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

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.

D’var Torah: A tale of two congregations

By Rabbi Josef DavidsonPublished March 11, 2021

Remember when we used to congregate together in our synagogues, at the Jewish Community Center, at restaurants, in movie theaters and in other such meeting places? Remember when people wearing masks were usually about to commit a crime rather than protect...

Rabbi James Stone Goodman

Without our leader Moses, we panicked

BY RABBI JAMES STONE GOODMANPublished February 28, 2019

On the heels of the molten beast, we slipped. Make us a god, we said last week, because that man who led us out of Egypt, we don’t know what became of him (Exodus 32:1). Did we want a god, or did we want a leader? Rashi taught that we were confused;...

‘Parah Adumah’: Existential consequence or irrelevant anachronism?

Rabbi Carnie Shalom RosePublished March 11, 2015

This coming Shabbat, Jews the world over will be blessed with a uniquely “thick” liturgical experience. In addition to a lengthy Torah reading spanning the two concluding sections of Sefer Shemot (Exodus) — the double portion of VaYakhel and...

D’var Torah: Parashat Vayakhel

Rabbi James Stone GoodmanPublished February 19, 2014

 On the heels of the molten beast (make us a god, we said last week, because that man who led us -- we don't know what became of him). Did we want a god or did we want a leader? What kind of leader? A master of ceremonies leader or someone to sit over...

Rabbi Roxanne Shapiro

Inspired to feel God’s presence in mikdashim — sanctuaries

BY RABBI ROXANNE J.S. SHAPIROPublished February 23, 2011

In this week's Torah portion Vayakhel, we read Moses' account of all of the things that God has commanded concerning the building of the Mishkan (sanctuary), the donations that followed, and about the actual work of construction. Inspired by God's statement...

Creating your own Shabbat

Rabbi Daniel PlotkinPublished March 20, 2006

While I was still a student, I entered into an e-mail-based discussion with other rabbis on the concept of the rabbinic day off, meaning whether or not we should have one. The discussion was more evenly split than you thought. The senior rabbi of...

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