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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

Judaism

Rabbi James Stone Goodman serves Congregation Neve Shalom and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association.

O holy Shabbes inspiration Ki Teitzei

By Rabbi James Stone GoodmanPublished August 29, 2012

Here’s a tough one: What about stoning a rebellious kid? When a man has a son who is stubborn, and a rebel one who does not listen to the voice of his father or the voice of his mother — and they discipline him and he still does not listen to them...

Rabbi Ryan Dulkin

Torah’s different take on key issue of ‘Citizens United’

By Rabbi Ryan S. DulkinPublished August 22, 2012

When it comes to politics, does money talk, and if it does, is that a good thing? In the relatively recent landmark decision of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court’s majority answered affirmatively, arguing that money is...

B'nai Amoona's Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose

The human is a tree of the field: the quest for rootedness

By Rabbi Carnie Shalom RosePublished August 22, 2012

The Sages of Rabbinic Tradition posit that there are 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) and that each of these Divine Decrees finds its origin in a particular scriptural verse*1. And though generally speaking the proof-texts cited appear plausible, I never cease...

Rabbi James Bennett

Just listen

By Rabbi Jim BennettPublished August 8, 2012

In her powerful book, “Kitchen Table Wisdom,” Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen writes: “I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen.  Just listen.  Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is...

Rabbi Josef A. Davidson serves Congregation B’nai Amoona.

Community’s embrace opens heart to God

By Rabbi Josef A. DavidsonPublished August 1, 2012

Many years ago when I was a hospital chaplain providing pastoral care to Jewish patients and residents of all of the local hospitals and nursing homes in the Denver area, I met a young woman in a locked psychiatric unit who had attempted suicide.  I...

Rabbi Brad Horwitz

Diversity and unity

By Rabbi Brad HorwitzPublished July 25, 2012

The 2012 Summer Olympics in London are something that I have been looking forward to for some time. The competition and sporting feats are intriguing and exciting to follow, but what also draws me to be a big fan is the “Olympic Spirit.” Every four...

Rabbi Ryan Dulkin

For everything there is a season

By. Dr. Rabbi Ryan DulkinPublished July 18, 2012

Numbers ends in much the same way that it began: with a list of the princes of each tribe, standing on the plains of Moab, preparing to enter into the land promised to their ancestors. Numbers 34:17-19 states, “These are the names of the men who shall...

Rabbi Ari Kaiman

Parasha ‘Pinchas’ explores Jewish paths to Torah, peace

BY RABBI ARI KAIMANPublished July 11, 2012

If peace is the absence of conflict, then there are at least two paths to peace.  In a conflict of winners and losers, violence and dominance is a path to peace. One “side” overcomes the other, and imposes terms. The winner enjoys peace, the loser...

Rabbi Justin Kerber

D’var Torah: Finding our true calling

By Rabbi Justin KerberPublished July 4, 2012

Sage advice gives quiet strength in the midst of turmoil. Scholars of Torah are sometimes called sages. I might call the author Parker Palmer a sage. Palmer comes from the Quaker tradition — which like our own is committed to an abstract, indivisible...

Rabbi Justin Kerber

Ideals and purity in parsha Chukat

By Rabbi Justin KerberPublished June 27, 2012

Who among us hasn’t emerged from narrow straits? Is there anyone who hasn’t come through a fraught situation, maybe bruised but not beaten; blemished but not broken? Our Torah portion this week, Chukat, is famous for its enigmatic law of the Red Heifer....


Rabbi Justin Kerber serves
Temple Emanuel and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical
Association. 

The lost art of spontaneous prayer

By Rabbi Justin KerberPublished June 20, 2012

Every so often, the people in the Torah pray. Maybe not as often as we might expect from such a holy text, but they pray, and sometimes with breathtaking intensity. Patriarchs and Matriarchs, lowly servants, great kings and humble shepherds, prophets...

Hyim Shafner

Shelach: Running from reality

By Rabbi Hyim ShafnerPublished June 13, 2012

In this week’s Torah portion, Shelach, the Jewish people have completed the short trek from Mount Sinai to the Land of Israel. God tells them to send the heads of each tribe as spies to spy out the Land of Israel. After 40 days the spies return. Ten...

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