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A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Dvar Torah

Rabbi Josef Davidson serves Congregation B’nai Amoona and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the weekly d’var Torah for the Jewish Light.

A story we often don’t study in religious school

BY RABBI JOSEF DAVIDSONPublished December 12, 2019

I have one sister and three brothers. My brothers and I were fiercely protective of our sister, especially when she came of age to date. Her dates would have to run the gauntlet! During her high school years, I don’t believe that there was a single...

Rabbi James Stone Goodman serves Central Reform Congregation and is a past president of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light.

‘Go toward’ a direction, if not a destination

BY RABBI JAMES STONE GOODMANPublished December 5, 2019

Jacob left from Be’er Sheva, went toward Haran, Genesis 28:10.You’re leaving the seventh well, bye bye Be’er Sheva, going toward or in the direction of — you don’t know where you are going, you know only that you must go. Go toward.You have...

Rabbi James Stone Goodman

The life of Sarah begins with the death of Sarah

By Rabbi James Stone GoodmanPublished November 21, 2019

D’var Torah — CHAYEI SARAHThe name of the portion is Chayei Sarah, the life of Sarah. Abraham comes to bury Sarah and to cry for her (Genesis 23:2). Something has separated them, Abraham comes to bury her and ends up paying everything. It seems as...

Rabbi Dale Schreiber

Vayeira: A legacy of words

By Rabbi Dale SchreiberPublished November 14, 2019

Rabbi and scholar Arthur Green writes about the Jewish artistry for words in his introduction to the Zohar. Based on an understanding of the Second Commandment (no graven images), Jewish creativity was channeled into words. While others were creating...

Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose

Abraham built solid foundation for generations of descendants

By Rabbi Carnie Shalom RosePublished November 7, 2019

The Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation. And I will bless you. And I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will...

Rabbi Noah Arnow

But I only stole a flower…

By Rabbi Noah ArnowPublished October 31, 2019

Every year, I struggle with the justice of the flood story. What was so bad about this society that the only option available to God was complete destruction, save Noah and his family? Isn’t there always hope for teshuvah, repentance, and realizing...

Rabbi Lori Levine

Our creations are blessings in the world

BY RABBI LORI LEVINEPublished October 24, 2019

I love creating. Though I am no artist by any stretch of the imagination, I find deep satisfaction in making something new. The energy we tap into when we paint, draw, build, cook, bake  or make some other creative effort can help us push ourselves...

Cantor-Rabbi Ron Eichaker

A case for the welcoming the stranger in our world

By Cantor-Rabbi Ron EichakerPublished October 17, 2019

The intermediate Shabbat of Sukkot has provided our sages with opportunities to help us take stock of ourselves and to be aware of our surroundings as we celebrate the fall harvest. Liturgically, our sages inserted some important attitudes provided to...

Elizabeth Hersh is Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanuel.

We are not alone; we were present at Sinai

By Rabbi Elizabeth HershPublished September 26, 2019

Rabbi Mark Joel Mahler wrote, “On [his] first Shabbat in Jerusalem, I was at the  Kotel [Wall] with three other first-year Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion students when Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach walked up to us, wished each of us...

Rabbi Josef Davidson

Appreciate the present with a recitation of the past

BY RABBI JOSEF DAVIDSONPublished September 19, 2019

In the title story of Philip Roth’s “Goodbye Columbus,” a young man from Brooklyn’s lower middle-class has been invited to dinner at his girlfriend’s home in one of Long Island’s more posh neighborhoods. Her family has a huge home, and dinner...

Rabbi James Bennett

Heed Torah’s call to ‘not remain indifferent’

By Rabbi James BennettPublished September 12, 2019

“There was once a boy named Pierre, who only would say,’I don’t care!’ Read his story, my friend, for you’ll find at the end that a suitable moral lies there.” —from “Pierre,” by Maurice SendakMaurice Sendak’s famous children’s...

Rabbi Scott Shafrin

Pray for justice in our time

By Rabbi Scott ShafrinPublished September 5, 2019

What is justice? What does it mean to be living in a just society? What would that look like? And how do we know when we are acting justly or when we fail to meet that loftiest of goals?From the very first word of this week’s Torah portion, Shoftim...

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