Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Arnow 9/2/2022
Dear Kol Rinah Family,
Rarely does anything go perfectly. Perfect games are among the rarest of baseball feats. So when things don't go perfectly, the question we should ask is not "why didn't they go perfectly," but rather, "how do we react to the imperfection?"
In looking back to my daughter Hallel's bat mitzvah last Shabbat, I have such gratitude and joy from the experience. I was and am so proud of Hallel. And it was so special to have so many friends and family members, as well as members of our Kol Rinah family, together with us, whether in person or watching the livestream.
As wonderful as the entire experience was, without going into detail, not everything went perfectly. What I admire perhaps most about Hallel, looking back at her bat mitzvah, is how she was able to move on from what wasn't perfect.
Moreover, it occurred to me that this week's Torah portion, Shofetim, which is especially about civil and criminal law, focuses on how to handle what we can call "sub-optimal" situations. What are the standards for witnesses in criminal trials? What happens when people decide they want a king? What happens when someone is killed outside a town and no one knows who did it?
While we might expect religion to focus on what we should do to be perfect, so much of it is rather focused on what to do when things don't go perfectly.
In this sense, Judaism is profoundly about us--flawed, imperfect humans trying to do the best we can in sub-optimal situations.
Today at noon on Zoom, in Torah Talk Rabbi Shafrin will be leading learning on what it meant to be a fair, competent judge in ancient Israel.
At 6pm, we'll have a shortened, First Fridays family-friendly service outside in the courtyard. Everyone is welcome, and we do say Kaddish and acknowledge mourners and yahrzeits, if you were curious.
Candle lighting is at 7:12pm.
Tomorrow morning we will have our musical Kol Chadash service, beginning at 9:30am in the sanctuary. Please bring your voice and spirit and join us!
Mincha will be at 7pm, and Shabbat ends at 8:09pm.
A couple of note about services for September:
1. Note that shacharit on Monday, September 5 (Labor Day) will be at 8am on Zoom.
2. Beginning September 10, we'll be moving the start of Saturday morning services back to 9:00am, as it used to be, in order to add back into the service a complete Pesukei D'Zimra (the verses of praise and psalms that begin the morning prayers) as well as a repetition of the Shacharit Amida, and Ashrei and Ein Keloheinu. Kol Chadash will continue to begin at 9:30am.
3. Yesterday (September 1), we had our first in-person weekday service since before Covid, followed by breakfast and learning. Thanks to Wendy Love Anderson for organizing! As a reminder, from now on, Thursday morning minyan will be in-person, and not on Zoom. Our other weekday minyanim will stay on Zoom. But Thursday mornings, we'll have the full service with Torah reading in the chapel starting at 7am, followed by a little breakfast and some learning.
Looking ahead to next week, the next two Wednesday evenings at 7pm (in person!) Rabbi Shafrin will be teaching on preparing for the High Holidays.
And next Friday night will be our last Friday night at Shaw Park for the year.
Shabbat shalom and see you in shul,
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 one hour before candle lighting
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.
Friday nights when in person and Shabbat mornings
Fridays, 6pm (no streaming if services are at Shaw Park or our courtyard)
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.”
Rarely does anything go perfectly. Perfect games are among the rarest of baseball feats. So when things don't go perfectly, the question we should ask is not "why didn't they go perfectly," but rather, "how do we react to the imperfection?"
In looking back to my daughter Hallel's bat mitzvah last Shabbat, I have such gratitude and joy from the experience. I was and am so proud of Hallel. And it was so special to have so many friends and family members, as well as members of our Kol Rinah family, together with us, whether in person or watching the livestream.
As wonderful as the entire experience was, without going into detail, not everything went perfectly. What I admire perhaps most about Hallel, looking back at her bat mitzvah, is how she was able to move on from what wasn't perfect.
Moreover, it occurred to me that this week's Torah portion, Shofetim, which is especially about civil and criminal law, focuses on how to handle what we can call "sub-optimal" situations. What are the standards for witnesses in criminal trials? What happens when people decide they want a king? What happens when someone is killed outside a town and no one knows who did it?
While we might expect religion to focus on what we should do to be perfect, so much of it is rather focused on what to do when things don't go perfectly.
In this sense, Judaism is profoundly about us--flawed, imperfect humans trying to do the best we can in sub-optimal situations.
Today at noon on Zoom, in Torah Talk Rabbi Shafrin will be leading learning on what it meant to be a fair, competent judge in ancient Israel.
At 6pm, we'll have a shortened, First Fridays family-friendly service outside in the courtyard. Everyone is welcome, and we do say Kaddish and acknowledge mourners and yahrzeits, if you were curious.
Candle lighting is at 7:12pm.
Tomorrow morning we will have our musical Kol Chadash service, beginning at 9:30am in the sanctuary. Please bring your voice and spirit and join us!
Mincha will be at 7pm, and Shabbat ends at 8:09pm.
A couple of note about services for September:
1. Note that shacharit on Monday, September 5 (Labor Day) will be at 8am on Zoom.
2. Beginning September 10, we'll be moving the start of Saturday morning services back to 9:00am, as it used to be, in order to add back into the service a complete Pesukei D'Zimra (the verses of praise and psalms that begin the morning prayers) as well as a repetition of the Shacharit Amida, and Ashrei and Ein Keloheinu. Kol Chadash will continue to begin at 9:30am.
3. Yesterday (September 1), we had our first in-person weekday service since before Covid, followed by breakfast and learning. Thanks to Wendy Love Anderson for organizing! As a reminder, from now on, Thursday morning minyan will be in-person, and not on Zoom. Our other weekday minyanim will stay on Zoom. But Thursday mornings, we'll have the full service with Torah reading in the chapel starting at 7am, followed by a little breakfast and some learning.
Looking ahead to next week, the next two Wednesday evenings at 7pm (in person!) Rabbi Shafrin will be teaching on preparing for the High Holidays.
And next Friday night will be our last Friday night at Shaw Park for the year.
Shabbat shalom and see you in shul,
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 one hour before candle lighting
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.
Friday nights when in person and Shabbat mornings
Fridays, 6pm (no streaming if services are at Shaw Park or our courtyard)
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.”
Wed, May 28 2025
1 Sivan 5785
MISSION: Create a welcoming community that embraces Torah, meaningful worship, lifelong learning, music, Israel, and tikkun olam, guided by the tenets of Conservative Judaism.
Find it at Kol Rinah
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Weekday Services
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.
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am – 3pm
Phone: 314-727-1747
Friday 9am – 3pm
Phone: 314-727-1747
Wed, May 28 2025 1 Sivan 5785