Shmooze Blog

08 March 2025 - 08 Adar 5785

Shabbat Candle Lighting – 5:42 pm
Shabbat Ends – 6:42 pm
According to  myzmanim.com

Shabbat Zachor-Parshat Tetzaveh
Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat - 5:42 pm
Shabbat Morning Services followed by Lunch & Learn – 9:00 am
Mincha, Seudah Shelishit, and Maariv - 5:27 pm

This Shabbat: Services on the First Floor and Lunch & Learn with Dr. Judah Isseroff

Bais Abe Community News

We again extend heartfelt condolences to the family of our dear friend and member, Jessica Friedlander, z"l. Her obituary can be found here.

Thank you to this week's lunch and learn sponsors, Stewart Shilcrat & Paula Lemerman, sponsoring to commemorate the yahrzeit of their son, Micah Abraham Lemerman Shilcrat, z"l.

2025 Israel Mishloach Manot Initiative
As we get ready to celebrate Purim, we continue to hold Israel in our hearts and minds.This year, instead of distributing mishloach manot locally to our community, we will be sending mishloach manot and helping to share the simcha with people living in Israel. There are different levels at which to donate, and we hope you will choose the one that works for you here. Your donation will benefit American Friends of the IDF Rabbinate who sponsors this project with Yisrael Hatzair/National Council of Young Israel. A percentage will also benefit Bais Abe. We must have your donation by March 7th.

Matanot L'Evyonim
It is a mitzvah to give gifts of food or money to at least two different poor people on Purim. Even a poor person is obligated to give gifts to others. Ideally these gifts should be of a quantity of money sufficient to allow a person to buy a meal. It is preferable to spend less on one’s own Purim meal and Mishloach Manot, if necessary, in order to give more to the poor. While these gifts can be given directly to a poor person, you can also donate money to Bais Abe with a note that it is for Matanot L'evyonim. Please donate on the website, or by sending a check or cash to the shul office. We must receive donations by Thursday, March 13. Rabbi Finkelstein will distribute the Matanot La'evyonim on Purim.
 
Additionally, we would like to highlight the work of the organization Leket Israel, which provides fresh, nutritious food to Israelis in need. This year, the need is greater than ever. The outbreak of war on 7th October has created unprecedented challenges, with the demand for food assistance surging by 77% compared to pre-war levels. Leket Israel, which previously supported 234,000 people each week, is now reaching 415,000 individuals weekly. If you would like to donate to Leket Israel, you may do so  here.
 

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 first half of 2025 is: 

January 11
February 8
March 8
April 12 
May 17 (Note: third week of the month)
June 14

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.

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 Perek 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 group has now completed Psalms and has transitioned to the Book of Yeshayahu (Isaiah). If you would like to join this group and learn more about Yeshayahu, please join here. 

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.   

Opportunities to Support Bais Abe

• 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.

Upcoming Events (click on the images to visit the website)

Learning Opportunities with Rabbi Finkelstein

Shemonah Perakim
Shabbat afternoons at Seudah Shelishit

Join Rabbi Finkelstein for a study of Shemonah Perakim, Rambam’s introduction to Pirkei Avot, where he describes the important values through which we should live our lives.

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 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 


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.

                                        THREE TORAHS – PART II
        Last week we mentioned that when Rosh Chodesh Adar is on Shabbat, we read from three Torahs. I noted that there are three other times during the year that this can occur – here they are.

1. When Rosh Chodesh Tevet is on Shabbat. Rosh Chodesh Tevet is always during Chanukah, and when it falls on Shabbat, we would have the following three readings: a) the weekly reading; b) the reading for Rosh Chodesh, which comes from Parshat Pinchas; and c) the reading for the particular day of Chanukah it is, which comes from Parshat Naso.

2. When Rosh Chodesh Nissan is on Shabbat. The three readings in this case would be: a) the weekly reading; b) the reading for Rosh Chodesh (see above); and c) Parshat HaChodesh, which comes from Parshat Bo. Parshat HaChodesh is always read on the Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh Nisan, the month in which Pesach is celebrated, unless Rosh Chodesh is on Shabbat itself.

