Dear Kol Rinah Family,
I hope everyone has been enjoying their Sukkot celebrations over these past few days! We are so blessed to have incredible people who have worked so hard to make all of the holidays over the last few weeks both run smoothly and be meaningful and beautiful. I want to particularly thank Amy Friedman and Howard Granok for adding their beautiful voices to our services during Yom Kippur and enhancing the prayer experience for all of us in new and truly remarkable ways. Kol Hakavod!
This evening, we will bring in Shabbat with our Kol HaNefesh service, a contemplative, a capella Kabbalat Shabbat experience led by Rabbi Arnow and Karen Kern, starting in the chapel at 6:00 pm this evening. Candle lighting tonight starts at 6:01 pm.
Tomorrow morning, Shabbat services will begin at 9:00 am downstairs in the Mirowitz auditorium. I will be leading Torah Talk at about 10:10 am, and we'll be looking at what Sefer Kohelet (The Book of Ecclesiates) can teach us about living a life of meaning. Rabbi Arnow will be leading the sermon.
This week, we also have the return of Rhythm 'n' Ruach, with Morah Shelley Dean, beginning at 10:45 am in the Sarah Myers Community Room, as well as MifgaShabbat (for our K-5th Grade learners) in the Chapel with Melissa Bellows, also beginning at 10:45 am. Mincha this Shabbat afternoon begins on Saturday at 5:00 pm, followed by Seudat Shlishit and Ma'ariv. Havdallah is at 6:57 pm.
Starting this Sunday are a few more incredible festivals to cap off our holiday season. You can see all the service times below. As a reminder, we WILL be holding Yizkor services for Shemini Atzeret on both Sunday night and Monday morning.
We will also be holiding our annual Simchat Torah Family Dinner on Monday night, starting at 5:30 pm. Please call the office (314-727-1747) or register online here TODAY!
Sunday, October 20 - Hoshanah Rabbah
8:00 am Shacharit (in the Chapel)
Erev Shemini Atzeret - Sunday, October 20
6:00 pm Mincha/Festival Ma'ariv/Yizkor
6:08 pm Candle Lighting for Shemini Atzeret
Monday, October 21 - Shemini Atzeret
9:00 am Festival Shacharit
10:45 am Yizkor
5:30 pm Simchat Torah Family Dinner
6:00 pm Festival Mincha
6:30 pm Festival Ma'ariv; Simchat Torah Hakafot & Dancing
6:54 pm Candle Lighting for Simchat Torah
Tuesday, October 22 - Simchat Torah
9:00 am Shacharit with Hakafot & Dancing
6:00 pm Festival Mincha/Ma'ariv
6:59 pm Festival ends
And now, for a little Torah:
Throughout the holiday of Sukkot, we read sections of the Torah that detail lists of animal sacrifices, grain offerings, wine libations, and other sacred gifts that were brought on this holiday in the time of the sacred Temples in Jerusalem. Inevitably, the question arises: why do we still recount these sacrificial offerings when we haven't participated in these rituals for 2,000 years, and have no plans to return to them?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, quoting the 15th Century Spanish thinker, Rabbi Joseph Albo, uses the logic that in times past, sacrifices were used as a means to bring people together and create a harmony within the community. Since each person gave up something, they were more empathetic toward their neighbors and less predisposed to anger and violence toward one another. By giving something that was important to them in the service of something greater than themselves, and by seeing all the people in their lives doing the same, everyone began to understand that they were a part of something, and that their actions made a difference.
These last days of Sukkot are a time for gathering, not only harvesting crops but also gathering people together. In fact, the main purpose of Shemini Atzeret is gather people together, after Sukkot and the entire festive season that fills up the month of Tishrei, and give us one more taste of caring community joined together in song, dance, prayer, learning, and (of course) a LOT of communal eating.
I hope these last festive days of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah give you the burst of joyous community you need!
Shabbat Shalomand I'll see you in shul,
Rabbi Scott Shafrin
|
|
