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Dear Kol Rinah Family,
מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹֽהָלֶ֖יךָ יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
כִּנְחָלִ֣ים נִטָּ֔יוּ כְּגַנֹּ֖ת עֲלֵ֣י נָהָ֑ר כַּֽאֲהָלִים֙ נָטַ֣ע יְי כַּֽאֲרָזִ֖ים עֲלֵי־מָֽיִם
The word of Bilaam came...: "How goodly are your tents, oh Jacob, your dwelling places, oh Israel! They are like stretching streams, like gardens along the river, like aloes planted by God, like cedars on the water." (Numbers 24:5-6)
Each morning, we recite these words found toward the end of the double portion of Chukat-Balak that we will read this Shabbat. He is describing the Jewish people by comparing them to things that were both rare and precious. In a word of arid wilderness, he describes the Jewish People as a source of water; in a place of scarcity, he describes them as flourishing; in a land of impermanence, he describes them as a ceder, the most durable of trees.
Our rabbis have long understood the praise from the prophet Bilaam to be not only a blessing on the dwellings of B'nai Yisrael laid out before him, but a commentary about the essence of Jewish community and a vision of our future. The goodly tents he observed became synagogues and schools, gathering places for our people's joys and sorrows; the dwelling places he gazed upon became homes of sacred ritual, loving experience, welcoming meals, and spiritual wholeness.
When I read these words that Bilaam saw fit to immortalize into sacred praise, I cannot help but think of our own sacred community, how good and how beautiful, how singular and precious it indeed has become. Not only do we have a gorgeous, spacious, artistic, and open physical space in which to gather, but we are continually finding new ways to open the walls of our tent and reach out to more people in deeper ways. I have spent so much of my life in Jewish community, and what we have created and built up here at Kol Rinah is truly something unique and precious.
I am so proud of everything that this community has done and will do together. As many of you may know, today is my last day working as a rabbi at Kol Rinah. It has been an immeasurable joy to serve this community and to be with you throughout these past seven years. While I am delighted to be remaining in St. Louis, and I look forward to continuing to see you all for Shabbat and holidays, at programs and community events, and to share the joys of this community as an active member, it will be different and I know that change is never really easy for any of us.
This is a wonderful community, one that I am so proud of. I know we have more to do, more exciting ideas to make real, more work to build relationships with one another, more ways to support each other and to build bridges across our community. But we can do anything that we, together, set our hearts and our hands to do.
Thank you for allowing me into your lives and for all that you have given me and my family. As we say, this is not goodbye but l'hitra'ot (להתראות), which means not farewell, but rather "until we see one another again." I look forward to seeing you all real soon, and to the wonderful future ahead for Kol Rinah.
Shabbat shalom and much love,
Rabbi Shafrin
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This Shabbat is a fantastic chance to get together, sing, pray, and also to beat the heat!
This Friday night Karen Kern, Will Sol, and I will all be leading Kabbalat Shabbat together at 6:00 pm in the Chapel! Come bring in Shabbat with us through joyous song and prayer.
Shabbat morning services will begin at 9:00am as usual. We will also be having our phenomenal Kol HaMishpacha Family Service led by the incomparable Karen Kern beginning at 10:45am in the Chapel! Come with kiddos, come to schmooze, come to start July with some family fun!
There will also be a lovely kiddush sponsored by the synagogue following services on Shabbat morning.
We will be NOT having Torah Talk this Shabbat. As a reminder, Torah Talk will no longer be meeting on Fridays, but will be an in-person Shabbat learning experience only.
We will not be meeting for services on Shabbat afternoon for mincha/ma'ariv this week.
Candle Lighting Friday evening is at 8:12 pm
Parshah: Chukat-Balak
Kol HaMishpacha Family Shabbat Service: 10:45 am
No Torah Talk
Torah Reading: Numbers 19:1 - 25:9
Haftarah: Micah 5:6 - 6:8
No Mincha/Maariv
Havdalah will be at 9:15 pm.
Kol tuv,
Rabbi Shafrin
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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 ( tinyurl.com/KR-EveningMinyan )
Sunday-Thursday evenings at 6pm
Morning Minyan on Zoom ( tinyurl.com/KR-MorningMinyan )
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 7am; Thursday mornings are in person only at Kol Rinah starting at 7:00 am. Sunday mornings and national holidays at 8am (not including Jewish holidays)
Learning Opportunities
Torah Talk with Rabbi Arnow or Rabbi Shafrin ( tinyurl.com/KR-TorahTalk )
Every Friday at 12pm
Join us for study and discussion of the week's Torah portion.
Kabbalat Shabbat/Shabbat morning
(https://www.kolrinahstl.org/kr-streaming)
Fridays at 6:00pm, Saturdays at 9:00am, as well as the first day, seventh and eighth days of Passover
Click the link below, then click the triangular "play" buttom:
https://www.kolrinahstl.org/kr-streaming
Until shortly before the service officially begins, there will a filler screen, but livestreamed video and sound will both start before the start of the service.
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.”
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Phone: 314-727-1747