Sign In Forgot Password
Home

Shavua Tov

09/20/2021 01:34:44 PM

Sep20

Stacey Hudson

I have been thinking about all the people attending services in person the past two weeks, many seeing the building for the first time. There have been many first times to a new building in our collective past. When I had some quiet time during services last week, I looked through the volumes of Walter Ehrlich’s Zion in the Valley, about the history of the Jewish communities in St. Louis. Not counting our current building, between our three legacy congregations, Brith Shalom, Knesseth Israel and Shaare Zedek, we have moved approximately eleven times, twice into former churches.
This High Holy Days marks the first time we have opened our doors wide for our members and guests to gather, pray and spend time together since we finished construction and the pandemic began. It felt so good to have the building full of people, to have services in the Sanctuary and Community Hall, to see people reading quietly in the Bill Solomon Gallery and to see so many attending the Young Families service in and around the tent in the courtyard. It showed us how much people want to be together and brought our building to life.
Construction of the early childcare center is complete, and the complex process of county and state inspections is nearly finished as well. Liz Collins, our ECC director, and her staff have worked tirelessly to have the classrooms ready for the kids. We all should give a huge shout-out and thank you to Rhiannon Kaye who has volunteered an overwhelming number of hours working with Liz and our contractor to have the space ready.  Our architects, Patterhn Ives, designed a beautiful, light filled space and thanks to Liz, Rhiannon and many others it will soon be full of energetic kids.
Fri, May 2 2025 4 Iyyar 5785