3. Every year on Simchat Torah we read: a) Zot HaBracha, the last parsha of the Torah; b) the first chapter of Breishit; and c) the special Maftir for Simchat Torah, which is the last paragraph of Parshat Pinchas.

(Kudos to Phyllis’s brother Saulie, who called in the correct answer.)

If a shul does not have three Torahs, some rewinding of a Torah must be done to get to all three readings.

Jack Shapiro
 

St. Louis Jewish Community News and Messages

Tomchei Shabbos: Purim Mishloach Manot cards are now available! Purchasing cards supports our local families. Cards are available for $3.00 each, 10 for $30 + 1 card free, and 20 for $60 + 2 cards free.  Cards may be purchased from Jackie Oppenheimer at 314-954-7088, or Bryna Kandel at 314-616-5862.

Clean Speech STL
Sign up here for Clean Speech STL, which takes place over the course of the month of March. Our communities are torn apart by division and strife. The way we speak is both the problem and the solution. Clean Speech St. Louis is a community-wide education and awareness campaign to unite us in the practice of Jewish mindful speech, to build a more positive, respectful, and peaceful world.

The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry Needs Our Help
Please help the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry by donating money or donating food. Below are some suggestions for food items the pantry needs:
 
Canned Tuna Fish and Canned Chicken
Peanut Butter & Jelly
Dry Spaghetti and Spaghetti Sauces
Kosher Non-Perishable Foods
Healthy Snacks
Boxed Side Dishes – Potatoes, Rice, and Noodles
Any Kind of Canned Vegetables (corn, green beans, peas, and carrots)
Personal care items such as Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash
 
Currently, the need is great so please help in any way you can. Thank you.
For further information, please contact Louise Levine, 314 368 5902.

 
Free Haggadot - For Anyone Who is Blind or Has Low Vision 
For over 90 years, JBI Library has helped people who have low vision, are blind, or have a print disability to participate in the most treasured of Jewish rituals, the Passover seder, by providing FREE large print, braille, and audio format Haggadot.  
 
If you or someone you know needs a large print, braille, or audio format Haggadah this year, please visit JBI’s website at www.JBILibrary.org/haggadah or call JBI toll free at 1-800-999-6476 before March 28 and they will be happy to send you your Haggadah, completely free of charge. They have many different versions available—request yours today! 
 

Important Eruv Update
Dear Community Members,

For three decades, the Eruv has enhanced the lives of countless individuals and families in our community, enabling us to experience Shabbos with greater ease and connection.
As we celebrate this milestone, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the dedicated individuals who laid the foundation for this incredible endeavor. The Eruv was initiated and managed for many years by Stuart Zimbalist, Joel Garbow, Mickey Ariel, and Alan Haber, whose vision and commitment made this essential resource a reality.

Additionally, we recognize the tireless work of our inspectors, Mr. Lewis Notowich, Rabbi Chona Muser, and Rabbi Daniel Kamins, as well as the years of unwavering dedication of "Lineman Emeritus", Pat Lorenson, and our current linemen, Brandon Duree and Matt Hackett, who really go above and beyond to ensure the Eruv remains operational every week.
Our Eruv has profoundly impacted our lives, fostering a stronger sense of community and enhancing our observance of Shabbos. This would not have been possible without your ongoing support, and we thank you for your partnership in maintaining this vital part of our communal infrastructure.

To commemorate 30 years of the St. Louis Community Eruv in honor of any of the individuals mentioned above, or simply in recognition of the Eruv's significance in your life, you can donate online by clicking on the link below. Every contribution helps ensure that this vital resource remains strong for years to come.
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=P-hRea66hLRXJjtXEutJYXp53JLp7-CwMq_ACYrlCOMKvBhUmRlwfte9QC1o02Q7ERUBz0lyXex7FJic

May our community continue to flourish and may we continue to share many more milestones together.
Best regards,

THE ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY ERUV COMMITTEE
Daniel Z. Lefton, President
Dr.  Stan Biel
Robyn Weiss
Ephriam Abrams 

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.

שבת שלום
Submit articles and announcements for publication by Tuesday morning to   shmooze@baisabe.com . 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.