THE SHMOOZE A Weekly Newsletter for Members and Friends of Bais Abraham Congregation Garth Silberstein, Rabbi

Shabbat – Chol Hamoed 25 September 2021 / 19 5781 Candle Lighting – 6:36 pm Shabbat Ends – 7:33 pm (according to www.myzmanim.com)

Bais Abraham Shabbat Shalom! Services this Shabbat will be held upstairs.  Kabbalat Shabbat (downstairs) – 6:36 pm Contacts  Shabbat morning services followed by Kiddush - 9:00 am Shul Office (314) 721-3030  , Midrash Rabbah Study, and Maariv – 6:20 pm Rabbi Garth Silberstein [email protected] Join us for Kiddush, special snacks, and board games in the sukkah with friends. emai Ruth Schachter-Cohen, Fun for all ages! Kiddush is sponsored by the Wasserman family in honor of Stewart Executive Director Shilcrat in gratitude for his many contributions to the Bais Abe community. *Because [email protected] Larry Friedman, President the Eruv is down, if you would like to bring games to play, please drop them off [email protected] before Shabbat.* Kiddush Sponsorship [email protected] Next week there will be services on Monday at 6:00 am and on Thursday Shmooze Submissions at 6:30 am. Please let Stewart Shilcrat know if you are able to attend, [email protected] [email protected].

Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret, and Simchat Services at Bais Abe Davening Schedule We look forward to seeing you at Bais Abe for the end of Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret, Monday Shacharit…6:00 am Thursday Shacharit…6:30 and ! Please see the back of the Shmooze for complete service times. am There will be socially distant, outdoor hakafot on Simchat Torah evening and Friday Mincha/Maariv …6:36 morning, as well as refreshments (co-hosted on Simchat Torah night with Chabad on pm Campus at Wash U). Signups are NOT required. We hope to see you at shul; chag Shabbat Shacharit…9:00 am sameach! Shabbat Mincha/Maariv… 6:20 pm There will be a Women’s Torah Service on Simchat Torah morning. Please contact Fawn Chapel with any questions or for more information!

Office Hours Important Note from the St. Louis Community Eruv Phone or email only Due to significant construction and interference with a major Eruv boundary, the Monday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm ERUV is DOWN. This disruption is significant, and will not be fixed before Shabbat, Tuesday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm nor will it likely be fixed in the short-term. While we don't know enough to assess a Wednesday: 9:00 am – 5:00 time-frame, we would suggest that for the next few weeks at least, you plan on the pm basis of the assumption that the Eruv will not be functioning. Thursday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Friday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm Appeal As we do each year at this time, we ask for your financial support for the Yom Kippur appeal, a critical component of our shul’s budget. While you should have received a mailing already, you can read the letter and make your donations on the website, https://www.baisabe.com/form/2021-yom-kippur-appeal.html. We are grateful for your support.

Shalom and Welcome! We at Bais Abe pride ourselves on hospitality and openness to of all backgrounds. We strive to build a community rooted in mutual respect and commitment to Torah values and Halacha (Jewish law). Please feel free to contact the office, [email protected], for any information that may be helpful to you. Shabbat home hospitality is currently on hold.

Bais Abraham The is available to read online: http://www.baisabe.com/shofar! Board of Heschel & Adinah Raskas were inadvertently left off the list of donors published Directors in the Shofar. We truly apologize for the omission and greatly thank them for Larry Friedman President their ongoing support of Bais Abe. Judy Hoffman Vice President Read a Dvar Torah by Rabbi Dov Linzer, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Lilly Canel-Katz Chovevei Torah here: https://library.yctorah.org/2021/09/shmini-atzeret-the- Secretary yom-tov-of-follow-through/ Greg Storch Treasurer Martha Ginsburg YCT Shemitah Beit Midrash – Starts Sunday, October 3rd Immediate Past President We are very excited to share that Bais Abe is one of the partnering

