Thank you to all those who help make services at Bais Abe run smoothly - to our volunteer greeters, childcare workers, security officers, cleaning crew, and service leaders. Thank you!
Thank you to those who helped set up, take down, and work the Sababa booth last weekend - Elisha Dasenbrock, Dan Vianello, Nathan Waldman, James Wallace, Lilly Canel-Katz, Rebecca Swartz, Yael Scherba, Lori Goldman and Larry Willick.
Thank you to Alice Thomas and Lisa Satanofsky for baking the shul's honey cakes!
Rabbi Finkelstein's Office Hours Rabbi Finkelstein will have open office hours on Mondays from 1-3pm, Wednesdays, from 9am-12pm, and Thursdays from 12-3pm. Come say hi and chat! If you have any questions, or would like to speak further, feel free to reach out, rabbifinkelstein@baisabe.com.
Shabbat Services on the First Floor To make Bais Abe's services more accessible to all, Shabbat services will be held downstairs on the second Shabbat of the month. The schedule for the remainder of 2024 is:
October 19 (third week due to Chagim) November 9 December 14
Bais Abe Minyanim We need your help to strengthen Bais Abe's minyanim. For information on Friday night services, please be in touch with Greg Storch. For Monday and Thursday Shacharit minyanim (and to be added to a minyan WhatsApp group), please be in touch with Alan Nemes.
Save the date for Sukkah building on Sunday, October 13!
The Women's Tefillah Group will meet on Simchat Torah. If you are interested in reading Torah or helping organize in some way, please be in touch with Ruth in the office.
Update Your Info in the Bais Abe Directory Did you know that Bais Abe members have access to an online shul directory? View and edit your listing by singing in to your Bais Abe account; directions can be found here. After you log in, you can click on "My Account" and view and/or edit your directory entry. You can also upload a photo so that everyone can put faces with names. This will also help Rabbi Finkelstein as he gets to know everyone! Please be in touch with Ruth if you have any questions about logging in to your account and making updates.
Sign Up for Psalm of the Day WhatsApp Group In the aftermath of the attacks on October 7th, Rabbi Finkelstein started a Psalm of the Day WhatsApp group for his shul in Baltimore, so that people could find a time during the day to focus our minds and hearts into meaningful prayer through the Book of Psalms. The Whatsapp Group just began its third cycle of Psalms, so if you would like to join this group and learn more about the Book of Psalms, please joinhere.
Bais Abe Stands With Israel We are brokenhearted and devastated over current events in Israel. We stand with our brothers and sisters during these unprecedented times. We have created a page of some resources on our website. The Jewish Federation of St. Louis also has a comprehensive resource page here.
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. Thank you.
Please be sure to close any windows you open before you leave the building.
Join Connect Bais Abe to get the most up-to-date news from Bais Abe and your fellow Bais Abers. To join the conversation, just send an email to connectBaisAbe+subscribe@groups.io.
Bais Abe Upcoming Events Click on the images below to learn more and register!
NEW CLASSES - It's not too late to join!
Jewish History Through Its Great Religious Leaders Sundays at 9:15AM - in person and on Zoom
Every Sunday morning, join Rabbi Finkelstein as we journey through the great Done religious leaders of Jewish History, and look at how history shaped them, and was shaped by them. We will be learning in installments of four weeks for each figure. Find out more here.
Halachah with Chacham Ovadya Yosef Thursdays at 7:00PM - in person and on Zoom Will meet on the following October dates: October 10 and October 31
Every Thursday night, join Rabbi Finkelstein as we learn halacha, Jewish law, by following the framework as set up by Rav Ovadya Yosef in his work of responsa, Yabia Omer. Find out more here.
New Fruit on Rosh Hashanna
There are a number of “sweet” traditions at our meals on Rosh Hashanna, symbolizing the wish for a sweet year. The most famous (outside Israel) is to eat an apple dipped in honey. In Israel the custom is to use one of the fruits listed as the sheva minim (seven species, Deuteronomy 8:8), one of which is a pomegranate. The pomegranate is also popular because its many seeds are said to symbolize a year in which we hope we will do many good deeds.
One practice involving fruit at a Rosh Hashannah meal is more than just a custom, it involves a halachic issue: eating a “new fruit,” a fruit that you have not yet had this season, on which you would say the blessing Shehecheyanu, on the second night of Rosh Hashannah. Even though the other major Jewish holidays are not kept for two days in Israel, Rosh Hashanna is. This is because Rosh Hashanna falls on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishrei. Before the Jewish calendar was adopted (in about the 3rd Century C.E.), it was not always known which of two days was the the first day of the month until a few days into the month, when the Court declared which had been the first day. So the rule was that everyone should celebrate Rosh Hashanna for two days. Some sages thought of the two days as actually being a Yoma Arichta, one long day. If so, we would not make Shehecheyanu, which is only said for something new, in Kiddush on the second night, as we do on the first night.
But the prevailing view is that Rosh Hashannah is two separate days, so that we should say Shehechayanu in Kiddush on the second night too. Still the custom arose to do something on the second night to give us an independent reason for saying Shehecheyanu (Shulchan Aruch, Orech Chayim, 600:3). If you do not have a new fruit on the second night, you still say Shehecheyanu in Kiddush that night, as on the first night. Shanah Tovah, everyone, from me and Phyllis Jack Shapiro
St. Louis Jewish Community News and Messages
Opportunity to Help University City Family Ashleigh Selmon was recently tragically killed by a stray bullet in University City. She leaves behind a 7-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter. The University City Police Department is requesting donations of clothes (new or good quality used), toiletries, toys, and gift cards to help support the family during this challenging time. Collection boxes are available at Bais Abe, Chabad WashU, Chabad of Greater St. Louis, and other locations throughout the community, or, you may deliver the items directly to the police station. It is a Kiddush Hashem to participate. Q's? Contact Rabbi H. Novack, rabbi@chabadwashu.org.
TOMCHEI SHABBOS Please remember our families in the community who are depending on your help during the upcoming chagim. A monetary donation can be made to tomcheistl.org or sent to Jackie Oppenheimer, 914 Albey Lane, 63132.
Pas Yisroel List The Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis has published a list of Pas Yisroel items. The list is online here .
MIKVAH CAMPAIGN The mikvah is in significant need of funds and must raise at least $75,000 to cover urgent repair expenses. We are currently a third of the way to our goal. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to help sustain our mikvaot. Online at STLMikvah.org/donate or send a check payable to Taharath Israel of St. Louis, 4 Millstone Campus Drive, 63146.
Bais Abraham Congregation Office Hours: 6910 Delmar Blvd. Monday-Thursday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm University City, MO 63130 Friday: Closed Phone: 314.721.3030 Email: office@baisabe.com
