D'var Torah From Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose -Shemini Atzeret-
Mandating Joy? Fake It Until You Make It!
Shalom B'nai Amoona Mishpachah!
As many of you know, I was blessed to grow up in an environment that took Jewish Tradition seriously. Shabbat and Festivals were welcomed with great anticipation and we felt a deep and palpable sense of the rhythms and cycles of living lives that were sanctified and sacred. No Holy Day was more eagerly awaited than Simchat Torah with its full-throated singing, passionate dancing, the pageantry of parading our venerated Torah Scrolls around our Shul, and then allowing the festivities to pour out of the sanctuary and into the streets of our community. And who could possibly forget those decadent candy apples…
At some point in my mid-teens, I recall asking one of my elderly teachers, a gentle man who had survived the horrors of the Shoah, why Simchat Torah felt so very different than all of our other celebratory occasions. Even Purim, with all of its mandated gaiety and sanctioned buffoonery, did not match the unique energy experienced on “Simchas” Torah. His profound answer remains with me to this day.
Quoting the Rambam, he stated, “The Great Eagle (an epithet given to Maimonides) reminds us that when the Torah commands us to be “Joyous on our festivals, Vesamachta Bechagecha” it is really telling us how to behave, not how to feel. Actions can be mandated, emotions cannot. However, by acting jubilantly, even if we are not feeling euphoric, we attain at least a measure of happiness and fulfill the Divine command to be joyous on our festival days. And by acting joyful, we can at least in potential begin to feel that way as well. In other words, fake it until you make it!”
At this time of unrest, uncertainty, and tumult in our lives. A period when we are experiencing so much stress, anxiety, upheaval, illness and death. An unprecedented era when we face the challenges ofCOVID-19, social unrest, economic uncertainty, and environmental upheaval, we would be wise to recall that our Torah is an Eitz Chayim. Not just a Tree of Life, but also a Tree that enhances, uplifts, ennobles, and enriches our lives and our days on this earth.
May our Simchat Torah celebrations, as modest and circumscribed as they necessarily must be in this extraordinary year, allow us to experience the unique joyous energy of Simchat Torah. And if you find yourself struggling, let me humbly suggest that you “fake it until you make it!”
Timeless Treasures of the Heart: A Pictorial "Yizkor" for an Unprecedented Era
Thank you to all who submitted photos for our Timeless Treasures of the Heart: A Pictorial "Yizkor" for an Unprecedented Era. May their lives and legacies be for a blessing!
To view the Pictorial Memorial Video on our Yizkor 5781 Page, please click the image below, or click HERE.
In-Person Simchat Torah Opportunities
Thank you to all who have pre-registered for our In-Person, Socially Distanced Simchat Torah events. Please keep an eye out for information regarding arrival times, parking and health and safety precautions. Please contact Anita Kraus or Liessa Alperin for more information.
Upcoming Simchat Torah Experiences:
Simchat Torah Family Experiences, Saturday, October 10 at 3:00 pm - geared towards 3rd-6th graders
Simchat Torah Family Experiences, Saturday, October 10 at 4:30 pm - geared towards 2nd graders and younger.
Registration for these events are now closed, thank you to all who pre-registered.
It's Time To Return Your Lev Shalem Machzor
If you borrowed a Lev Shalem Machzor for the High Holy Days, we kindly request that you return it to the collection cart located in our main entrance vestibule at your earliest convenience. For those with accessibility needs, please contact our office to arrange for a curbside drop-off. Thank you!
Weekday Minyan Information
Join Us For Minyan!
Our B’nai Amoona’s Minyan Program consists of our amazing, dedicated Minyannaires who assure warm and welcoming ongoing daily Minyanim, morning and evening. These services support those in our community who have lost loved ones and may be feeling lonely and isolated. Our BA virtual Minyanim are a constant source of strength and comfort for those who wish to recite the Kaddish. Moreover, our Minyanim are a wonderful opportunity for spiritual uplift, social connection, community building, and the ability to fulfill one's daily Chiyuv, duty, to thank God for all that we have. This combination of Kehillah and Kibbitzing allows up to remain spiritually connected despite being socially distant. All are warmly welcomed! Please join us!
Virtual Evening Minyan Please note, Sunday Services will not be available on Zoom this Sunday, October 11 in obervance of Simchat Torah.
Monday - Friday Morning Minyan will take place virtually at 7:00 am
Sidney Guller; dear son of Louis (Z"L) and Fannie (Z"L) Guller; beloved husband of Bobette “Bobbi” Guller (Z"L); dear father and father-in-law of Deni Kronenberg (Joel), Jody Waldman (Mickey), Nanci Seigel Manson (Roy), and Robyn Levy-Marino (Mark Miller); dear grandfather of 9; great-grandfather of 7; uncle of Keith (Cindi) Guller, Lynn Shirley and Jim Guller. Our dear brother,uncle, great-uncle, cousin and friend to so many.
We are now offering the opportunity to attend Shabbat Services "in-person." Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please click the image below to reserve your spot - see you in Shul!
Congregation B’nai Amoona 324 South Mason Rd St. Louis, MO 63141
