Stefanie Brooke Isley and Ari Adam Kagan have announced their engagement. Stefanie is the daughter of Jon and Cheryl Isley of Stuart, Fla., formerly from Chesterfield. She is the granddaughter of the late Marvin and the late Sylvia Bierman, formerly...

Melissa Ann Needles and Justin Ryan Tesser have announced their engagement. Melissa is the daughter of Theresa (nee Pieper) Needles of St. Louis and the late Martin Needles of St. Louis. She is the granddaughter of Barbara and the late Eugene Pieper...

Dr. Barry and Stephanie (Lieberman) Yusman of Ballwin are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 24.Stephanie, a retired middle school art teacher, and Barry, a retired dentist, have two children, Lisa (Yusman) Cornell of Ballwin and Scott Yusman...

I picked up a copy of “The Pharaoh’s Treasure: The Origin of Paper and The Rise of Western Civilization,” by John Gaudet published last fall. What a fascinating read it was. In his author’s note, Gaudet says, “When is paper not paper? Many...

Studying dark days to enlightenUnder the heading, “highlights of my summer vacation,” teachers Ellie DesPrez and Jill Donovan say their time spent at the Belfer Conference in Washington, D.C. about tops the list.English teachers at John Burroughs...

Writer-director Sameh Zoabi and co-writer Dan Kleinman use the shared affection Israelis and Palestinians hold for both soap operas and hummus to fuel their delightful French/Israeli comedy “Tel Aviv on Fire,” which offers some gentle commentary on...

“America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today” by Pamela S. Nadell, 336 pages, W. W. Norton & Company, $28.95Looking for a combined history of American Jewish women and American Judaism? You can find both in “America’s...

When we look at art, our retinas can actually see the photons bouncing off it, according to neuroscientists. We often associate the images with memories. It’s not unlike the emotions we experience hearing familiar music.For the artists who create the...

Greek Jews are no strangers to moussaka, the rich casserole traditionally made from eggplant and lamb and thickly layered with bechamel. But because kosher laws prohibit the consumption of milk and meat together, Jewish versions of the dish tend to either...

Man on a missionIf you’re going to miss your 25th Kirkwood High School reunion, you might as well have a great excuse like, “I will be running over 160 miles through Belarus, from Minsk to Kazan-Haradok, the suspected place of birth of my (paternal)...

Now in its ninth season, the Jewish Community Center's Gesher Music Festival returns for two weeks in August, offering chamber music with a multicultural twist. The festival will run from Aug. 8-18 with three formal concerts as well as informal opportunities...

Yitzchak Tuvia Yabeta Rubin, the son of David Aaron Rubin and Norma Yabeta Rubin of University City, became a bar mitzvah June 24, 2019 at the Kotel HaMaaravi in Jerusalem. Yitzchak read Torah and led a morning service, followed by a nine-course lunch...