The Bais Abe Shmooze - Shabbat Parshat Matot-Masei
07/24/2025 05:00:49 PM
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July 26, 2025 - 01 Av 5785 Shabbat Candle Lighting–8:00 pm Shabbat Ends–9:03 pm According to myzmanim.com Shabbat - Parshat Matot-Masei Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat-7:00 pm Shabbat Morning Services followed by Kiddush–9:00 am Mincha, Seudah Shelishit, Haftarah Study, and Maariv-7:45 pm
This Shabbat: We welcome Tzivya Katsman to St. Louis and to Bais Abe. She will speak at Shabbat dinner this week on the topic, “The Life and Worldview of Hayim Katsman z”l.” Advanced signup was required for the dinner; if you missed the deadline but would like to attend, please be in touch with the shul office.
Upcoming Events (click on the images to visit the website)
Learning Opportunities with Rabbi Finkelstein - SUMMER SCHEDULE Weekly Haftarah Class Shabbat afternoons at Seudah Shelishit
Join Rabbi Finkelstein for a weekly study of the Haftarah.
*If you would like to study a different topic, or in a smaller group, please feel free to reach out to set up an individual chevruta.*
Mazal tov to Dr. George Grossberg for being featured in an episode of Medical Stories, a PBS docuseries. The episode explores the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease through of their families navigating the illness. More information, as well as a link to watch the episode, can be found here .
The Nine Days This Shabbat we enter into the Nine Days. For information on Halachot for the Three Weeks and Nine Days, see here. Please be in touch with Rabbi Finkelstein if you have any questions.
I hope you are all finding ways to stay comfortable during this hot summer. In preparation for the coming year, I wanted to share a survey to gather the community's preference for learning at Bais Abe this year. If you are interested in particular topics, or if there are any specific times in the week that you are able to come, please let us know in the survey.
Spring Into Action: Thank You for Showing Up We're thrilled to share that thanks to your generosity, we surpassed our $36,000 goal raising $46,194 to date during our Spring Into Action campaign!
We're especially proud of the participation from our board leadership, a remarkable member participation rate, and heartfelt support from friends of the congregation. We welcomed some first-time donors, and were touched to see longtime friends return. This renewed support means the world to us.
The installation of Rabbi Finkelstein brought our community together in a powerful way. Nearly 100 people RSVP'd and joined us for a truly meaningful evening filled with joy, connection, and community spirit. A few technical glitches couldn't dampen the energy in the room—and your presence made it all the more memorable.
Special thanks to Fawn Chapel, Alan Nemes, and Husch Blackwell for generously providing the stunning venue—and so much more—that elevated the evening and helped make the celebration truly memorable.
A heartfelt thank you to our Celebration Committee, whose time, energy, and care helped bring this meaningful event to life: Larry Friedman & Randi Mozenter; Morey & Tessa Gardner; George & Darla Grossberg, Michael & Roberta Gutwein; Mark & Judy Hoffman; Jonathan Katz & Lilly Canel-Katz; Alan Nemes & Fawn Chapel; Selwyn & Linda Picker; Daniel & Simone Picker; Pazit Rabinowitz; Michael Rauchman & Ariane May; Dan Reich; David Scherba & Rebecca Swartz; Michael & Rachel Shapiro; Will Soll & Kalanit Chappell; Greg Storch & Lisa Ring; Dan Vianello & Leslie Fogel; Nathan Waldman; Janet Weinberg; and Larry Willick & Lori Goldman.
And hats off to our dedicated planning committee—Fawn Chapel, Carla Feuer, Abby Goldberg, Judy Hoffman, and Ruth Schachter-Cohen whose creativity and effort brought the event to life.
We're also grateful for the thoughtful article in the Jewish Light—and to all who shared it. Thanks to your support, our message is getting out. We connected with new people who care about us, and that's a beautiful sign of growth.
Whether you gave, attended, or both—you showed up, and that's what matters most. Thank you for being part of this meaningful moment.
If you would still like to contribute, you may do sohere!
Volunteers Needed! Bais Abe Garden Are you a master gardener? Or a novice to the gardening world who would like to learn more? Either way, we need your help! All you need is an interest in jumping in to help with weeding, trimming, and planting in the Bais Abe garden. No prior experience is necessary, and we can help everyone interested in finding a task that suits them. Please be in touch with Rebecca Swartz or the Bais Abe office if you would like to help!
