THE SHMOOZE A Weekly Newsletter for Members and Friends of Bais Abraham Congregation Hyim Shafner, Rabbi Rori Picker Neiss, Maharat Parshat Noach Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 25 October 2014 Candle Lighting 5:52 p.m. Shabbat Ends 6:50 p.m. (according to www.myzmanim.com) This Shabbat and Bais Abe Events Contacts Shul Office (314) 721-3030 [email protected] Rabbi Hyim Shafner [email protected] Rori Picker Neiss, Director of Programming, Education and Community Engagement [email protected] Greg Storch, President [email protected] Kiddush Sponsorship [email protected] Shmooze Submissions [email protected] Davening Schedule Shabbat 5:52 p.m. – Fri. Mincha/Maariv 9:00 a.m. – Sat. Shacharit 5:30 p.m. – Sat. Mincha, Maariv Sunday 8:30 a.m. – Shacharit Monday – Friday 6:30 a.m. – Shacharit Office Hours Mondays: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesdays: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Thursdays: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Fridays: 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. All are invited for a Lunch and Learn following Shabbat morning services. Rabbi Jordan Gerson, the new St. Louis Hillel campus rabbi, will speak on the topic of “Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll…in the Talmud.” The speaker previously announced, Carol Wise, will be unable to attend. The Lunch and Learn is sponsored by Vivian Kranzberg in memory of her husband, Maury Kranzberg. Musical Pre-Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Dinner- Friday Evening There will be a musical pre-Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat service and dinner with children's programing on Friday October 24th at 5:30pm. YABA Torah on Tap – Monday, October 27th Join us on Monday (10/27) at 8pm at Blueberry Hill in the PacMan Room as we delve into a Jewish topic with Maharat Rori Picker Neiss. What topic you may ask? You'll just have to show up to find out! New Bais Abe Social Group for Retirees and Almost-Retirees There's something for everyone at Bais Abe. It's time for retirees and almost retirees to do their thing. Let's start by pooling our ideas--and even car pooling-to take advantage of the free and inexpensive fun things to do in our neighborhood. Please email Alice at [email protected] with your ideas and/or meet up for a lecture that is a part of the FREE, open to the public Wash U. Fall 2014 Assembly Series. It will be Eric Kandel, "The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind and Brain from Vienna 1900 to the Present", Tuesday, October 28 in the Graham Chapel. Alice says, “I will plan to be there about 4:30 in order to get seats in good hearing distance and will try to hold some seats so everyone can sit together. We can chat afterwards and plan our next adventure.” Shalom and Welcome! We at Bais Abe pride ourselves on hospitality and openness to Jews of all backgrounds. We strive to build a community rooted in mutual respect and commitment to Torah values and Halacha (Jewish law). Please feel free to contact Rabbi Shafner at [email protected] for any information that may be helpful to you. If you would like a place for a Shabbat meal, our eager hosts would love to welcome you. Please email [email protected]. Bais Abraham Board of Directors Greg Storch President Gabe Douek Exec. Vice President Lilly Canel-Katz Vice President Daniel Picker Treasurer Dan Weisz Secretary Phyllis Shapiro Immediate Past President Community Service Opportunity – October 26th - CANCELLED Due to logistical issues, the SHED community service opportunity for this Sunday has been cancelled. Please save the date for the next opportunity, November 23rd. We will be working to help elderly and disabled individuals with home projects. RSVPs are necessary so that we can coordinate the appropriate number of projects. Email Barbra Danin, [email protected] and include if you have any particular skills that would be helpful for matching us up with appropriate projects. SHED, Safe Homes for the Elderly and Disabled, collects requests from individuals who are not capable of caring for their own homes on their own and invites members of the community to help them with projects. Volunteers from SHED perform minor building repairs, painting, yard work and other jobs that do not require special tools or skills. They work with various churches to match up people and projects. Directors: Barbra Danin Larry Friedman Morey Gardner Tessa Gardner Barry Ginsburg Judy Hoffman Daniel Iken Alan Nemes Roz Neuman Michael Novack Michael Richter Oscar Schlafman Dan Scharff Dan Vianello Rob Wasserman Richard Wise ‘Klinghoffer’ As Gateway To Dialogue Maharat Rori has an op-ed in this week’s Jewish Week. To read her views on the recent protests