Dear Kol Rinah Family,
Earlier this week, it was reported that there was antisemitic and racist graffiti found at Glenridge Elementary School, here in Clayton. The perpetrators, minors, have been caught and charged.
I've spoken to some of you about this; we have a number of families that are part of the Glenridge community, and many more that are part of the Clayton School District.
These kinds of incidents are deeply upsetting in ways both simple and deeply complicated. These words and images, whatever they are, whoever did them, are offensive, scary and really upsetting. Those reactions are real and make sense. That's the simplest level.
I feel better knowing that the people (kids, as it turns out) who did this were caught and caught quickly, and that this crime is being taken seriously, as a crime, by all involved.
Second, the idea of antisemitic and racist graffiti being done in our own community makes us wonder if we should feel less safe than (however safe) we do feel. How much of an anomaly is this? Is this an isolated incident of kids doing something dumb or an indication, a manifestation, of a wider-spread problem? These questions raise our anxiety level.
Third, at moments like these, we may find ourselves highly attuned and sensitive to the ways our community responds. Does it blow off the whole thing as nothing? Does it take it seriously but not acknowledge the ways it has affected us emotionally? How seriously does it take the question of to what extent this is an isolated incident versus an indication of a wider-spread issue?
We don't want this ignored. We want it addressed seriously, thoughtfully, honestly and directly.
Frankly, I doubt that anything could give one hundred percent certainty of eliminating the chances of kids doing dumb things. So in some sense, any response in schools or the district will be educational, emotional and symbolic, and may reduce the chances of something like this happening again, but they can't guarantee it.
What meaningful responses do accomplish though is helping those feeling more vulnerable now to feel and to know that they are supported and seen and cared about by those who are less vulnerable, and by the wider community. Meaningful responses isolate these kinds of incidents and make clear they are anomalies, and not symptoms of something wider.
I don't know exactly what the right and needed meaningful responses are. Our friends at organizations like the ADL and the JCRC, as well as all of you who are touched by this directly may have suggestions about what's needed, and I encourage everyone to make their voices heard to those in positions of leadership, both in the district and at the schools your kids attend.
And maybe it's obvious, but leadership in this moment is hard. What to do at the end of a school year in a massive bureaucracy with many, many different constituencies is not easy to figure out. What should the balance be between doing things to respond that are symbolic versus deep and/or practical, between quick and soon and longer-term with a slower-rollout and more planning? What is enough? What is too much?
It's also important to recognize that we do not all react in the same ways to these events, and we may have different needs for responses. What might be just right for one person or one family might be too much or not enough for another.
Amidst all this, we (or at least I) don't want our fear of antisemitism weaponized or exaggerated in ways that will erode our democracy, damage our public schools, chip away at our First Amendment rights, or chill free speech. I also don't want our or any responses to this to focus so much on the Jewish and antisemitic parts of this to the exclusion of whatever the racist content was that I'm sure is deeply upsetting and scary to the Black community in Clayton.
This is a time to lean into allyship.
Where's the Torah in all of this?
This week's Torah portion, Emor, towards the end of Leviticus, switches audiences frequently. It starts by giving rules for and about priests (kohanim)--who they can marry, for what circumstances they should become ritually impure, what defects disqualify kohanim from serving. It gives them lots of directions about what sacrifices are acceptable and what defects disqualify animals from being sacrificed.
Then, directed towards everyone, it recounts all the holidays--giving a kind of calendar including notable observances (unleavened bread, counting seven weeks, loud blasts, self-denial--you can figure out which goes with which holiday).
The parashah ends with the story of someone who blasphemes God while in a fight. Moses asks God what to do and God declares that the person is to be stoned, and they are. The story is complicated by the fact that the perpetator has an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father--they are in some ways on the margins of the community.
It's hard for us who are not kohanim among the ancient Israelites to understand how those priests felt about their responsibilities--we who are not in that community can't understand the complexity and range of feelings about laws for priests. We can guess, and we can say how we in that position might feel, or how we do feel. We may be indirectly affected, but it's hard for us to really grasp and know how they felt.
This particular recounting of the holidays is a popular version--and not super necessary, because much of the information is already given elsewhere. Is it "performative," or really needed?
The story of the blasphemer requires an appeal to divinity to figure out how to solve it, and brings into relief the complicated and multiple identities people have, and also results in a pretty stark, uncompromising outcome.
This is all to say that these kinds of questions, these themes, of what different audiences need, of how people are affected differently, of complicated, hyphenated identities, of how to punish acts outside the norms of the community are not new, and are hard. Really hard.
And I'm sure even in all the words I've written above that there are important pieces and nuances I'm missing, that maybe I've gotten wrong. What are they? Let me know--I do want to understand this all more and better, so help me!
If you or anyone you know would like to talk and process any of this with me, please be in touch.
Sunday morning from 9-9:15am, while KoREH does havdalah, Clayton parents who are interested are welcome to join me to gather. We won't have long, but just to be together for a few minutes could be nice.
Sometimes also, after these kinds of things, being together in Jewish community can be especially comforting and reassuring.
We had a lovely Lag Ba'Omer gathering yesterday afternoon at Shaw Park--thanks to all who came and all who helped!
Looking back to last Shabbat, mazal tov to Amalia Padoa Schioppa on becoming a bat mitzvah!. Mazal tov also to her parents, Camillo Padoa Schioppa & Lori Markson, as well as to Amalia's brother Alessandro.
Mazal tov as well to Ezra Pollack, who became a bar mitzvah last Shabbat at Bais Abe! Mazal tov too to his parents, Isaac and Holly, and to his sibilngs, Nisa, Micah and Ayla.
One more mazal tov--to all of our graduating pre-K graduates from our Starfish class at the Monica Lynne Neidorff Early Childhood Center today! It was great celebrating with you and your families.
This week, I listened with interest to Yehuda Kurtzer's Identity/Crisis podcast, where he gives a bit of a travelog of his couple of weeks in Omaha, Nebraska, and his reflections on the Jewish community there. It's interesting to hear and to reflect on what's similar to St. Louis, and what feels different.
We'll gather in the chapel at 6pm tonight for Kabbalat Shabbat and ma'ariv (no instruments).
Candle lighting is at 7:51pm.
Tomorrow morning starting at 9:30am (not 9am!), we'll have our musical Kol Chadash service. Much of the music we do for that service you can listen to here. There will be a light kiddush following services.
We'll have Shabbat mincha for the first time in a couple of months this Saturday afternoon at 6:50pm, followed by some food, some learning, ma'ariv and havdalah.
Shabbat ends at 8:55pm.
Sunday morning, we'll have our KoREH Siyyum, or end-of-year ceremony, and registration for next school year is live!
There are some great learning opportunities coming up too. Verein is leading a series on "What Do Jews believe?" starting this Sunday, May 18 at 4pm on Zoom.
Monday evening, May 19 at 7pm, Myles Rosenblum, who grew up at Kol Rinah, will be speaking at the J. Myles has served in the IDF the last almost two years, and will be speaking about his experiences. Details are here, and signup (required) is here.
May 25 will feature a program by Rabbi James Stone Goodman and Will Soll on the music of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. This is a great way to get excited for Neshama Carlebach's visit to Kol Rinah for Summerfest in August!
Check out our website for all our programming.
We don't know what the future will hold for the remaining hostages, who have been in captivity in Gaza now for 588 days. May they all come home soon.
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