Below please find some words of Torah that I was able to share with the recent graduates of our Jewish Day School, the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. Though the message is clearly addressed to the graduates, I have been asked by several parents, grandparents, educators and colleagues, to make my comments available to our entire Kehillah Kedoshah. Honored and humbled to do so…I hope they will resonate deeply with many of you.
With blessings for a Shabbat Shalom, a Shabbos filled with peace and health, Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose
Shalom SMJCS Graduates, Yeasher Kochachem, and Mazal Tov!
With the deferral of your matriculation ceremony from its original date last week to today, we are given the unique opportunity to ponder why the Holy-Blessed-One wanted your graduation to take place in this week and not the last. Might there be a Divine Plan to have you celebrate this milestone now, as Jews the world over prepare to engage with the Parashat Hashavua of Naso? Maybe…
As you may recall, in this Torah Reading we are introduced to the Nazir, the Nazarite. The Nazir pledged to live a sanctified and elevated spiritual life. Nezirim vowed – for a period of time – to avoid contact with any dead body, abstain from imbibing any products made of grapes, and refrain from cutting their hair.
As you hear about the restrictions placed on Nezirim, you may have noticed that these regulations sound similar to those required of the Kohanim. However, the requirements for Nazarites are actually more restrictive than those that apply to the ancient Priests. After all, an ordinary Kohen is permitted to have contact with the deceased members of his immediate family, may drink while off duty, and was required to trim his hair. It appears that during the period of the vow, the sanctity and sacred status of Nazarites was even greater than that of the High Priest.
But why is this the case? Well, it seems to me that our wise Torah in this Sidra may have a special message in mind for us, and especially for you the 2020/5780 SMJCS graduates.
Often in Jewish Tradition, status is inherited. One is a Kohen or a Levi because one comes from a Kohanic of Levitical family. One's elevated position in society is attributed to their biology, their DNA. It is not a matter of choice and one has no way to opt in or out. However, the same cannot be said for Nezirim. They alone must voluntarily take upon themselves extra obligations, responsibilities, and strictures. All of this voluntary acceptance is motivated by one yearning - the quest for Kedushah, elevated holiness and spiritual uplift.
As you end your academic careers at Mirowitz, I want to bless each of you with the wisdom to be like the Nezirim mentioned in the Torah Portion assigned to the week of your commencement exercises. May you, of your own accord, take upon yourselves added rites, rituals, and practices - as well as attitudes and orientations – that demonstrate a continual quest for meaning, purpose, and consequence. Lives consciously infused with a never ending search for the spiritual, the numinous, and the transcendent. Existences that lead you to attaining the lofty goal of Kedushah, uniqueness and holiness.
Vecheyn Yehi Ratzon! Amen!
For safety and security reasons, please remember to use this "Members Only"page of our website to access Zoom links for our Services, classes and programs. You will be required you to use your ShulCloud account login for access. Click HERE for a refresher on how to reset your password. If you need help accessing your ShulCloud account, please contact Tanya Spivey at 314-576-9990 x142 or by emailing tanya@bnaiamoona.com.
Parshat Nasso Candlelighting: Friday, June 5 at 8:05 pm Shabbat Ends: Saturday, June 6 at 8:54 pm
Please click the links below for this week's Torah and Haftarah commentary
Shabbat, Minyan and all other Services are livestreamed and can be viewed by clicking HEREor on our Facebook Page.Minyan Services are also available via Zoom.
To join by phone: 312-626-6799 and enter the meeting ID above
We welcome you to join Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose and Rabbi Neal Rose for a special edition of Ask The Rabbis: Processing The News of Our World. Together, we will discuss healthy ways to process current events and find ways to balance our anxieties.
To view prices and order your B'nai Appetit Curbside, please click the button below. Questions? Please contact jon@bnaiamoona.com.
The Linda Rotskoff Early Childhood Center re-opened its doors and the children have had an incredible first week back! Todah Rabbah to Anita Kraus, the LRECC staff and teachers who are doing an amazing job at creating an educational and fun environment for their students while adhering to CDC guidelines and the recomendations of the Doctors of B'na Amoona (DOBA) committee.
LRECC - Kayitz B'Yachad
Our teachers and staff have been working hard to prepare for a safe (and fun!) reopening of the LRECC on June 1. You should have received an email with a list of important information and new procedures and protocols we are following in order to enjoy our Kayitz B'yachad, Summer Together! Feel free to email anita@bnaiamoona.com with any questions and be sure to join our LRECC Facebook page.
