KETC (Channel 9) is one of 10 PBS-affiliated stations around the country to receive a $10,000 grant from WNET in New York to help produce a local component to complement the five-part series, “The Story of the Jews.”

“This involves things locally that are complementary,” said Patrick Murphy, KETC’s vice president of production. “We felt strongly that we wanted to show things about Jewish identity here in the St. Louis area — what that means culturally, religiously, ethnically. It’s really interesting.” 

The series, written and narrated by Professor Simon Schama of Columbia University in New York, will be broadcast in primetime on March 25 and April 1 (for times and more details, see related infobox). The WNET grant also is helping to pay for a 6 ½-minute segment on “Living St. Louis” about Jewish identity that airs March 24. The local segment features local Jewish musician and singer Rick Recht.

The Jewish Federation of St. Louis is underwriting the Schama series, as is the Silk Foundation of St. Louis.

Then, on May 7, Federation president and CEO Andrew Rehfeld will moderate a “Community Conversation” on local Jewish identity in the 21^st century with Murphy. Panelists are to include Rabbi Amy Feder of Congregation Temple Israel and Prof. Hillel Kieval of Washington University.