in New York, as well as what occurred when Klinghoffer was performed in St. Louis, see the following link: http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newyork/klinghoffer-gateway-dialogue. Yitzchak Rabin 19th Memorial Service On Wednesday, November 5th at 7:30 pm, Bais Abe and St. Louis Israel Connection will mark the anniversary of Yitzchak Rabin’s passing with an evening of film and discussion. All are welcome to watch a special video about Rabin’s life and engage in educational round-table discussions. For more information, contact Ela Bokobza, [email protected], or 314-740-9935. Artwork Available for Purchase Artist Berta Goldgaber will have her work available on Sundays, 12:00-1:30, at the Shul for viewing and purchase. Find out more about her work at www.judaicafabricart.com. 15% of Sunday morning purchases will go to the program of the buyer’s choice. Bais Abe Junior Book Club-Save the Date The next meeting of the Junior Book Club will be on November 8th, 2014 at 11:15 am (following the children's tefillah). The group will discuss “When Life Gives You OJ” by Erica Perl. For more information or to get a copy of the book, please contact: Renee Shpall Wasserman: [email protected] or Maharat Rori Picker Neiss: [email protected]. Donations ($5 to cover one book, $10 to help cover the cost of the program) can be made via the Bais Abe website. Hebrew Tutors Available Looking for a Hebrew tutor? Rabbi Shafner has information on tutors. Please contact him for more information. Shalhevet Women’s Kollel The Shalhevet Women’s Kollel will meet on the following dates: September 16, October 7, October 21, November 4, November 18, December 2, and December 16. The learning will begin at 7:30 pm at Bais Abe. Women of all backgrounds are invited to participate. Support the Shul While Shopping Every time you shop at Schnucks, you can earn money for Bais Abraham. Our shul participates in Schnucks’ "Scrip" program. It's easy. Just show your Bais Abe scrip card when you check out and your purchases create automatic contributions to the shul of up to 3% of your purchase price. Our mathematical consultant ran the numbers and estimates that if we have full participation, the shul can make approximately $6,000 a year. Email or call the office for a scrip wallet or key-chain card and begin earning money for the shul on your next trip to Schnucks. Our Weekly Shabbat "Tefilat Yeladim" (Children's Service) Our weekly Tefilat Yeladim is a wonderful opportunity to introduce your children (or grandchildren!) to the beauty of praying with a community on Shabbat morning. We use a special colorful children's siddur with illustrations (by Koren publishers) that familiarizes the children with the prayers they will hear in shul as they grow up. Spearheaded by Caley Chill and supported by the Benot Sheirut, services will be at 10:30 every Shabbat in the Bais Abe auditorium. Tefilat Yeladim is sponsored by the Feen family and an anonymous donor. Hinenu – Shabbat Study Group Hinenu will meet one hour before the printed mincha time on Shabbat afternoon at the shul (this week at 4:30 p.m.). Hinenu is an informal gathering where the weekly Torah portion or other topics of Jewish interest are discussed and studied. Shul Announcements Chesed Committee Opportunity STL Food Rescue’s mission is to alleviate hunger in our community by collecting perishables that would have been discarded from local food retailers and immediately delivering them to the organizations most in need. Volunteers pick up food on Mondays and/or Wednesdays from the Whole Foods in Town & Country, when they close at 10:00 p.m., and deliver the food to either Tomchei Shabbat or the Kollel. To sign up, please use https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ah2z9GUSGE0mdFVUUjJseUF1OGhSZmRVOFdG ZVlMOHc&usp=sharing_eil#gid=16 or contact the shul for more information. New Chesed Committee at Bais Abe If you like to help with Bais Abraham's new chesed committee please contact Fawn Chapel or Roberta Gutwein. The chesed committee will help to coordinate meals and assistance for people in the Shul who are ill or need help. Fawn can be reached at [email protected] and Roberta can be reached at [email protected] . A Way to Help Our Shul Looking for a way to help our shul as a volunteer? A job that would take about one hour a week and make an enormous difference in the appearance of the shul is to be in charge of the bookshelves in the auditorium. Help organizing the rest of the library is also needed. If you can take on one or both of these jobs, please contact Rabbi Shafner who will give you some basic guidelines on where various books go. Bais Abe Mailing List and Directory We are in the process of updating our mailing lists and our