Kindergarten - 6th Grade - Kayitz B'Yachad
Students who will be in Kindergarten - 6th Grade this August are invited to also participate in their own Kayitz B'yachad, Summer Together program. This five week experience will take place from July 6 - August 7, 2020 and will include elements of a traditional summer program while following current CDC guidelines. For more information, please contact director Kyla Gersten at kyla@bnaiamoona.com.
SISTERHOOD BOOK CLUB
B'nai Amoona's Sisterhood has a Book Group that we share with Kol Rinah's Sisterhood. Meetings are on the 4th Thursday of each month from 10:00 - 11:30 am. We are currently using a Zoom format. Reminders and Zoom information will be sent out prior to each meeting. New members are always welcome! You do not need to attend every month nor is it required that you have read (or finished reading) the book selection for the month. Just come when you can!
Thurs, June 25 - Green: A Novel - Sam Graham-Felsen (320 pages) Thurs, July 23- Windy City Blues - Renee Rosen (476 pages) Thurs, Aug 27 - Mrs. Everything: A Novel - Jennifer Weiner (480 pages)
For more information on the Book Group and author events,
please call Enid Weisberg-Frank at 314-576-2864.
Rabbi Abraham will be working with our BA Chavurot beginning in July!
Chavurot (plural of Chavurah) are informal small groups of congregational members, which meet regularly, usually once every other month in each other’s homes or at a location decided on by the group, to create bonds of friendship. During this pandemic, it's a great way to connect with a smaller group with similar affinities virtually as well. Members decide how often they meet, where and which activities take place. Chavurot are a wonderful way for members to create smaller communities of friends by socializing, learning, doing Mitzvot and celebrating Jewish life together. Chavurot may act as extended family with the sharing of lifecycle events and holidays and may create the beginnings of lifelong friendships. A Chavurah can take the “alone feeling” out of being a new congregational member. It can inject “new life” into being an established member. And it can put the “this is where I belong” feeling in every BA member’s heart. For more information, please contact Amy Maupin, amy@bnaiamoona.com or 3145769990 x131.
Mitzvah Makers are all around us! Please email liessa@bnaiamoona.com with any names of B’nai Amoona members who you know are being Mitzvah Makers during this time or participating in acts of Tikkun Olam. Feel free to share your own names as well!
Speaking of Mitzvah Makers... Some turn lemons into lemonade... and then there is David (pictured above) and Randi Schenberg who have turned sugar into Schenny's Not So Simple Syrup. The Schenberg's have been making and selling their delicious syrup with 100% of the proceeds being donated to area nonprofits including the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry!
David and Randi have made over $7,000 in contributions to-date, and David’s employer, World Wide Technology, will be matching David’s charitable efforts!
Tuesday, June 9 Encountering Mystery - 10:30 - 11:45 am Facilitated by Carol Rose via Zoom (Pre-registration required)
Wednesday, June 10 Comparative Religions: An Exploration of Faiths 10:00 - 11:30 am Facilitated by Rabbi Neal Rose via Zoom, Livestream and FB Live Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/96450058878 Meeting ID: 964 5005 8878 Thursday, June 11 Yiddish Class: A Class for Beginners and All Who Enjoy a Bissel of Yiddish! 10:00 - 11:00 am Facilitated by Rabbi Neal Rose via Zoom, Livestream and FB Live Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/93550205147 Meeting ID: 935 5020 5147
Corona and Keter, Disease and Divinity Rather than seeing God as decreeing disease, we're better off recognizing how human beings affect the cosmos and, in turn, the divine
A recent headline on Times of Israel highlighted the challenge of our world-wide pandemic for people of faith: “Slammed by COVID-19, ultra-Orthodox Jews try to understand what God hath wrought.” The article went on to note that “many observant Jews have found themselves forced to confront the theological implications of a plague that has subverted popular assumptions regarding reward and punishment... click here to read more...
B'nai Amoona donates to the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau
B'nai Amoona recently made a double Chai donation to the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau, Missouri after it was set fire to on the first day of their holy month of Ramadan. Please click HEREto read their response letter.
Did you know B'nai Amoona has an app??? You can download it from either the Apple IOS or Android Google Play store. Just search your store for "B'nai Amoona." The app gives a quick view of some highlights of our website including calendar of events, Shul directory, candle lighting times, and a link to our livestream. Once downloaded you will need to log into your ShulCloud account to access the Directory, as it is for members only. Please contact Tanya Spivey at tanya@bnaiamoona.com if you have any questions.
