Dear Kol Rinah Family,
Mazal tov to Lily Friedman on her bat mitzvah last Shabbat! Mazal tov also to her parents Guy Friedman and Laura Horwitz, her brother Jonah, and her grandmother (our member) Debra Horwitz.
I don't think FDR really had this week's Torah portion in mind when he said, "All we have to fear is fear itself."
There's so much more to fear than fear itself in the curses that are enumerated in excruciating detail in Parashat Bechukotai, the last Torah portion in Leviticus. But one thing to fear is indeed fear: "As for those of you who survive, I will cast a faintness into their hearts in the land of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight. Fleeing as though from the sword, they shall fall though none pursues" (Lev. 26:36).
Faintness of heart implies a kind of delicateness or brittleness, an inability to be resilient or resolute. Imagine being jumpy enough to run away at the sound of a falling (or rustling) leaf.
The next verse explains a bit of the last clause, of falling though none pursues: "They will stumble over one another" (v. 37).
No one is coming to get them, but they will trample each other in their fearful fleeing.
How afraid are we, as Jews in America, now? Are we, are you, feeling delicate and brittle, or resilient and resolute?
When something innocuous happens, do we, do you, startle and run?
How much are we trampling our own people as we respond to and with fear?
We could ask these same questions about Israel, too.
To what extent do you think fear is driving Jews and Israelis now?
May we move from fear to confidence, from curses to blessings, as we enter Shabbat.
***
Tonight, we'll gather for Kabbalat Shabbat at 6pm. No instruments tonight. Candle lighting is at 8:02pm.
Tomorrow, services and Sisterhood Shabbat begin at 9am, followed by kiddush. Tot Shabbat will be at 10:45am.
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 9:08pm.
Sunday June 2 and June 9 on Zoom Verein is continuing with their learning on "Who Wrote the Bible." Register on the website to get the links.
Join us next Saturday, June 8 for services starting at 9am followed by kiddush as we bid farewell to Rabbis Tracy Nathan and Scott Slarskey. Rabbi Tracy and Reb Scott have been valued members of Kol Rinah, the St. Louis Jewish community, and most of all, the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. We'll send them off with blessings, gratitude and love as they leave St. Louis and embark on their next adventure. All are welcome.
(Reb Scott and Rabbi Tracy will be leading services, starting promptly at 9am. Words of Torah in their honor will be shared starting around 11am, and kiddush will be around 11:45am.)
Shavuot is coming the week after next, beginning the evening of Tuesday, June 11. We'll be joining with CRC and Bais Abe for our annual night of study (Tikkun Leil Shavuot) that evening at Bais Abe. The full Shavuot schedule is here.
Look out in June for Pride Month programming.
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