Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Arnow with important info 8/27/2021
Dear Kol Rinah Family,
There's lots happening, so read to the bottom today!
All the High Holiday info you need is on our website. If you are planning on coming for the High Holidays in person, please make sure you both RSVP here and submit proof of either Covid vaccination a negative Covid test here within thirty-six hours of the beginning of the holiday.
Last Saturday, I gave a sermon that was written by Rabbi Norman Lamm, who was for many years the president of Yeshiva University. The sermon was written in August 1963, and is entitled "The Religious Foundation of Business," although it also touches on racism, and the legacy of slavery. You can (and should!) read it here. My friend and colleague Rabbi Joshua Gutoff brought it to my attention as I was preparing last week to testify in Jefferson City this past Monday.
Jefferson City, at least around the Capitol appeared hot, beautiful, stately, and pretty empty this past Monday. The hearing room in the capitol building, which we were some of the first people to arrive in, slowly filled up to (a reduced Covid) capacity, media arrived, and there was finally a little buzz, a little energy.
I was there to testify at an informational hearing of the Joint Committee on Education. The topic was the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in K-12 schools. It was the second hearing this summer; the first heard from people who advocated banning the teaching of CRT, and this week's was people who were testifying against such legislation.
JCRC is part of a coalition fighting against such legislation, and I was honored when Cheryl Adelstein, JCRC's Deputy Director, reached out to me to ask me to testify. I'm grateful to Cheryl for her help in providing with me resources on the issue, and for making sure the entire experience went smoothly--I felt like I was in very good hands! It was also so nice to be testifying with two friends and Kol Rinah members, Karen Aroesty, who led the Heartland Region of the Anti-Defamation League for many years until this past Spring, and Dee Dee Simon, the chair of Missouri's Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission.
You can watch the full hearing, and see all the speakers, including Karen Aroesty, Dee Dee Simon and me here.
I was impressed that there was some back-and-forth between people testifying and several legislators, and that everyone was polite and respectful. I was relieved to hear legislators say that they did not intend to propose legislation that would prevent the teaching of the Holocaust. I left the hearing wondering though, what kind of legislation, if any, they actually do want to propose, and if this hearing really was just informational.
As a rabbi, I'm used to speaking at Jewish events and interfaith events, but rarely at political or governmental events. I chose to speak from a religious perspective at this hearing because that *is* the voice I bring to any table at which I sit, and because I knew that many of the legislators are themselves people of deep faith whose faith inspires and guides them in their legislative priorities, and in the way they see the world. As much as I embrace a separation between church and state, this was a moment when I was aware of the intersection of Judeo-Christian values (if we can speak of such things), and American values, and so I tried to connect them in my testimony.
Finally, I was deeply aware of the choice we sometimes have to either speak passionately in ways that inspire those who agree with us, while not convincing anyone else, or to speak more moderately than we feel, but in ways we anticipate may possibly be able to be heard by those we are trying to convince. For the record, I chose the latter.
I hope this is the last we hear of this issue, but I'm not optimistic.
Today at noon, Rabbi Shafrin will be teaching Torah Talk on Zoom:
Tonight at 6pm we'll have mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat on Zoom:
Candle lighting is at 7:21pm.
Tomorrow morning services are 9:30am, and we will celebrate the bat mitzvah of Naomi Zaidman. Mazal tov to Naomi, her parens Craig and Amy, and her older siblings Hannah and Toby!
The livestream link is below.
This week we read Parashat Ki Tavo:
Deuteronomy 26:12-28:6
Haftarah - Isaiah 60:1-22
Mincha and maariv Saturday evening will be at 7:15pm. Shabbat ends at 8:18pm. Starting at 8:30pm we'll have havdalah, and then Selichot, the first service that leads up to the High Holidays. Please join us!
A special thank you to Rabbi Mark Fasman, one of Kol Rinah's rabbi emiriti, for his teaching this past Wednesday in the third session of our classes preparing for Elul. This Monday at noon Hazzan Joanna Dulkin will be teaching, and Wednesday night at 8pm I'll be concluding the series. Registration and all the details are here: https://www.kolrinahstl.org/elul-hh-prep
Shabbat shalom, and see you soon,
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)
Evening Minyan on Zoom
Sunday-Thursday evenings at 6pm (but not on Jewish holidays)
Friday evenings when not in person
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
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:
tinyurl.com/KR-Streaming
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.”
There's lots happening, so read to the bottom today!
All the High Holiday info you need is on our website. If you are planning on coming for the High Holidays in person, please make sure you both RSVP here and submit proof of either Covid vaccination a negative Covid test here within thirty-six hours of the beginning of the holiday.