Directors: organizations for YCT Rabbinical School's Community Shemitah Beit Midrash, a Aviva Buck-Yael series of classes featuring a myriad of topics and teachers. As a Bais Abe Fawn Chapel member, you can register and participate in any of the sessions free of charge. Tessa Gardner Just visit the website, http://www.yctorah.org/shemitah/, and choose Bais Abe George Grossberg from the drop down menu when registering. See the flyers in the back of the Michael Gutwein Shmooze for a list of dates and teachers. The first session, on Sunday, October Jeff Haspel 3 at 8pm Central Time, will feature Rabbanit Leah Sarna teaching on the topic, Simone Picker “A Permanent Shemitah: The Time Management Philosophy of Rabbi Shimon Richard Sandler Bar Yochai.” Phyllis Shapiro Stewart Shilcrat Outdoor Chesed Opportunity – Sunday, October 10th Dan Vianello Sunday, October 10 from 9am-1pm, we have an opportunity to partner once Nathan Waldman again with SHED STL to help local U City homeowners who are older, or have Rob Wasserman disabilities, with various yard and exterior home maintenance. All skill levels are needed. If you are interested in helping, please let Rabbi Silberstein know, and please let him know as well if you have any specific skills that might be relevant for outdoor maintenance projects.

Important Update to Bais Abraham Congregation Covid-19 Policy In light of concern regarding the increased transmissibility of the Delta Variant and the occurrence of breakthrough infections in vaccinated people (fortunately mostly asymptomatic or mild) and to bring us into compliance with the recent health order from the County Health Department, anyone 2 years of age or older attending services or other indoor group activities at Bais Abe is required to wear a mask. This applies regardless of vaccination status. Bais Abraham Congregation’s updated Covid-19 policy can be viewed on the website, https://www.baisabe.com/covidpolicy.

A Message from the Medical Advisory Committee on Masking Due to the dramatically increased risk of Delta variant infection for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, Bais Abe's Medical Advisory Committee is recommending that for optimal protection from infection everyone participating in any Shul activities with people outside your personal bubble, wear masks with higher filtration effectiveness than simple cloth masks alone. Such masks include N95s, KN95s, KF94s, or adding a standard blue medical-surgical mask under a well-fitting 3 layer cotton cloth mask. A snug fit without gaps is as important as the filtration properties of the mask."

Volunteers Needed to Help with In-Person Kiddushes We’ve had many inquiries about resuming in-person Kiddush at Bais Abe. A group of hard-working volunteers helped get our kitchen ready after a year of lockdown. We can have in-person Kiddushes as long as we get a few volunteers who can help prepare food before Shabbat, and prep and serve on Shabbat morning. It will take less than an hour of your time on Shabbat morning. If you are fully vaccinated and can help serve on one or more , please let us know by signing up on the website, https://bit.ly/2VOWijK (there are tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet for different dates). Our entire community will be grateful that you helped make kiddush possible again!

Your Amazon Purchases Can Support Bais Abe Your shopping matters; let your purchases of benefit the shul! When you shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/43-0782212, AmazonSmile donates to Bais Abraham Congregation. The site and shopping process is the same as using the regular Amazon, however a percentage will be donated to Bais Abe.

Bais Abe Misheberach List As part of the Rabbi’s Morning Tehilim, Halakha and Mishnah that meets on Zoom (https://www.baisabe.com/event/dailyprayers) Tuesday-Friday, 7:30 AM, participants say a prayer for healing the sick. If you would like to send names of family or friends who need healing, please be in touch with the Rabbi or shul office.

Halacha Highlight (Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain) מוריד הגשם The special attention given to rain in our tefilah can be understood when we realize that in the Land of Israel, where most of our prayers originated, the presence or absence of rain is critical. Israel is a land largely devoid of water sources like streams and lakes and is greatly dependent on rain to make the land fertile (see Dvarim 11:10–11). Also, rain in Israel is seasonal. It falls in the winter months, usually not starting before the end of Sukkot or continuing beyond Pesach. Therefore, there is a special addition about rain in our prayers that we say from the end of Sukkot until the beginning of Pesach. It is only four words and is found in the second blessing of each Who) ”. . . משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם“ :(Shmone Esrei (morning, afternoon, evening, daily, and Shabbat causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall). In order to remind people to begin reciting it, a special piyut, liturgical poem, Tefilat Hageshem, was written. Here in Israel it will be recited prior to Musaf on Shmini Atzeret (this coming Tuesday), and outside of Israel it will be recited in the repetition of that Musaf by the chazan. The (Ta’anit 2b) suggests that the prayer for rain is delayed until Shmini Atzeret because we do not want rain when good weather is needed for us to dwell in the sukkah. Jack Shapiro

St. Louis Jewish Community News and Messages The edition of the Vaad newsletter is now available at: https://ovkosher.org/voice-of-the-vaad-14/ . It includes a list of many pas yisroel items available locally.