Cooking: Do you like to cook or bake? Or are you interested in learning more? Come help prep, cook, and bake for Kiddushes and events at shul! Be in touch with Abbyfor more information.
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 2025 is: June 14 July 12 August 9 September 13 October 11 November 8 December 13
Security at Bais Abe We are in regular communication with Scott Biondo, Community Security Director at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, as well as with University City Police and other resources to make sure our security protocols are up to date.
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.
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.
THE NINE DAYS Last week we spoke about The Three Weeks, the period of time between the 17th of Tamuz (July 13, this year) and the 9th of Av (Tisha B’Av – August 3), in which we avoid doing certain pleasurable things, to recall that this has been a sad time in Jewish history in different eras. Some new prohibitions are added for “The Nine Days,” the days between Rosh Chodesh Av (this Shabbat) and the 9th of Av. The most common are not eating meat or drinking wine (though on Shabbat both are permitted). Within The Nine Days is another period that we mark – those days from the Sunday in the week in which Tisha B’Av falls until Tisha B’Av itself. This period is called in Hebrew, shavuah shechal bo Tisha B’Av. Since Tisha B’Av itself falls on Sunday this year, we start this period on the Sunday before – this Sunday, July 27. In sum, we have three concentric time periods leading up to Tisha B’Av: The Three Weeks, within which are The Nine Days, within which is shavuah shechal bo Tisha B’Av (this year the last two are the same). Each one has slightly stronger rules than the previous one. Jack Shapiro
St. Louis Jewish Community News and Messages
Eruv@30 Campaign Dear Friends,
This year marks the 30th year of the St. Louis Community Eruv.
Without question, the Eruv has transformed the way we experience Shabbos in our city. For over three decades, the Eruv has enabled our community to fully embrace the beauty and joy of Shabbos. Families walking together to shul, children playing safely outdoors, shared meals with friends and neighbors, and accessibility for the elderly and impaired, are possible, and are commonplace in our community. It is hard to imagine our vibrant community without it. But this past year brought unprecedented challenges.
In late spring, a tornado caused major structural damage to our Eruv. Emergency repairs were made, and thanks to the tireless efforts of many devoted people, a temporary halachic boundary was established to keep most of our community within the Eruv. This required swift and costly action; however much of the work still remains.
This month, we will begin the complex task of fully restoring and strengthening the Eruv. This includes re-incorporating key neighborhoods that were temporarily excluded due to the storm. Areas like the Wash U. campus and the surrounding neighborhoods, as well as southern Clayton and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Our goal this year is ambitious: $65,000- because the need is urgent and the work is critical.
In past years, we suggested a donation of $360 per family, and that remains a meaningful baseline. But this year, with urgent repairs and maintenance ahead, we ask that you give as generously as you're able. Whether you can give $180, $360, $1,000 or more - every gift makes an impact.
Your support and a successful campaign means: • Rebuilding damaged sections of the Eruv in full compliance with halacha. • Restoring full coverage to key areas currently excluded. • Covering rapidly rising costs of inspection, insurance, repair, and utility access. • Ensuring, IYH, that the Eruv remains operational for every Shabbos and Yom Tov for the foreseeable future.
As we always do when we embark on our annual campaign, we take the opportunity to express our deep Hakaras HaTov to all of the people, both professional staff and lay leadership, who have maintained and sustained our Eruv for the benefit of our community for the past 30 years. We are deeply grateful to our inspection and repair team — Rabbi Chona Muser, Rabbi Daniel Kamins, Lewis Notowich, Rabbi Yitzchak Hess, Matt Hackett, and Brandon Duree — as well as longtime Eruv leaders Stuart Zimbalist, Joel Garbow, Mickey Ariel, Alan Haber and Pat Lorenson, whose devotion to the Eruv is boundless and spanned many decades.
The Eruv is more than wire and poles. It's a symbol of unity and community.
It's a foundation of family life.
It's one of the reasons people choose to live here.
Please partner with us in this vital campaign and help us keep moving forward.
Neshama Carlebach in Concert - Sunday, August 17 at 5:30pm Come join us for a soulful time with the incredible Neshama Carlebach at SummerFest 2025! Get ready for an unforgettable experience filled with uplifting music and inspiring melodies. This concert is a chance to connect with beautiful tunes in person. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of a magical musical afternoon. The event will be at Clayton High School and is sponsored by Kol Rinah. For more information about the oncert and tickets, visit the website.
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
