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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

Parsha shows the ‘truth’ of effective argument

By Rabbi Josef A. DavidsonPublished June 21, 2017

In Pirkei Avot 5:17 we learn: “Every argument that is for the sake of Heaven is destined to endure, and every argument that is not for Heaven will not endure. Which argument is for the sake of Heaven? The argument between Hillel and Shammai. And which...

Rabbi Dale Schreiber is a chaplain providing Jewish care  coordination for Pathways Hospice and Palliative Care and has a private practice, Renewal-in-Action, specializing in resiliency, spiritual development and compassion fatigue recovery.

Listen to voices of wisdom and experience

By Rabbi Dale SchreiberPublished June 15, 2017

Shelach Lecha is the fourth portion in the fourth book of Torah, called Numbers or Bamidbar. God tells Moses, shelach lecha, send for yourself spies to check out what I’ve already told you is a good land. So Moses, at God’s request, deployed 12 sons...

Rabbi Scott Slarskey is Director of Jewish Life at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School.

Moses showed strength by recognizing his limits

By Rabbi Scott SlarskeyPublished June 8, 2017

Anyone who has graced the halls of a school knows that the nature of the work within those walls is boundless.  The amount of physical effort, time, and emotional resources that students can invest in learning and that teachers can invest in teaching...

Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael is coordinator of community chaplaincy at Jewish Family & Children’s Service and a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association. 

The work of schlepping

By Rabbi Micah Buck-YaelPublished June 1, 2017

Last week, I took on an intimidating task. I assembled a bookcase. I pulled out the pieces, got out the screwdrivers and hammer, cleared a space and opened the booklet of instructions. I squinted at the incomprehensible diagrams and tried to connect...

Rabbi Josef Davidson serves Congregation B’nai Amoona and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association.

Inertia is comfortable, beginnings are difficult

By Rabbi Josef A. DavidsonPublished May 25, 2017

It has been said that beginnings are difficult, and that old aphorism holds a great deal of truth. It has also been demonstrated as a law of physics that a body at rest tends to stay at rest, while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. This week,...

Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose holds the Rabbi Bernard Lipnick Senior Rabbinic Chair at Congregation B’nai Amoona, and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association. 

Control of impulses is true sign of strength

Rabbi Carnie Shalom RosePublished May 18, 2017

“Who is truly strong? One who controls her/his impulses.”  –  Ben Zoma, Pirkei Avot, 4:1 Inspired by the upcoming bat mitzvah of our youngest, Ellior Liat, who will celebrate her coming-of-age this Shabbat Morning at Congregation B’nai...

Rabbi Tracy Nathan

A reminder of the essence of Torah on the way to Sinai

By Rabbi Tracy NathanPublished May 11, 2017

Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day within the period of counting the Omer — the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot — is this Saturday night through Sunday night. Its origins as a holiday are not entirely clear, though it has been linked to two of the...

Rabbi Roxanne J.S. Shapiro serves as rabbi and director of lifelong learning at United Hebrew Congregation. She is on the executive board of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association and is chair of the St. Louis Jewish Education Directors’ Council. 

You shall be holy…

By Rabbi Roxanne ShapiroPublished May 4, 2017

In this week’s double portion Acharei Mot/Kedoshim, we are reminded of the events of chapters earlier when Nadab and Abihu offer alien fire and are consumed (Leviticus 10:1-7). “The Eternal One spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron...

The treasures in our walls

By Rabbi Scott ShafrinPublished April 27, 2017

I recently reread a wonderful tale, echoed through many cultures, that was once told by the great Hassidic rabbi and storyteller Reb Simcha Bunim. There was once a young man named Isaac who lived in Kracow, Poland. One night, with no warning, he had...

Rabbi Jonah Zinn serves Congregation Shaare Emeth and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association. 

The healing gift of silence

By Rabbi Jonah ZinnPublished April 20, 2017

When Blu Greenberg and her husband were sitting shiva for their son JJ, who was killed riding a bicycle in Israel at the age of 36, people came to be with them in their hour of sorrow. “Most people came with no forethought, agenda or explanation,”...

Brigitte Rosenberg is senior rabbi at United Hebrew Congregation.

What will you wear for Pesach?

By Rabbi Brigitte RosenbergPublished April 6, 2017

In this week’s parashah, Tzav, we learn that the priest is to “dress in linen raiment, with linen breeches next to his body” when he takes up the ashes from the burn offering. We then learn that he should take off his vestments and put on other...

Rabbi Josef Davidson serves Congregation B’nai Amoona and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association.

Giving one’s very soul

By Rabbi Josef DavidsonPublished March 30, 2017

As one enters many synagogues throughout the country, even throughout the world, one notices that they have something in common. Plaques are on everything! I remember that after my grandmother died, my father and his family endowed the religious school...

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