26 April 2025 - 28 Nisan 5785 Shabbat Candle Lighting – 7:30 pm Shabbat Ends – 8:32 pm According to myzmanim.com Shabbat - Parshat Shemini Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat - 7:00 pm Shabbat Morning Services followed by Kiddush – 9:00 am Mincha, Seudah Shelishit and Maariv - 7:15 pm
NEXT SHABBAT: Latin American Lunch and Learn
Bais Abe Community News
Rabbi Finkelstein's Dvar Torah appeared in the St. Louis Jewish Light last week. Read it here!
Mazal tov to Rabbi Hershey & Chana Novack on becoming grandparents to a baby girl! New parents are Mushka & Tzemach Cohen. Mazal tov to the whole family!
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.
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.
Let Your Old Car Benefit Bais Abe! Do you have an old car that you thinking about donating? Let your donation benefit Bais Abe! Contact Ruth in the office or visit the website, https://careasy.org/bais-abraham-congregation, to find out more information.
Reminders
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)
New Class! Perek in the Park with Rabbi Finkelstein on Shabbat Afternoons
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!
Sign up now for this important program THIS Monday, April 28. Seating is limited and advanced registration is required!
Join us for a Latin American Lunch and Learn with Dr. Joseph Schraibman NEXT Shabbat, May 3rd. Sign up here (or by clicking on the image below) so we have an accurate head count. If you are interested in learning new recipes for this lunch, and helping cook for the event, please be in touch with Abby .
THIS SUNDAY: Family Yom HaAtzmaut Celebration and Tzedaka Project Sunday, April 27, 10am-12pm
Bring your family and celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut with us! We will have fun activities to celebrate Israel and we will welcome Arielle Turover Cohen to present her book and program, "I Am Brave and Unafraid. This will give us the opportunity to learn about the children of the kibbutzim and a way to support them from afar. Let us know you are coming here . Participate in our Tzedaka Program with Team St. Louis and donate a book to the children of Kibbutz Zikim HERE.
Learning Opportunities with Rabbi Finkelstein
Pirkei Avot in the Park Shabbat afternoons at 4:30pm at Lewis Park (if raining at 4:20 pm, meet at Bais Abe)
Join Rabbi Finkelstein for a Shabbat afternoon study of Pirkei Avot, using Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau's, The Sages, as a guide.
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
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.
Mourning During the Omer
This coming Tuesday (April 29) will be the first day of the Jewish month of Iyar. In one tradition, it is the beginning of a 32-day period of mourning for the thousands of students of Rabbi Akiva who were killed by the Romans in the 2nd Century C.E. This period ends a few days before Shavuot. Another tradition counts this 32-day period of mourning from the beginning of the counting of the Omer on the second day of Passover until the day before Lag BaOmer. The main customs of mourning that we observe are to refrain from haircuts and weddings. The Mishnha Brurah (written by the Chofetz Chayim, 1838-1933), says in Orech Chayim, chapter 493, that it is permissible to have an engagement get-together during this period of mourning, provided there is no dancing to music. He explains that in general, we should refrain from dancing to music during this time. The question arose as to whether this also means not listening to recorded music. There are some who claim we should not listen to any music, while others say music is not prohibited, as long as it is not part of some celebration. Jack Shapiro
St. Louis Jewish Community News and Messages
Tekes Ma'avar/Tefilla Chagigit at Young Israel Please join us at Young Israel on Wednesday night, April 30th, with Mincha, a Yom Hazikaron transition ceremony, and our annual Tefillah Chagigit for Yom Ha'atzmaut 5785.
Opportunity to Learn Mesechet Sukkot Rabbi Avi Kilmnick, founder of the KO, will be starting Mesechet Sukkot this Sunday, April 27th for anyone who wishes to join in the learning. Each episode is 25 minutes, 5 times a week. He plans to cover between 2 and a half to 3 blatt a week and the plan is to finish just in time for Sukkot this year. The KO is starting its third year - and Rabbi Kilimnick is very excited to share this learning with more of Am Yisrael. For more information hereis a link to our website. The easiest access to the podcast is on spotify. It's also on Apple and Amazon.
Now Hiring: Office Assistant/Bookkeeper Chesed Shel Emeth Society is seeking a part-time Office Assistant/Bookkeeper (25-30 hrs/week). Duties include: Basic bookkeeping, payroll, data entry, financial reporting, and general office tasks. Requirements: QuickBooks & Microsoft Office experience, strong organizational skills, and ability to work independently. Good phone/email manners a must. Flexible hours, no weekends or major holidays. Wage based on experience. Email resumes to: info@chesedshelemeth.org.
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.
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
