Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community will commemorate the anniversary of Kristallnacht with a special musical Shabbat service at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. Cantor Joshua Finkel and pianist Richard Katz will lead this service honoring the unique musical heritage of the German Jewish community. 

“These sacred melodies, which still permeate our worship, prove our dedication to lives of meaning and compassion even in the face of history’s greatest evils,” said Finkel. “The beautiful musical settings, like the Jewish people, live on, bringing light and healing to the world.”

The following Saturday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m. Shir Hadash will mark the annual Global Day of Jewish Learning with a special Shabbat study session on “The Ugly Vessel and the Craftsman.” The overall theme for this year’s Global Day of Jewish Learning is “Beauty and Ugliness.” Among the goals of this international effort are to spark a love of Jewish learning and to build community, locally and internationally, by engaging diverse groups of all beliefs, ages and backgrounds.

The Shir Hadash program will address the question: “Is there value in appreciating both the vessel and what it contains?” Participants will explore different ideas of how to assess beauty and ugliness and their sources and will dive into some interesting, and perhaps even humorous, stories from the Talmud.

Both programs are free and open to the community and take place at the Jewish Community Center’s Staenberg Family Complex Arts and Education Building, 2 Millstone Campus Drive.  

For more information, visit www.shirhadashstl.info or e-mail Carol at [email protected].