Dear Kol Rinah Family,
Mazal tov Samantha Mollett on her becoming a bat mitzvah last Shabbat. Mazal tov also to her parents, Becky and Chris Mollett, and her sister Madison.
This shabbat, we'll be celebrating the bat mitzvah of Lily Friedman. Mazal tov to Lily, her parents Guy Friedman and Laura Horwitz, her brother Jonah, and her grandmother (our member) Debra Horwitz.
More to come about the weekend and events below, but first a little Torah.
The Torah this week in Parashat Behar (basically Leviticus 25) gives us what may feel like a double whammy.
First, it permits servitude, or slavery. Second, it sets up different rules and standards for what that looks like for Israelites and non-Israelites--Israelites can only be indentured servants who can go free in in the Jubilee year (every 50 years). Non-Israelites can just be "regular" slaves.
If this sounds upsetting based on some of the values you already know infuse the Torah, then you're in good company.
As Rabbi Shai Held's recent podcast suggests, the idea of slavery even in the Torah is already a source of discomfort. The book of Deuteronomy already revises some of these rules of slavery, as does the rabbinic tradition. In this sense, the Torah is a book (or a set of ideas) at odds with itself. It doesn't live up to its own values, and it's the work of the subsequent generations and tradition to reconcile these contradictions and to construct a way of living consistent with what contemporary people (in each generation) see as the Torah's values. This is so much of what modern Jewish life has been about.
As for differentiating between Israelites and non-Israelites, on the one hand the Torah makes clear distinctions about our responsibilties towards different people. On the other hand, the Torah makes clear both that we do have responsibilities towards non-Israelites, and that God is the creator not just of Israelites, but of all people, and that every human is created in God's image.
As Rabbi Shai Held puts it elsewhere, we we are to care in concentric circles. The closer in (i.e. family), the more we care about and care for. The further out in those concentric circles (people in other countries, let's say), it becomes less caring "for" and more caring "about."
One way of seeing current conflicts between Jews about Israel, Gaza (and more) is about how we balance and think about caring for and about those closest to us, versus caring about those further from us. Who is close to us, and who is further? What does it mean to care about? What does it mean to care for? Is caring about others ever irreconcilable with caring for your own?
Torah can animate a wide range of types of caring for a wide range of people.
I'd say generally though that we need to find a balance--if you find yourself caring only for non-Jews, I'd suggest thinking about what it might mean to care a bit more about and for your own people. And if you find yourself only caring for and about your own people, for Jews, what could it look like to care actively about other people(s) too?
If you feel like this is not the time to focus on "us," or it's not the time to focus on "them," I can't help but think that in general, Jewish tradition is there not to urge us to do what's most natural and easy, but to challenge us precisely when things are the hardest to be the best versions of ourselves we can be, to remember to balance even when balancing seems wrong. So whatever your instinct is right now, follow it, but don't ignore it's opposite.
The two most recent episodes of the Shalom Hartman Institute's "For Heaven's Sake" podcast with Rabbi Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi have been especially good. This one was on the relationship between Israel and America. And this one was about the moral crisis facing Zionism in Israel. I recommend both.
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Tonight, we'll gather for Kabbalat Shabbat at 6pm. No instruments tonight. Candle lighting is at 7:57pm.
Tomorrow, services (and Lily's bat mitzvah) begin at 9am, followed by kiddush.
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 9:02pm.
Sunday is Lag B'Omer. Our annual gathering at Shaw Park is scheduled for 5-7pm.
The weather is looking a bit iffy for Sunday; keep an eye on your email and texts for updates about whether we move the event inside to the synagogue.
Next Shabbat (June 1) is Sisterhood Shabbat. And Sunday June 2 and June 9 Verein is continuing with their learning on "Who Wrote the Bible." Details on the website!
Look out in June for Pride Month programming.
Our shinshinit Or Garti put together beautiful displays for Yom HaZikaron (in our memorial alcove) and Yom HaAtzmaut (on the KoREH bulletin board). They're still up for a few more days--check them out!
Also, if you'd ever think about being a host family for a shinshin, here are the details, with info about how to apply.
One other request for a longterm host:
Youth For Understanding is seeking a home for Hillel, a 16-year old Jewish student, born in Israel and now residing in Germany. He received a merit scholarship from the German government to spend the 2024-2025 school year in the United States and has been placed in St. Louis. He is bilingual, enjoys playing soccer, drawing and painting, cooking and attending sporting events.
The coordinator for the program, Stephen Rutherford, can provide you with a letter of introduction from Hillel and his mother, and more information about the Youth for Understanding program. He can be reached at stephen.rutherford.un@gmail.com.
For more and collected Israel information, see this page on our website, as well as the Jewish Federation of St. Louis's Israel Resources page.
Every Shabbat and festival morning, we are still reciting a prayer for the State of Israel, a prayer for Israel Defense Forces soldiers, and a prayer for hostages.
May the one who makes peace in the heavens make peace over us, and over all Israel, and over all who dwell in the world.
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)
Morning Minyan on Zoom
Monday-Wednesday and Friday mornings at 7am; Sunday mornings and national holidays at 8am (not including Jewish holidays)
(Please note that Thursday morning minyan is now being held in-person at 7am (8am on national holidays) and is not on Zoom)
Friday nights and Shabbat mornings
Fridays, 6pm in the chapel (no streaming)
Saturdays, 9:00am (9:30am when we are doing our musical Kol Chadash service)
Click the link below, for the stream, as well as for additional instructions:
https://www.kolrinahstl.org/kr-streaming
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Phone: 314-727-1747