News Posts

A Special Word About Chanukah & Shabbat
From Our Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose

Please remember that tonight, Friday, Chanukah candles are lit before Shabbat candles and tomorrow evening, Saturday night, Chanukah candles are kindled only after Havdallah.

As we enter Shabbat Chanukah, please enjoy the meaningful insight below:

D'var Torah From Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham
-Vayeshev-

Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's former chief of staff (and former mayor of Chicago), during a major financial collapse said, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that [is that] it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

While Emanuel gets credit, the concept is from the ages. The greatest exemplar of seizing opportunity in crisis is the Torah's protagonist in Parshat Vayeshev, Joseph. His story is entertaining and concurrently instructive.  When Joseph appears to be the lucky son, lavished with paternal love and favoritism, his childhood is rudely terminated by his brothers selling him into slavery and cruelly leading their father to believe that he has been devoured by wild beasts. When Joseph is brought lowest, God showers him with blessings, first in Potiphar's house and then in Pharaoh's palace. 

Chapter 39 resumes with Joseph being “taken down” to Egypt. The text adroitly plays on the earlier narratives with how others view Joseph. His brothers “envied” him, whereas Potiphar “acquires” him. In the end Potiphar, too, will have cause to envy Joseph, and the brothers will ultimately offer themselves to be “acquired” as his slaves. Up is down, and down is up—nothing stands still in the life of Joseph.

The Torah literally begins with telling us that on Day One there appeared light powerful enough to illuminate the entire universe, but God immediately hid it away. (Genesis 1:4) Vayehi Ohr (Let There Be Light) thus signifies the special sorrow of those who are granted a fleeting glimpse of a treasure but cannot enjoy it. Joseph is labeled as Vayehi Ish Matzliah (behold, a successful man!) but his success story is also only fleeting. True, he will rise in power, but his power will always be tinged with sorrow and tragedy. Joseph's wealth is the fruit of famine and imprisonment, and Joseph will be forgotten, first by the butler in our portion's final verse and later by Egypt itself.

The theme of the reversal of fortune abounds in religious literature. It gives hope to the humiliated and humility to the powerful. As Shabbat Vayeshev coincides this year with Chanukah, this theme sets the stage for the heroic efforts of the Maccabees and leaders of all generations who faced crises with imagination, courage and resolve, leading our people from darkness to light and from sorrow to joy. 

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Urim Sameach (Happy Chanukah)!
Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham
rabbi.abraham@bnaiamoona.com
314-576-9990 x110

Shabbat Spotlight

Shabbat Candlelighting:

Friday, December 11 at 4:22 pm

Havdalah: Saturday, December 5 at 5:11 pm

Please click the links below for this week's Torah and Haftarah commentary

USCJ Torah and Haftarah Commentary, TORAH SPARKS

JTS Torah Commentary Podcast

AJU Ziegler School Rabbinic Studies Weekly Torah Portion Commentary

Shabbat Schedule

This Shabbat, we welcome Erin Canis to the Bimah in celebration of her Bat Mitzvah. Erin is the daughter of Terri and Randy Canis. Click HERE to read more about Erin.

A Note About Shabbat Audio:

When we have Congregants participating in Services from their homes via Zoom on Friday and Saturday Evenings, we recognize that the audio may be difficult to hear on our Livestream or Facebook Live. To insure you hear all of our wonderful participants, we highly encourage you to join our services via Zoom. The links to join in on Zoom are provided in the schedule below.

If you need help connecting to our services or classes via Zoom, please contact Liessa Alperin at liessa@bnaiamoona.com. Todah Rabbah!

Friday, December 11
Friday Evening Services with Cantor Sharon Nathanson in the Guller Chapel: 6:00 pm

• Pre-Bar Mitzvah Participation of Erin Canis

via Zoom, Livestream and FB Live 

Saturday, December 12
Tefillah with Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose and Cantor Sharon Nathanson in the Main Sanctuary: 9:00 am

• Bat Mitzvah of Erin Canis

Torah For Today: Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion
Topic:  Biblical Mythology of Clothing with Rabbi Neal Rose and special Torah reading by Cynthia Albin: 11:00 am

via Zoom (only)

Shabbat Afternoon/Evening Services with Rabbi Neal Rose and Ellior Rose in the Guller Chapel: 4:00 pmvia Zoom, Livestream and FB Live

• Pre-Bat Mitzvah Participation of Rebecca Miller

*Please note that you may need to input a Zoom password to access our Friday Night, Shabbat Morning & Saturday Afternoon/Evening Services Zoom link. The Password is Shabbat

In-Person Chanukah Schedule

Please join us for our In-Person Chanukah celebrations:

Friday, December 11 - Chanukah Night Two
3:45 pm
Chanukah & Shabbat Carpool Candle Lighting with an LRECC "spin"

Saturday, December 12 - Chanukah Night Three
5:30 pm
Havdallah & Chanukah Candle Lighting
Pre-Bat Mitzvah Participation of Rebecca Miller

Sunday, December 13 - Chanukah Night Four
Pre-registered Timeslots from 1:30 - 4:30 pm, Outdoor Candle Lighting at 4:40 pm
Thank you to all who have registered, registration is now closed.
Our nine-station Chanukah Drive-Thru Extravaganza will be the highLIGHT of the holiday this year!

​​​​​​​Monday, December 14 - Chanukah Night Five 
6:30 pm
Chanukah candle lighting with a special opportunity to honor all brave essential workers.

Tuesday, December 15 - Chanukah Night Six
6:45 pm
Annual Men's Club Chanukah BINGO with complimentary snacks provided by Chef Jon Hoffman! Need we say more?

Wednesday, December 16 - Chanukah Night Seven
5:30 pm
PJ Library & Educator's Night with a special guest appearance and candle lighting by the St. Louis Blues Mascot, Louie! We extend a warm invitation to all as we honor all educators.

7:00 pm
Join our virtual Dreidel Spin-off competition! BAUSY will host us as we see who can spin their Dreidel the longest. All are welcome to compete! Please pick up your supplies at our Light the Lot event on Sunday, December 13 or at the BA front desk. 

Thursday, December 17 - Chanukah Night Eight
5:30 pm
Join Cantor Sharon Nathanson for the final night of Chanukah. She will lead us in the lighting of the eighth Chanukah candle in the BA Circle Drive.

Then, join us virtually at 6:15 pm for evening Minyan followed immediately by Joyous Chanukah Melodies with Cantor Sharon & Friends. The performance will use our regular evening Minyan link.

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 Morning Minyan

Sunday Morning Minyan will take place virtually at 9:00 am

Monday - Friday Morning Minyan will take place virtually at 7:00 am

Our Minyan Services will include Chanukah candle lighting this week.
via Zoom, Livestream and FB Live 

Virtual Evening Minyan

Sunday - Thursday Evening Minyan will take place virtually at 6:15 pm
Our Minyan Services will include Chanukah candle lighting this week.
via Zoom, Livestream and FB Live 

Please click HERE for more details about Services this week.

In Our Community

In-Person Shabbat Service Registration

Hanukkah in JazzTIME

ABAR in ACTION:
B'nai Amoona Sponsors This Weekend's Virtual Performance of True Colors