directory. Please send all updates and corrections to [email protected]. We list addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses in the directory. Please let us know if you would prefer not to have us include your email address. Shabbat Retreat – Save the Date Bais Abe will be going on a community retreat in beautiful rural Missouri on March 6-7, 2015. Details to follow. Volunteers Sought We are looking for a few volunteers to help with kiddush setup on Shabbat. If you are willing to be part of the rotation please contact Rabbi Shafner. Do you “Like” Bais Abe on Facebook? Find Bais Abe on Facebook at www.tinyurl.com/BaisAbeFacebook. Sponsoring a Kiddush at Bais Abe Sponsoring a Kiddush or "Lunchish" is a wonderful way to mark a simcha or yahrzeit. Or you can honor a loved one by sponsoring one of our monthly Lunch & Learns. Now, you can also sponsor seudah shlishit for just $54! If you would like to sponsor (or co-sponsor) any of the above, please contact Alayne in the office or Kiddush Chair, Judy Hoffman ([email protected]). They will go over costs and help you plan the Kiddush or lunch you want. Please help shul members plan ahead by letting us know about your wish to sponsor at least 10 days in advance. Thank you! Reminder: No perfume/cologne in the synagogue Please refrain from wearing perfume/cologne in the synagogue because some of our members are highly allergic. If you inadvertently arrive at the shul wearing any scents, please wash them off. Attention: people with nut allergies If you have a nut allergy, for your safety please assume that any foods or beverages served at Bais Abe may contain nuts or have been prepared on equipment that processes nuts. Please feel comfortable asking those in charge of food or beverages about their nut content and they will try to provide it if possible. Upcoming Kiddush and Shabbat Calendar November 1 Kiddush Lunch in honor of Alberto Goldgaber’s 80th birthday Sponsored by Berta Goldgaber November 8 Cholent Kiddush in honor of the aufruf and wedding of Zach Novetsky and Jen Csengody Sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Gary and Sandy Novetsky and Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Susan Csengody November 15 Cholent Kiddush Sponsor Invited To RSVP for an event email [email protected] or call 721-3030. Bais Abraham Learning-at-a-Glance Class Instructor Time & Place Basics of Judaism Rori Picker Neiss “Torah on Tap” Rabbi Shafner Women’s Class: Book of Shoftim (Judges) Rabbi Shafner Parshat Hashavua Rori Picker Neiss Beit Midrash Chevruta (Partner) Study You and your chevruta (partner) Beginner’s Gemara Class Jack Shapiro Deepen Your Davening/Explanatory Prayer Class Alternating between Rabbi Shafner and Rori Picker Neiss Each Shabbat, approx. 10:30 a.m. in the Gardner Beit Midrash Shalhevet Women’s Kollel Partnered learning + shiur with Rori Picker Neiss Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 pm (every other Tuesday) at Bais Abe Mondays, 7:30 p.m. at Bais Abe Periodic Monday nights see Shmooze for exact dates and times Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. Gardner Beit Midrash Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. Location: rotating. Contact Rori for location. Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. in the Bais Abe Auditorium Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. in the Bais Abe Auditorium St. Louis Jewish Community News The Shabbos Project Comes to St. Louis On October 24 and 25 there will be a global Shabbos project for the entire Jewish people. The Jewish world has just experienced so much darkness. We have united over loss and grief and injustice. Let us now unite pro-actively over what makes us so blessed and so special. Let us unite over family and heritage; over our common destiny. Let us unite over what keeps us together. Let us unite over Shabbos.The Shabbos Project is a program created and organized by the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Rabbi Warren Goldstein. For more information visit: http://us8.campaignarchive2.com/?u=088e38b9f842a7cb975c98a98&id=96750bd448&e=75f99413b0 Jewish Social Action Network Outerwear Drive The Jewish Social Action Network, a project of the Jewish Community Relations Council, will hold an outerwear drive October 26-December 5 to benefit immigrants and refugees served by the International Institute. For more information, please see the flyer in the Shmooze. Jewish and Muslim Day of Service Toiletry Collection Drive The annual Jewish and Muslim Day of Service will be held on Christmas Day 2014. In preparation for the day of social action, there will be a toiletry collection drive. See the flyer in the Shmooze for more information and for a list of drop off locations. Community