MAZEL TOV TO... Shelby and Rolf Cooke on the birth of their granddaughter, Meira Rachelle Tucker. Proud parents areJulia (Cooke) Tucker and Alex Tucker.
Jay and Shelley Sarver on the birth of their grandson, Noah Simon Sarver. Proud parents are Michael and Ingrid Sarver and siblings are Leo and Madeline.
WE MOURN THE LOSS OF... Irene Rosalie Greenspoon; beloved wife of Melvin A. Greenspoon (Z"L); loving mother of Barbara E. Greenspoon; beloved daughter of Morris (Z"L) A. (Mary Zeffren Z"L) Funk; loving sister and sister-in-law of Susan Funk Barad(Melvin A. Barad Z"L); loving aunt of Edward N. (Marlin) Barad, Huntley W. (Tirzah) Barad, Thomas K. (Jill) Barad; beloved great- and great-great-aunt of their children and grandchildren; loving and beloved relative of the Funk and Zeffren families; loving and beloved friend.
Esther Guterman; aunt of Zamir (Debbie) Eidelman.
To view and print our Misheberach List, please click HERE.
Please click HEREfor our Yahrzeit list for the week of
June 6 - June 12
Happy Birthday to:
June 6 - June 12
Erica Abowitz Stuart Adler Peggy Alper Mark Alperin Samuel Arbeit Keelie Atchley Jaeson Becker Jacob Berry Evan Canis Celia Ciemnoczolowski Ronen Dudaie Harriet Dunski Eileen Edelman Lisa Frank Jillian Friedman Louise Frohlichstein Joseph Gelman Rosie Goldenberg Gordon Goldman Liam Harir Shiri Hazan
Harvey Hieken Sarah Hirsch Jacquline Holbrook Jeremy Horowitz Jake Kerner Lisa Kramer Mathew Librach Michal Lissek Jason Morse Susan Nathanson Sophia Margaret O'Shea Cheryl Perlmutter Rachel Pleake Patricia Powers Benjamin Schenberg Natalie Singer Osnat Snir Seth Wallerstein Alla Watson Jay Winig Terry Zlepper
Happy Anniversary to: June 6 - June 12
Jacob & Leah Amir Andrew & Bridget Bitterfield Kelli & Jeremy Brown Neil & Harriet Dunski Steve & Holly Elfanbaum David & DeeAnna Glaser Charles Heffernan & Jesse Vrecenak Mark & Susan Heller Leonard & Sandra Komen Ken & Anita Kraus Colman & Toby Kraus Marc & Susan Lapp Harry & Marcia Lyons Jack & Susan Palan Joel & Monica Perlmutter Tobias & Tina Rafael Michael & Lisa Samis Richard & Ellen Samuels Warren & Jan Schultz Joel & Linda Shedlofsky Mark & Robin Shulman Todd & Sandy Weitkamp Michael & Wanda Whitney
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES - VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
We are proud to be partnering with the Jewish Federation, Jewish Family Services and all area congregations in a coordinated effort to help those hit hardest by this pandemic.
If you would like to volunteer with Jewish Family Services to help members of the community get needed groceries or medicine, please contact Jeremy Goldberg, JFS Volunteer Coordinator directly at 314-513-1679 or jgoldberg@jfcs-stl.org.
ELDER LINK
If you are 65 years of age or older and would like to reach out directly to Jewish Family Services for support, you can contact Lori Zimmerman with ElderLinks St. Louis at lzimmerman@jfsstl.org or 314-812-9300.
Please join the Holocaust Museum & Learning Center for an important virtual event TONIGHT, Thursday, June 4, at 7 pm. The HMLC and the Staenberg Family Foundation are co-sponsoring a Nine Network viewing and conversation about the film, Viral: Anti-Semitism in Four Mutations.
The virtual screening will be followed by a discussion with Dan Reich, HMLC Curator & Director of Education, Karen Aroesty, Regional Director of ADL Heartland, and the film's producer, Diana Robinson.
Please register using the link HERE. Thank you for your support of the HMLC!
The St. Louis Jewish Community Flagpole - a community rally of solidarity and song will air live on The Jewish Federation of St. Louis' Facebook Page every Thursday at 7:00 pm. Enjoy this interactive and music-filled Flagpole series that will prominently feature community leaders, clergy, and families sharing inspiring news from the St. Louis Jewish community.
