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 19 (Note: third week of the month) 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.
Office hours are cancelled for Monday, April 14.
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 signing 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 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.
Upcoming Events (click on the images to visit the website)
Bais Abe Celebration and Rabbinic Installation
Mark your calendar now for a celebration of Bais Abe's past, present, and future, as well as the installation of Rabbi Eliezer Finkelstein! Join us on Tuesday, June 17; stay tuned for more information!
Learning Opportunities with Rabbi Finkelstein
Weekly Haftarah Class Shabbat afternoons at Seudah Shelishit
Join Rabbi Finkelstein for a weekly study of the Haftarah.
Jewish History Through Its Great Religious Leaders Sundays at 9:15AM - in person and on Zoom Canceled during Pesach
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 morehere.
Counting the Omer
On the second day of Pesach, next Monday, we will begin Sefirat Ha’Omer, the counting of the Omer. We are commanded in the Bible to count the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuot. Because this is a Biblical commandment, we say a special bracha (blessing) before doing it each day. The traditional time to count is during Maariv services, so we start next Sunday night. What if someone forgets to count one night? Do they pick up the count the next night? And do they continue to say a bracha each night? The Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), Orach Chayim 489:8, states that if a person missed counting at night, but remembered the next morning or afternoon, they should count without the blessing that day, but can continue counting with the blessing for the remaining days. If they forgot both at night and during the subsequent day, they may still keep counting for the rest of the 49 days but must do it without the blessing. Rabbi Yisrael Isserlein (1390-1460), in his book Terumat HaDeshen, states that if a person has a doubt as to whether they counted on a particular day, they may continue to count on the remaining days with a blessing.
One strict view is that of Rabbi Yehudai Gaon, head of the Yeshiva in Sura, Babylonia, from 757 to 761 C.E. He said that counting the 49 days was one uniform mitzvah, so if a person missed counting any one day they should not continue counting. Most views are not that strict.
Jack Shapiro
St. Louis Jewish Community News and Messages
Special Trash Dumpster for Pesach Thank you to Rabbi Greenblatt for once again making arrangements with U. City for a roll off trash dumpster to be available for use from Sunday, April 6th—Tuesday, April 22nd at the Recycling Center at 975 Pennsylvania Ave. It will be located at the eastern side of the lot. Upon entering the facility turn left. The dumpster is intended for household trash only. SHEIMOS Notice Regarding Spring 2025 Issue of Jewish Action We are reaching out to share an important halachic notice regarding the Spring 2025 issue of Jewish Action. Page 27 of this issue contains Hashem's name, and we respectfully ask that this be taken into account when disposing of the magazine.
What to Do When Disposing of the Magazine: • Physical copies: Please remove page 27 and place it in genizah or bring it to your shul for proper disposal. • The rest of the magazine may be discarded respectfully, either by: • Double-wrapping it before disposal, or • Placing it in a recycling bin.
Download the Benjamin and Rose Berger Pesach To-Go 5785 The Benjamin and Rose Berger Pesach To-Go 5785 is available for download here .
Vaad Hoeir Pesach Guide The Vaad Hoeir's Pesach Guide is now available 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
