Dear Kol Rinah Family,
After this election, some of us are despondent; others relieved. We are excited, sad, angry, terrified, resigned, hopeful. I understand all of these feelings.
I was feeling tired, exhausted.
Amidst all the post-election reflection, celebration, mourning, blaming, despairing, and glimmers of hope, there was one thing I saw someone write that was exactly what I need to hear.
ברוך אתה ה׳ אלוקינו מלך העולם הנותן ליעף כוח
Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who gives strength to the weary.
This is the last blessing of Birkot HaShachar, the morning blessings we say each day.
All of us who are weary, tired, exhausted--we are in need of strength.
And it's only looking back on my week that I think my prayer for strength was answered.
It's been a very busy week for me, mostly because of meetings with people interested in Kol Rinah and Jewish life--among them, a couple curious about having a baby naming, a couple looking for a synagogue, a family on the verge of joining the shul (they joined the next day), a person interested in conversion before a wedding, a person interested in conversion who's been married to someone Jewish for a long time.
There's nothing as a rabbi more energizing than people who are interested in and curious about Jewish life.
I had a productive meeting that resulted in some exciting plans for more learning to start happening at Kol Rinah.
It was great reporting to people about the outstanding success of our first potluck meal at Kol Rinah last Friday night (it was for KoREH families).
I spent two soul-filling hours singing with Rabbi Scott Shafrin, Will Soll and Karen Kern, preparing for Kol Chadash next Saturday (11/16).
And after about a six-week hiatus, I jogged twice this week.
All of this gave this weary rabbi strength these last few days.
There's so much in our lives and in our world that we cannot control, even despite our best efforts. There's so much about which we may despair, cry. There's so much that's exhausting.
I'm really looking forward to Shabbat. I'm looking forward to some good sleep, some good food, to reading a novel. I'm looking forward to singing through Kabbalat Shabbat, to Veterans Shabbat here tomorrow morning, and to teaching a little Torah in Torah Talk.
I know that this Shabbat will give me strength--and maybe it will give some strength to you too.
What are the things in your life that can give you strength at times when you are feeling weary and existentially tired? Maybe it's the basics--sleep, nourishing food, exercise. Maybe it's connecting with friends and loved ones, whether in person or via text, video call, or phone. Maybe it's service and giving. Giving tzedakah felt a little more meaningful this week.
Singing always gives me strength.
And being in community tends to strengthen us as well.
None of this will change the world today, or tomorrow. But it may give us the strength to labor and to love to continue to build the world we dream of.
Candle lighting tonight is at 4:34pm.
Join me to welcome Shabbat with Kabbat Shabbat at 6pm.
Tomorrow morning we'll begin at 9am. We'll observe Veterans Shabbat, and I'm grateful to Steve Keyser and Monroe Ginsberg for organizing Veterans Shabbat. Speaking at services tomorrow will be the inspiring veterans advocate Wayne Kaufman. I'll be leading Torah Talk at 10:10am, and it'll also be an Enchanting Shabbat, with some members of the congregation reading Torah.
Kiddush will follow, sponsored by the Faye Keyser Memorial Seudah Fund.
Shabbat ends at 5:33pm.
On Sunday (November 10) at 9:15am, Helen Turner, Director of Education at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, will be teaching at Kol Rinah on "Antisemitism, Social Media and Our Kids." This is open to the entire community, and especially is geared towards parents. Details here.
Saturday, November 16 at 9:30am we'll have our next Kol Chadash musical service.
And Sunday, November 17 is our second Hanukkah Pop-up Craft Fair!
And mark your calendars for Friday night November 22, when STAAM, Wash U's Jewish a cappella group, will be back, joining us for services at 6pm, followed by dinner and then a concert. Details and sign up here.
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, who have now been in captivity 399 days.
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