You would have expected 300 tourists, who had hoped for months to observe a solar eclipse, to have been disappointed when a thick cloud cover blocked the view of the sun for more than hour during those magical midday moments. But they were not.

Billed as the “Kosher Eclipse”, a caterer from Baltimore and a physicist from Ramat Bet Shemesh worked together for months to create an eclipse related program for Torah Jews focused on astronomy, hashkafa, and halacha related to this dramatic event. The location chosen was St Josephs, Missouri, one half hour north of Kansas City. The featured speakers were Rabbi Dovid Heber, a rav from Baltimore with a strong interest in astronomy, and Dr Yisrael Ury, a physicist born and trained in the US but now a citizen of Israel.
The program actually began one day earlier with a Shabbaton for the members of the Beth Israel shul where Rabbi Heber addressed on a number of topics, including “Total Eclipse through the Lens of the Torah”.

On Sunday people from around the country arrived in Kansas City and were bussed to a conference center in St Josephs where they were served a banquet dinner by O’Fishel Caterers of Baltimore. The group shared a love of Torah and an interest in astronomy. Rabbonim from Chicago, New York and Baltimore shared anecdotes with baaley batim from around the country. Chassidim from Monroe NY shared dinner tables with physicians and businessmen from Los Angeles and Baltimore. The sumptuous dinner was followed by lectures by Dr Ury and Rabbi Heber.

More lectures continued the next morning after shacharis and breakfast in anticipation of the big event scheduled for just after 1pm. The anticipation was tempered with anxiety because of the clouds and the drizzle that persisted through the morning. Around noon the skies cleared and viewing glasses were distributed.

More sophisticated astronomers and photographers set up their cameras and telescopes for the big event. The group was able to see the beginning phase of the moon’s encroachment of the sun. Unfortunately, around 15 minutes later, the clouds thickened and did not dissipate until around 2pm, when the group was again able to witness the final moments of the moon at the edge of the sun’s rays. Yom Kippur Koton Mincha followed, and the group boarded buses to return to the airport and their respective homes.

Despite the fact that no one viewed ‘totality’, all were upbeat. They were privileged to share a special day and a half with like minded people from around the country, and to hear fascinating talks from Rabbi Heber and Dr Ury. All were hoping to meet again, and to catch better weather, and the next US solar eclipse around Rosh Chodesh Nissan 2024.