The United States’ economy is currently oriented toward service. Employment opportunities abound in the service industries such as food service, hospitality service, call center service, repair services, and delivery service, to name a few. As consumers in a service economy, we have grown to expect excellent service, whether that is in booking vacations, ordering dinner, purchasing products online, or speaking a customer service representative. Nothing is more annoying than hearing the words, “Please stay on the line. All of our representatives are serving other customers. Your call is very important to us. Please stay on the line.” This is usually followed by music that used to be played in elevators until recording breaks in and reminds us how important our call is to the representatives currently serving other customers.
In a desperate hope that we can forgo speaking to real representatives, we often resort to using our computer, tablet, or mobile phone to navigate to the desired company’s web site in order to obtain the service required. No instant gratification there! Rather most web sites take us on a route that is so convoluted as to wear out even the most patient person. Too often in this service-oriented economy the pursuit of service can seem futile.
In this week’s Torah portion, Yitro, named for Moses’ father-in-law, it was just such a situation which Yitro, observed as people waited in line for hours, even days, to obtain an audience with Moses in order to learn what it is that was expected of them or to settle a dispute. There wasn’t even a recording or anything to let them know that their issue was important to Moses and to stay in the line until he was available. He was busy all day taking care of other people.
Yitro, as would any father-in-law, gave Moses some advice. He observed how tiring and frustrating this process was for both Moses and the people whom he served. He then suggested a better way to provide for them. He suggested that Moses train others to serve along with him, to adjudicate cases that lesser leaders could handle, and leave the most difficult ones for Moses. This would reduce greatly the time spent waiting in line and free Moses to take care of other personal and public responsibilities. What a great idea! Moses followed his father-in-law’s advice. The lines were shortened; the services provided sooner, and everyone was happier.
There are many of us who take on too much, whether that is at home or at work. For some reason we believe that we have to do it all and that we don’t require any assistance whatsoever. For some it is a matter of believing that no one else is as capable. For others, it is a matter of simply not being able to say “no.” For still others, it is a scheduling issue (Surely I can fit one more project into my calendar!). Consequently, studies have demonstrated that Americans are not sleeping enough hours per night to adequately replenish their energy and their brains. This further decreases the quality of the service that can be rendered. Then, people are forced to hear, “Your call/visit is very important to us. Please stay on the line, as our sole representative is serving someone else.” Yitro’s advice is still as important and as true now as it was then. Often we can be more productive by seeking the help of others than by doing everything ourselves. In so doing everyone, providers and consumers, is better served.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Josef Davidson
Shabbat Service Schedule & Candle Lighting Times
Shabbat Candlelighting:
Friday, January 21 at 4:53 pm
Havdallah, Saturday, January 22 at 5:42 pm
This Shabbat we welcome Omri Snir to the Bimah for his Bar Mitzvah. Omri is the son of Osnat and Eli Snir from Jerusalem, Israel. He is the youngest brother to Itai and Nadav. Omri was born in Dallas, TX and moved to St. Louis when he was six months old.
B'nai Amoona joins congregations all over to bring light to the important topics of reproductive rights, health and justice. We are proud to have Dana Sandweiss with us as our special speaker. Dana is a licensed attorney, she served on the Board of Planned Parenthood St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri and is a founding member of the Planned Parenthood St. Louis Leadership Circle. She serves on the Advisory Board of It Starts Today Missouri, a crowd-funded initiative to support State legislative nominees and Progress Women, which is a collection of community leaders formed to help empower women for equality, justice, civil rights. Dana is a founding member of Access MO, a Missouri state-wide action committee that supports candidates who publicly embrace and advocate for reproductive healthcare and freedom. Dana is a graduate of FOCUS Leadership St. Louis and Washington University's Women's Leadership Forum.
Dana will speak during Morning Services in the Main Sanctuary and during Torah for Today at 10:00 am.
February is Jewish Disability Awareness, Advocacy, and Inclusion Month and we will honor JDAIM Shabbat on February 6, 2022 during morning services. Our guest speaker is Dena Tranen, LCSW. Dena is the Founder of The Care Collective as well as the owner and clinical director of The Middle Way Counseling and Consulting.
The women of Kolot are also invited to a special JDAIM & Rosh Chodesh event with Joyce Opinsky and Erin Pernikoff. Joyce and Erin will facilitate a discussion and share their stories of raising children with various support needs. We will also complete a Mitzvah project together. This program will stream live on Zoom February 2, 2022 at 7:00 pm and online registration is required. Click HERE to register.
In Our Community
WE MOURN THE LOSS OF...
Rosalie Raisher Chod; beloved wife of Leonard Chod (Z"L); dear mother and mother-in-law of Barry (Jackie), Paul (Gail), Edward (Laurie) and Karen (Z"L); dear grandmother of Jennifer (JP), Brad (Lauren), Andrea (Shane), Andy (Jessica), Stacey, Steven, Jeff (Lauren), Allison (Andrew) and Doug; dear great-grandmother of 15; sister-in-law of Nancy Chod. In addition to Rosalie’s daughter, Karen (Z"L), Rosalie is predeceased by her siblings Frank Raisher (Z"L) and his wife Faye (Z"L) and Irvin Raisher (Z"L) and his wife Pat (Z"L); and Leonard’s siblings Helen Ziman (Z"L) and her husband Charlie (Z"L), Sarah Funk (Z"L) and her husband Jack (Z"L), Jerry Chod (Z"L) and his wife Geraldine (Z"L), Selma Schumitzky (Z"L) and her husband Sol (Z"L), Sylvia Krakover (Z"L) and her husband Ted (Z"L), and Ronnie Chod (Z"L). Rosalie was our beloved matriarch and dear friend to so many.
Warren Jacobsohn; husband of Sheila Cohen Jacobsohn; loving father of Reuven (Chavie), Baruch (Shulie), Yaron (Shula), Elnatan (Noa), Srulie (Devore) Jacobsohn and Sarit (Noach) Zoref; adoring Zayde to many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brother and brother-in-law of Shurlie (a"h) (Sidney (Z"L) Weisberg, Radine (a"h) Feldman, Beverly "Fayge" (Fred (Z"L)) Stuhlman and Claire Sue (a"h) (Wilber (Z"L) Hack; uncle to many nephews and nieces, including Enid Weisberg-Frank (Bruce Frank), Janet (Alan) Haber, Jaclyn (Howard) Oppenheimer, and Richard (Claire) Hack; beloved son of Max (Z"L) and Pearl (a"h) Jacobsohn.
Frances (Fay) Levin, mother of Jackie (Michael) Rubin.
Weekday Minyan Information Join us In-Person or on Zoom, BA Livestream or Facebook Live
Morning and Evening Minyan will take place in-person in the Main Sanctuary. Additionally, we will continue to offer virtual options on Zoom, Facebook Live and our BA Livestream Page.
Regular Morning Minyanim Sunday Morning Minyan: 9:00 am Monday - Friday Morning Minyan: 7:00 am In-Person, Zoom, Livestream, and FB Live Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/97189645201 Meeting ID: 971 8964 5201 This Zoom link is for all morning Minyan Services
Regular Evening Minyanim
Sunday - Thursday Evening Minyan: 6:15 pm via Zoom, Livestream, and FB Live Zoom Link:https://zoom.us/j/97924715014 Meeting ID: 979 2471 5014 This Zoom link is for all evening Minyan Services
