Dear Kol Rinah Family,
The grass, the leaves, everything, looks so green here in St. Louis this morning. The sky is deep blue.
Why, you might ask, is Rabbi Arnow writing about the weather?
I'm writing about it because I noticed it and because I was struck by it this morning. Amidst congregants I know in the hospital. Amidst an ongoing war in Gaza. Amidst the daily economic, political and governmental turbulences in our own country. Amidst the continued cleanup and recovery from the tornado. Amidst my own family's emergence from shiva this week. Amidst graduation preparations and festivities. Amidst bat mitzvah celebrations. Amidst Shavuot preparations.
There's an impossible amount for each of us to hold in any given moment--everything with us, with our families, our friends, our community, our people, our nation, our world.
Shavuot commemorates the beginning of the wheat harvest and bringing of the first fruits to the Temple, as well as the receiving of the Torah. Shavuot's twin commemorations, the agricultural and the religious/historical, remind me this year that we are called to attend to and pay attention to both the physical and the spiritual, the natural world and the human world, the anxious and the joyous, this anxiety and that anxiety, this joy and that joy, my sorrow, your sorrow and their sorrow.
As we enjoy today's verdancy (verdantness?), we also have in mind so much else, so many others. And as we celebrate on Shavuot receiving Torah by studying Torah, learning Torah, reading Torah, hearing Torah, creating Torah, we will have in mind so much more too, not least of which will be our precious, beautiful, fragile physical world and physical bodies.
I was deeply moved by Claire Sufrin's reflection on hope and building family, after the murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. I know Claire just a little, and her husband Michael a little better and for 25 years now.
For two complementary views of the current situation in Israel, I highly recommend two Shalom Hartman Institute podcasts.
Rabbi Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dig into Israel as a nation that more and more dwells alone this week.
Yehuda Kurtzer talks with the amazing Tal Becker about whether the current war in Gaza is still worth it, in a really useful conversation.
There's a lot happening this weekend and in the coming weeks. Here's an attempt at a rundown.
First, here's the St. Louis Eruv Update:
The Eruv is up, BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, FOREST PARK PARKWAY, FROM SKINKER BLVD. TO HWY. 170, IS THE NEW TEMPORARY SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE ERUV .
THIS MEANS THAT EVERYTHING SOUTH OF FOREST PARK PARKWAY IS CURRENTLY OUTSIDE THE ERUV.
THIS INCLUDES:
THE WASH U. CAMPUS
THE NEIGHBORHOODS WEST OF THE CAMPUS
MUCH OF SOUTHERN CLAYTON
If you have questions, let me know. They will be working to get the entire eruv back up and kosher as soon as possible, but it may be a few weeks for the parts south of Forest Park Parkway.
Tonight at 6pm we'll gather in the sanctuary for kabbalat Shabbat and ma'ariv. No instruments.
Candle lighting is at 8:02pm.
Tomorrow morning services begin at 9am. We'll celebrate the bat mitzvah of Isabelle Emmenegger. Mazal tov to her parents, Dana and Eric, and her brothers, Eli and Isaac, and to the entire extended family! Kiddush will follow services.
Shabbat ends at 8:55pm.
Sunday evening begins Shavuot. Our community Tikkun Leil Shavuot with Bais Abe and CRC is one of my favorite nights of the year. We have some great teachers and sessions lined up--it's worth staying up late!!! And even if you can't stay till the end, come for the beginning or the middle!
Here's the full schedule:
7:50pm - Mincha (egalitarian)
8:02pm - Candle lighting
8:15-8:40pm - Learning with Rabbi Arnow: "Receiving Torah, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"
8:40pm - Maariv (egalitarian)
9:00pm - Dinner (for those who RSVP'd)
10pm - Opening of Tikkun
10:15-11pm - Session 1 (multiple options)
11-11:15pm - Cheesecake!
11:15pm-12am - Session 2 (multiple options)
12:15-1:00am - Session 3 (multiple options)
Monday morning we'll have services at 9am, which includes the Aramaic piyyut Akdamut before the Torah reading, and we'll read the Ten Commandments.
I'll be teaching a little that morning about not the Ten Commandments, but about the Eleven Commandments.
Monday at 6pm we'll have mincha, ma'ariv and Yizkor.
Tuesday morning for the second day of Shavuot services begin again at 9am, and will include reading a chapter of the book of Ruth, as well as Yizkor at approximately 10:45am.
There'll be a little kiddush following services each day.
Shavuot ends at 9:15pm Tuesday night.
Next Friday night (June 6), we'll have our first Friday night in the park, at Shaw Park at 6pm, with a somewhat abbreviated service. Bring a picnic dinner if you like!
Next Saturday (June 7) will be Sisterhood Shabbat.
I want to bring your attention to one more great learning opportunity coming up. For three Tuesday nights at 7pm here, in person, Rabbi Daniel Sentell will be teaching on Jewish business ethics:
June 10: Honest Thieves and Barnes & Noble Break Ups: Real Stories from an American Beis Din (Jewish Court)
June 17: Pricing Strategies in Jewish Law: Price Gouging, Undercutting, Medical Pricing and more
June 24: They Might Be Talking About You: Confidentiality and Jewish Law
All the details are here. I'm really excited about this.
There's lots more happening too. 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 602 days. 602 days. Say that number. Six hundred and two days, have these hostages been in captivity. 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, Chag Sameach, 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