ListServe The St. Louis Jewish Community has an active ListServe where members can offer items for sale, ask for items or services, read about community events, and more. The ListServ is a perfect place to offer items that you no longer need that someone else may enjoy. Many people benefit from such posts. To become a member of the community ListServe just email [email protected] Posting is easy! Just email your post to [email protected]. Torah Trailblazers Adventure Torah Studies Hike Program – October 26th, 10:00 am-12:00 pm Registered Yoga Teacher Maxine Mirowitz will guide participants on a hike to a scenic viewpoint where students will gather to discuss Jewish values followed by standing yoga and breathing sessions. The program on October 26th, 10:00-12:00 includes a family hike of 1.5 miles for elementary school age children or older with adult supervision at Laumeier Sculpture Park. To enroll please visit the website: www.Torahtrailblazers.com . JPAT Launches Speaker Series on October 28 Renee Wasserman, founder of SleepyHead Solutions, will kick-off a four-part speaker series for parents of young children presented by the Jewish Parents as Teachers program (JPAT), on Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 11:15-12:30p.m., at Congregation Temple Israel, #1 Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Dr. in Creve Coeur. Wasserman will present “Sleeping 101: Foundation for Healthy Sleeping Habits.” The program is free and open to the community. Complimentary babysitting is available. Reservations are required by Thursday Oct. 23, to Leslie Wolf, [email protected] or 314-567-4299. Wasserman is a Family Sleep Institute certified infant and child sleep consultant. She empowers parents to teach their children to become healthy sleepers. For more information on the Speaker Series or on enrolling in JPAT, contact Mindy Woolf at [email protected] or 314-567-4299. Stone Unveiling for Norman Sussman – November 12th The stone unveiling for Norman Sussman will be held on Wednesday November 12 at 10:30 am. The ceremony will take place at his grave site at Chevra Kadisha Cemetery (Page and North and South) in Sec. North, Row YY, Grave 40. “On the Fringe” – Do a mitzvah and express yourself too! Comfortable, stylish, affordable tzitzit. Colorful, 100% cotton cloth, plaid, polka dot, many solid colors. Reinforced seams, hand-tied for the mitzvah. Small, medium, large, and custom sizes available. Handspun or machine-spun tzitzit available. To order, contact Ben Shafner, 314-308-8324, [email protected]. $25. JF&CS Volunteer Opportunities Jewish Family & Children’s Service has the following volunteer opportunities: -Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry has volunteer opportunities for assisting clients in the pantry, sorting donations and preparing Bima Baskets to raise funds for pantry operations. -Community Chaplaincy: Volunteers are needed for making Friendly Visits with Jewish residents of care communities, providing companionship and a listening ear. To learn more about our volunteer opportunities and how you can make a difference, contact Anna Lehrke, Coordinator of Volunteers, at 314-812-9386 or [email protected]. ElderLink St. Louis ElderLink St. Louis is a free telephone information & referral service for Jewish older adults, their children & caregivers. The program, coordinated by Jewish Family & Children’s Service, is staffed by Lori Zimmerman & Ken Schwartz, who have Masters Degrees in Social Work. For a personal & confidential consultation, or for more information, call 812-9300 8:30am-5:00pm, Mon. thru Fri. The Jewish Food Pantry Needs Our Help The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry is looking for these specific items in order to provide wellbalanced nourishment for the community in need: canned fruit, any type of canned vegetables, kosher foods, canned tuna fish, peanut butter, canned pasta with meat, healthy cereals, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hand soap, and detergent. Items should be brought to your synagogue collection site. For further information, please contact Louise Levine, 636-227-1259. We are seeking sponsors for this exciting scholar in residence weekend. Sponsor in honor or in memory of someone. Contact Rabbi Shafner or the shul office. ‫שלום שבת‬ Submit articles and announcements for publication by Thursday morning to [email protected]. Advertise in the Shmooze Classified section and on Bais Abraham’s website for two weeks for $18. For further news and general information about our shul please check out our website at www.baisabe.com. The Shmooze© is a community publication of Bais Abraham Congregation, 6910 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri, 63130. Hyim Shafner, Rabbi.