Save the date: Oct. 31 at 1pm – Chanukas Habayis for New Mikvah! The community is invited to the Chanukas Habayis of the brand new Mikvah Shaindel Malkah of St. Louis located at the Staenberg Family Building at 4 Millstone Campus. Details to follow!

Men’s Mikvah Use at the Staenberg Building for Yomim Noraim 9:30 am-4:30 pm-HOSHANA RABBA PRICES: $7.50 ADULT; $5.00 PRE-BAR MITZVAH AND YESHIVA BOCHRIM; $5.00 KLEI KODESH; "FREE" FOR SON'S OF KLEI KODESH (pre-bar mitzvah age). We are still requesting that all men use the sign in sheet when they enter and please read and observe the current covid protocol in place. If anyone is experiencing any of the listed symptoms, please do not enter. Men are still requested to bring their own towels and prepare in advance as bathrooms will be unavailable for use. Please wear masks and maintain 6 foot social distance. Sign up: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sCWuUEPrkLG1jwMU7XgtrOoVgsAJRTxtrtajGUWKXzA/e dit

Mirowitz STEAM Studio Adventure – October 3rd Families of preschoolers (ages 3-5) are invited to join us on October 3 @ 9:30 for a STEAM adventure in Mirowitz’s outdoor learning labs.

 Build a chicken nest for our new school chickens.  Learn how composting turns rotten food into something useful.  Be an eco-artist! Build a sculpture using natural materials found on our nature trail.  Meet the animals that make the pond their home. Free adventure kit to the first 30 to RSVP. This event is free, but space is limited. Visit the website, https://mirowitz.org/admissions/events/ for more information and to RSVP.

Epstein Hebrew Academy Presents “Healthy Me Day” – October 10th Join us on Sunday, October 10 from 9:30 – 11:00 am as we explore healthy lifestyle habits such as moving our bodies, self-love, wholesome foods, and friendship! There will be arts and crafts, Hebrew story time, a snack creation station, and Jewish insights about well-being. This program is for 2-5 year olds and will take place at Epstein Hebrew Academy, 8645 Old Bonhomme. It is an outdoor event. CDC guidelines will be followed. Please RSVP by October 6 at eha.org/healthyme. Questions? Email [email protected].

Ongoing Bais Abe Zoom Classes and Programs Unless otherwise indicated, Bais Abe classes and programs are open to both men and women.

Morning Tehillim, Halakha and Mishnah with Rabbi Garth Silberstein  Time: Tuesday-Friday, 7:30 AM Central Time  Sign up on the website: https://www.baisabe.com/form/Tehilim-registration-form.html

Midrash Rabba: Group study of Midrash Rabba on the upcoming week’s Parsha  Time: Shabbat afternoon between Mincha (the same time as candle-lighting) and Maariv.  This class meets in-person at Bais Abe.

The Book of Judges with Stewart Shilcrat Learning is dedicated to the memory of Micah Abraham Lemerman Shilcrat z”l  Time: Sundays, 9:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)  Sign up on the website: https://www.baisabe.com/book-of-jeremiah-class.html#

Judaism 101 with Rabbi Garth Silberstein  This class is on hiatus. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in attending 101 when it resumes.

In-Depth Study of the Book of Ruth for Women with Maharat Rori Picker Neiss  Time: Wednesdays, 9:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)  Options to Join Zoom Meeting - Please contact Maharat Rori, [email protected], for more information.

Parshat HaShavua with Rabbi Garth Silberstein – on hiatus until after the Chagim  Time: Thursdays, 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)  Sign up on the website: https://www.baisabe.com/event/ParshatHashavua

שבת שלום

Submit articles and announcements for publication by Thursday morning to [email protected]. 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, 6910 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri, 63130. Garth Silberstein, Rabbi.