Rosh Chodesh Sivan, this week's classes, and Yizkor

1. Today is Rosh Chodesh Sivan, a one day observance. We add for Rosh Chodesh in the Amidah, recite an abridged Hallel, and add a Musaf Amidah. There is no tachanun for nearly two weeks due to celebrating Shavu'ot, which falls on Thursday night-Friday and Shabbat this year. Today is the 45th day of the omer.

2. Classes online will continue this week -- tomorrow morning at 9 AM (even though it is Memorial Day), Wednesday night @ 7 PM, and Thursday at noon -- Shavu'ot falls that night. However, there is no Kabbalat Shabbat service this Friday as it is Shavu'ot and there is no Kabbalat Shabbat service when a holyday falls on Friday (or within a Festival Holyday, i.e., Pesach and Succot).

3. I will be part of a communal pre-Shavu'ot week leading up to Shavu'ot, teaching a class on Mitzvot and an emphasis on the meaning of those Mitzvot as per the Sinaitic revelation of Torah and Mitzvot. The class "From Torah Verse to Action: The Mitzvah" is on Tues, May 26 at 1:00. Registration is required at JFedSTL.org/Shavuot

4. We will again have a virtual Yizkor service @ 11:00 AM on Sunday, May 31, the day after Shavu'ot; Stanley Estrin, has written a special and beautiful memorial for those who have died in this pandemic. Pre-registration is not required; the link to join is:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84018571032?pwd=RWNpVDFQSGk5aURObGNiVDN4VzRZdz09 Meeting ID: 840 1857 1032 Password: 847544

We wish you well, safe from Covid-19, and well economically.