Dear Kol Rinah Family,
Don't forget to change your clocks Saturday night as we "fall back" from daylight to standard time!
Read in isolation, the beginning of this week's Torah portion, Lech Lecha (starting wtih Genesis 12) sounds like a radical, fresh start for this man Abraham- "Go, you, from your land, from your birthplace, from your father's house, to a land that I will show you." But we'd already met Abraham before, last week, at the end of chapter 11--he's the son of Terach, who took Abraham, Lot (Abraham's nephew), and Sarah (Abraham's wife), and they set out for the land of Canaan. However, they settled in Haran, and didn't make it all the way to Canaan.
So, when God tells Abraham to get up and go, eventually to Canaan, in some sense for Abraham it is very much a new start. But it's also a continuation of a journey his father began, that Abraham had gone on when he was not a small child, but a young man, already married.
There are ways our own journeys are new starts that are just ours--calls we think we are the first to ever receive. But if we zoom out, we may often realize that our journeys are continuations of journeys our parents, grandparents and ancestors have undertaken.
And these are not only journeys that take place in our youth. Abraham is seventy-five when he sets off for a land God will show him--even with biblical lifespans, he's quite into middle age.
What journeys and new starts do you have ahead of you? How has your life been, and how may it still be, a continuation of journeys previous generations undertook? If you zoom out a generation or two, what stories can you tell?
Looking back not a generation, but a week--mazal tov to Avra Arnow on her bat mitzvah last Shabbat. Tammy and I were and are so proud of her. Thank you to all of you for your good wishes and support. Mazal tov again to Avra, Tammy, siblings Caleb and Hallel, and grandparents Susan and Max Brown and Madeleine and David Arnow.
As the government shutdown continues, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are not being issued for November. Many families who already rely on food pantries to supplement their groceries will likely need additional support in the coming weeks. If you do not usually support the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry and other food pantries, this is a much needed time to start. And if you already do, please consider giving and donating extra during this time of increased need. You can always bring canned food to Kol Rinah, where we collect it. More details on how to give and what is needed are here.
Candle lighting tonight is at 5:44pm.
Services tonight to welcome Shabbat (no instruments) will start at 6pm--come join me to sing!
Tomorrow morning will be our Kol Chadash musical service, beginning at 9:30am with kiddush following. Much of the music we do at Kol Chadash can be found here.
Shabbat ends tomorrow night at 6:42pm.
Our short story discussion group, which meets monthly on Zoom, is meeting next this coming Monday night (November 3), discussing Philip Roth's "The Conversion of the Jews." Details and registration are here.
Rabbi James Stone Goodman is organizing a Jewish Writers' Circle:
Jewish Writers’ Circles are grassroots peer-led communities of writers who meet monthly for in-person gatherings (e.g. homes and cafes). Jewish Writers’ Circle (JWC) participants explore Jewish wisdom texts, deepen relationships and grow in their writing practice. Each JWC is part of a national network connecting writers across North America. Open to both emerging and seasoned writers of diverse genres (including poetry, prayer, memoir, fiction and more), a JWC offers a meaningful blend of creative, cultural, and spiritual exploration. If you’re longing for connection and creative inspiration, this is a unique opportunity to grow your writing in a supportive, inclusive, Jewish-centered community. Care to join? You can register and gather details by contacting Rabbi Goodman at stonegoodman@mac.com. The first meeting will be on Sunday, November 9th @ 3 PM. For location and other details, check in with Rabbi Goodman.
Sunday, November 16 from 11am-3pm will be our Pop-Up Craft Fair. There will be food, and crafts from over twenty different artists, at all different price points. And it's mostly not Jewish art, fyi. We can also use some volunteers to help. All the info is on the website.
For more events later in November and beyond, check our website.
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