Dear Kol Rinah Family,
This is an intensely fraught moment, in Israel, in America, and in our Torah.
Torah first. (The Torah was created before the world, says one midrash.)
The Israelites have been enslaved, Moses has grown up, killed a taskmaster, fled and settled in Midian, met God at the burning bush, returned to Egypt and told Pharaoh to "Let my people go" (that they may celebrate a festival to God in the wilderness). Pharaoh has said no, and in retribution has made the Israelites make bricks without giving them straw. The people complain bitterly to Moses, cursing him, and Moses goes back to God, who promises that a might greater than Pharaoh will drive the Israelites from Egypt.
What was impossibly bad has become unthinkably worse; redemption has been promised but in no way glimpsed. The world is about to turn upside down, but no one can believe it; even Moses is a skeptic. It's an excruciating moment, for the characters of the Torah, and for us, the reader.
On Monday, America will have a new president. There is so much about what that will create that is unknown, so much we are all wondering about, with variable measures of fear, hope, and indifference. I, and maybe you too, am trying to figure out how to stay true to who I am, to my values and sense of who I am in the world, in a world that is changing rapidly, with a healthy dose of humility about my own certainties.
We know Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal. Yet there's so much we don't know. How many hostages are still alive? How are they? Does Hamas even know where they all are? What are Hamas and Israel's intentions about the next phases of the agreement?
And there's much I'm wondering. What will the long-term cost to Israel be in releasing prisoners in exchange for hostages? Will this make Israel safer? How will Hamas regroup? Will extremists on either side or both sides try to end the ceasefire? Will this bring a lasting peace, or will it just be temporary? What will the near and longer-term future of Gaza be? How many more civilians will die there?
For one vision of what some Israelis are yearning for, check out this article and the embedded video. It's a video generated with the help of AI envisioning peace in the Middle East. Even without subtitles, you'll catch the drift. Oh, and for you Swifties out there, she's part of the dream.
My values amidst the questions and hopes remain firm though. Human life. Security for Israel and for Palestinians. National self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians. I don't know what will bring about these qualities best, but I remain dedicated to them.
Uncertainty is so hard to sit with.
That's why I'm grateful for certainties. Shabbat, for me, is a certainty.
So, come join me to sit with our uncertainties in the certainty of Shabbat.
Candle lighting tonight is at 4:50pm
We'll have a musical, instrumental Kabbalat Shabbat at 6pm. We may even have a special guest, to make it extra musical, extra special!!!
Tomorrow morning we'll start at 9am. We'll be celebrating our outgoing board members, our current board members, and our new board members.
Cyndee Levy will lead Torah Talk at 10:10am.
Tot Shabbat with Karen Kern will be at 10:45am.
Kiddush will follow services.
I anticipate that this Shabbat we will begin changing our prayers for hostages in ways that accord with the changing situation. But they are not home yet, and have been in captivity for 469 days. May they all come home soon.
Our monthly Shabbat mincha will be at 3:50pm, followed by some food, some learning, ma'ariv and Havdalah.
Shabbat ends at 5:52pm.
Ongoing is be our Winter Clothing Drive. See here for a list of the items that are needed.
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