Last Friday morning, I was thinking a lot about the antisemitic and racist graffiti found earlier last week at Glenridge Elementary School in Clayton.
It's an understatement to say a lot has happened since then.
Just a couple of hours after I got my email out to you last Friday, a tornado touched down maybe half a mile south of the synagogue, wreaking a widening path of destruction as it went east and then north/northeast. Members of our community are still recovering, and there are other communities in St. Louis that are staring at vastly greater devastation than we saw in Clayton.
Monday afternoon, my father-in-law, Marshall Reiss, of blessed memory, died. The funeral was Wednesday and our home has been a shiva house since then.
And then, Wednesday night, Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, a young couple with plans to become engaged who work at the Israeli embassy in Washington DC were murdered by someone who yelled, "Free, free Palestine."
The tornado was a disaster for our local community. My father-in-law's death was a loss for Tammy, her aunt, and our whole family. The murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky is a shock and tragedy for their families and the concentric circles around them, including the Washington DC Jewish community, and also us. It was a national tragedy.
I'm proud of the way Kol Rinah was able to respond to the tornado, by offering our building as a gathering space for Clayton fifth graders, as well as a place for those without power to come and work and be.
I'm so grateful for the ways the Kol Rinah community has supported and continues to support Tammy and my family during our own personal loss, as our community has done for so many others.
One way we respond is by being together, in Jewish spaces, with Jewish community. Come to shul tonight at 6pm (no instruments), and tomorrow morning. We will call to mind the memories of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky.
Another way we respond is to ensure that we are as safe as we can be. We are in regular communication with Scott Biondo, the Security Director for the St. Louis Jewish Community, and with our friends at the Clayton Police Department. We are so grateful to them for their efforts to keep us safe.
And a third way we respond is to celebrate simchas (happy occasions) even amidst anxiety and mourning.
This Shabbat morning, we'll celebrate the bar mitzvah of Liam Hogan. Mazal tov to him, and to his parents Laura and Will Hogan!
Tonight, candle lighting is at 7:57pm, and Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 9:02pm.
This Sunday May 25 at 4pm will feature an in-person 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!
Shavuot is coming up Sunday night June 1, and the annual community Tikkun Leil Shavuot (late night of study) with Bais Abe and CRC will be here at Kol Rinah this year. We're going to have a great lineup of learning, and this is one of my favorite nights of the whole year. Check out the website for all the details and to sign up for dinner.
We don't know what the future will hold for the remaining hostages, who have been in captivity in Gaza now for 595 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
MISSION: Create a welcoming community that embraces Torah, meaningful worship, lifelong learning, music, Israel, and tikkun olam, guided by the tenets of Conservative Judaism.
Phone: 314-727-1747