Last Saturday, I gave a sermon that was written by Rabbi Norman Lamm, who was for many years the president of Yeshiva University. The sermon was written in August 1963, and is entitled "The Religious Foundation of Business," although it also touches on racism, and the legacy of slavery. You can (and should!) read it here. My friend and colleague Rabbi Joshua Gutoff brought it to my attention as I was preparing last week to testify in Jefferson City this past Monday.
Jefferson City, at least around the Capitol appeared hot, beautiful, stately, and pretty empty this past Monday. The hearing room in the capitol building, which we were some of the first people to arrive in, slowly filled up to (a reduced Covid) capacity, media arrived, and there was finally a little buzz, a little energy.
I was there to testify at an informational hearing of the Joint Committee on Education. The topic was the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in K-12 schools. It was the second hearing this summer; the first heard from people who advocated banning the teaching of CRT, and this week's was people who were testifying against such legislation.
JCRC is part of a coalition fighting against such legislation, and I was honored when Cheryl Adelstein, JCRC's Deputy Director, reached out to me to ask me to testify. I'm grateful to Cheryl for her help in providing with me resources on the issue, and for making sure the entire experience went smoothly--I felt like I was in very good hands! It was also so nice to be testifying with two friends and Kol Rinah members, Karen Aroesty, who led the Heartland Region of the Anti-Defamation League for many years until this past Spring, and Dee Dee Simon, the chair of Missouri's Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission.
You can watch the full hearing, and see all the speakers, including Karen Aroesty, Dee Dee Simon and me here.
I was impressed that there was some back-and-forth between people testifying and several legislators, and that everyone was polite and respectful. I was relieved to hear legislators say that they did not intend to propose legislation that would prevent the teaching of the Holocaust. I left the hearing wondering though, what kind of legislation, if any, they actually do want to propose, and if this hearing really was just informational.
As a rabbi, I'm used to speaking at Jewish events and interfaith events, but rarely at political or governmental events. I chose to speak from a religious perspective at this hearing because that *is* the voice I bring to any table at which I sit, and because I knew that many of the legislators are themselves people of deep faith whose faith inspires and guides them in their legislative priorities, and in the way they see the world. As much as I embrace a separation between church and state, this was a moment when I was aware of the intersection of Judeo-Christian values (if we can speak of such things), and American values, and so I tried to connect them in my testimony.
Finally, I was deeply aware of the choice we sometimes have to either speak passionately in ways that inspire those who agree with us, while not convincing anyone else, or to speak more moderately than we feel, but in ways we anticipate may possibly be able to be heard by those we are trying to convince. For the record, I chose the latter.
I hope this is the last we hear of this issue, but I'm not optimistic.
Today at noon, Rabbi Shafrin will be teaching Torah Talk on Zoom:
Tonight at 6pm we'll have mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat on Zoom:
Candle lighting is at 7:21pm.
Tomorrow morning services are 9:30am, and we will celebrate the bat mitzvah of Naomi Zaidman. Mazal tov to Naomi, her parens Craig and Amy, and her older siblings Hannah and Toby!
The livestream link is below.
This week we read Parashat Ki Tavo:
Deuteronomy 26:12-28:6
Haftarah - Isaiah 60:1-22
Mincha and maariv Saturday evening will be at 7:15pm. Shabbat ends at 8:18pm. Starting at 8:30pm we'll have havdalah, and then Selichot, the first service that leads up to the High Holidays. Please join us!
A special thank you to Rabbi Mark Fasman, one of Kol Rinah's rabbi emiriti, for his teaching this past Wednesday in the third session of our classes preparing for Elul. This Monday at noon Hazzan Joanna Dulkin will be teaching, and Wednesday night at 8pm I'll be concluding the series. Registration and all the details are here: https://www.kolrinahstl.org/
Shabbat shalom, and see you soon,
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)
Evening Minyan on Zoom
Sunday-Thursday evenings at 6pm (but not on Jewish holidays)
Friday evenings when not in person
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
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:
tinyurl.com/KR-Streaming
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.”
Fri, April 26 2024
18 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.
Calendar & Services
Weekday minyans on Zoom:
Mornings- M, T, W, F 7am & Sun 8am.
Evenings- Sun-Th 6pm.
Log in to view the Zoom Links page.
Thursday mornings 7am are in-person only.
Shabbat services in-person, streaming.
To stream kolrinahstl.org/kr-streaming
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am – 3pm
Phone: 314-727-1747
Friday 9am – 3pm
Phone: 314-727-1747
Find it at Kol Rinah
Shavua Tov
Contribute to a Shabbat Kiddush
Celebrate life-cycle events or honor a loved one. A Shabbat Kiddush is a beautiful way of sharing a moment with the community!
Want to sponsor a specific Kiddush? Contact Barbara Shamir,
Event Request
FAQ's
Fri, April 26 2024 18 Nisan 5784