday morning we kept the kids home from school and Tammy and I went in for Covid tests. We had no known exposures; we'd been nowhere without masks, and barely anywhere with masks.
It was maybe just after the candles burned out last night that we got the negative results back.
The kids are happy to be back in school today; I'm happy to be typing this from the office, feeling healthy; and I'll be happy to be in shul tomorrow. And I'm also thinking of a congregant whose grandparent passed away this week from Covid, our various friends and family who are sick now, and all of us who are living with this anxiety.
Hanukkah doesn't banish problems; only darkness, and only for as long as the candles burn. But that's something.
As we think about what it means to own our Judaism more this year, with presence at synagogue and community events harder, here's a thoughtful article by Yehuda Kurtzer on how the Jewish community thinks about outreach and autonomy, in the context of Hanukkah. I'm curious to hear your reactions.
Last Shabbat, I gave the first part of a d'var Torah written by Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein, because I thought it was powerful, insightful Torah. Here's the full version to read. It's a little long, and very pointed, but worth it.
Today at noon I'll be teaching Torah Talk.
This afternoon at 3pm we'll have mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat, with Hanukkah candle lighting at the end.
I don't think I realized how much I needed Hanukkah until I saw the candles burning last night. There was something joyful about de-waxing menorahs (chanukiyot, if you prefer), finding an enormous stash of candles, more dreydls than I remember us having (do they reproduce over the summer?), and laying down more foil than we use during Pesach.
The eight candles are nice at the end of Hanukkah, but that first candle is, for me, the start of everything, the tipping point between darkness and light.
It had been a week with some anxiety. Tuesday night, I'd felt a little feverish and my throat felt sore. So Wednesday morning we kept the kids home from school and Tammy and I went in for Covid tests. We had no known exposures; we'd been nowhere without masks, and barely anywhere with masks.
It was maybe just after the candles burned out last night that we got the negative results back.
The kids are happy to be back in school today; I'm happy to be typing this from the office, feeling healthy; and I'll be happy to be in shul tomorrow. And I'm also thinking of a congregant whose grandparent passed away this week from Covid, our various friends and family who are sick now, and all of us who are living with this anxiety.
Hanukkah doesn't banish problems; only darkness, and only for as long as the candles burn. But that's something.
As we think about what it means to own our Judaism more this year, with presence at synagogue and community events harder, here's a thoughtful article by Yehuda Kurtzer on how the Jewish community thinks about outreach and autonomy, in the context of Hanukkah. I'm curious to hear your reactions.
Last Shabbat, I gave the first part of a d'var Torah written by Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein, because I thought it was powerful, insightful Torah. Here's the full version to read. It's a little long, and very pointed, but worth it.
Today at noon I'll be teaching Torah Talk.
This afternoon at 3pm we'll have mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat, with Hanukkah candle lighting at the end.
As a reminder, we light Hanukkah candles first, and then Shabbat candles.
Candle lighting is at 4:22, the earliest it gets.
Saturday morning we'll be streaming services from the Sanctuary, with Hallel for Hanukkah.
The readings are:
Genesis 38:1-30 (triennial section of Parashat Vayeshev)
Numbers 7:18-23 (special maftir/additional reading for Hanukkah)
Zechariah 2:13-4:7 (Haftarah for Shabbat Hanukkah)
Shabbat ends at 5:24pm.
Sunday at 3pm, Grace Cooperstein will be leading, on Zoom, donut baking.
It'll be a blast!
At 7pm Sunday will be the Brotherhood's Zoom Hanukkah party.
Monday night at 7:45pm is more cooking, this time for adults, with Jennifer Stempel. Link:
And Thursday night Kol Rinah is participating in Illumination, a national celebration of the last night Hanukkah, featuring Neshama Carlebach, and congregations for at least 48 states!
IllumiNation Livestream: https://youtu.be/DZkzkhrDTLc
Finally, next Friday at noon, I'll be teaching with Rabbi Janine Schloss of Shir Chadash (St. Louis's Reconstructionist congregation) on "Healing Lessons of Hanukkah." This will be in place of Torah Talk next week. To sign up (required), and for the other sessions in the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association's Hanukkah series, click here.
Shabbat shalom, happy Hanukkah, and see you on Zoom,
Rabbi Noah Arnow
ZOOM AND STREAMING LINKS
To join our Zoom Minyanim or classes, click on the desired meeting link, or call into either of the following numbers:
+1 312 626 6799
+1 646 558 8656
Then, when prompted, enter the Meeting ID of the desired minyan/class then press #. Then, when prompted, enter the password then press #.
Services (all times Central)
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Sunday-Thursday evenings at 6pm, Friday evening at 3pm
Morning Minyan on Zoom
Monday-Friday mornings at 7am; Sunday mornings and national holidays at 8am (not including Jewish holidays)
Learning Opportunities
Torah Talk with Rabbi Arnow or Rabbi Shafrin
Every Friday at 12pm (replaced by STLRCA learning on 12/18)
Join us for study and discussion of the week's Torah portion.
Shabbat morning
Saturdays, 9:30am
Click the link below, then click the triangular "play" buttom:
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Until shortly before 9:30am, there will a filler screen, but livestreamed video and sound will both start around 9:30am.
You can also set your computer or device in advance so that this link will continue streaming continuously and you will not have to press any buttons on Shabbat. To make sure that your device will not shut itself down or do into sleep mode, follow the directions below to disable sleep mode:
For PC:
To disable automatic Sleep:
1. Open up Power Options in the Control Panel. In Windows 10 you can get there from right clicking on the start menu and going to Power Options
2. Click "change plan settings" next to your current power plan
3. Change "Put the computer to sleep" to never
4. Click "Save Changes"
For Apple Products:
1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click "Energy Saver."
2. Do either of the following:
a. Set the amount of time your computer or display should wait before going to sleep: Drag the “Computer sleep” and “Display sleep” sliders, or the “Turn display off after” slider.
b. Keep your Mac from going to sleep automatically: Select “Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.”
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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