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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

JPop Culture

Frank & Helen's

Part Two of the ‘Lost Tables’ podcast on Frank & Helen’s story now available

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished December 15, 2024

Last week, we told you about part one of the "Lost Tables" podcast on Frank & Helen’s restaurant, a beloved University City institution. Now, we’re excited to share that Part Two of the podcast is available. This two-part series dives deep into...

‘Wicked’ clever: Six13’s latest Hanukkah parody hits all the right notes

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished December 12, 2024

Jewish a cappella sensation Six13, known for their creative and entertaining Hanukkah parodies, has once again brightened the Festival of Lights. This year, their newest video channels the magic of the Broadway and big screen hit "Wicked," bringing a...

Dick Cavett Alan King Johnny Carson Friars Club Carson roast 1968

Should Jews mourn the loss of the Friars Club?

By Benjamin Ivry, The ForwardPublished December 12, 2024

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. The news that the Manhattan townhouse occupied by the Friars Club was auctioned on Dec. 10 at a foreclosure sale raises...

In ‘The Order,’ starring Marc Maron and Jude Law enters the heart of white nationalist darkness

In ‘The Order,’ starring Marc Maron and Jude Law enters the heart of white nationalist darkness

By PJ Grisar, The ForwardPublished December 11, 2024

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. The first thing you hear in The Order, a propulsive thriller about a white power group’s plans to spark a race war,...

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin in ‘A Real Pain.’  Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Is the real problem with ‘A Real Pain’ that it isn’t Jewish enough?

By Jenny Singer, The ForwardPublished December 9, 2024

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. In college, I participated in an unforgettably tedious Birthright Israel trip. The students on my trip were bored by history,...

Dr. Fran Levine brings women’s forgotten stories on the Santa Fe Trail come to life

Dr. Fran Levine brings women’s forgotten stories on the Santa Fe Trail come to life

Jordan Palmer, Special To The Jewish LightPublished December 9, 2024

Dr. Fran Levine is someone who knows a thing or two about history. As the former president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society and Missouri History Museum, and the interim executive director of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum in 2022,...

University City says goodbye to a legend: But, Frank & Helen’s story lives on in new podcast

University City says goodbye to a legend: But, Frank & Helen’s story lives on in new podcast

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished December 9, 2024

The last pizza has been baked. The last broasted chicken has been served, and now the iconic Frank & Helen’s restaurant in University City is officially a "lost table." A "lost table" is what Dr. Harley Hammerman calls those St. Louis restaurants...

Photos: Brothers Lazaroff rock out at Hanukkah Hullabaloo 14

Photos: Brothers Lazaroff rock out at Hanukkah Hullabaloo 14

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished December 8, 2024

The 14th annual Hanukkah Hullabaloo drew a full house at The Grandel Theatre on Dec. 7. The Brothers Lazaroff hosted the concert and celebration of the Festival of Lights. They were accompanied by the regular members of the Eight Nights Orchestra,...

"Oy, Santa" is among the Hanukkah children's books that also deal with Christmas that have come out in 2024. (Collage by Joseph Strauss)

New Hanukkah children’s books highlight 2024’s rare Christmas overlap

Penny Schwartz, JTAPublished December 6, 2024

To celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas, Max and Sophie, siblings in an interfaith family, bake up a batch of gingerbread dreidels. That’s the plot of a new children’s book out this year, but it could be a real-life occurrence this month, when the...

	This image, which was originally posted to Flickr, was uploaded to Commons using Flickr upload bot on 24 April 2014, 09:34 by Tata lv. On that date, it was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the license indicated.

Notes From a Jewish Mother: Hollywood’s ‘Pretty Woman’ knows: Mahjong is life

Published December 5, 2024

Mahjong, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Most recently, I felt cooler than cool when I found out movie star Julia Roberts’ favorite hobby is playing mahj!  Several of you have sent me a 2018 video clip that’s resurfacing of the Oscar-winning...

Jewish Jokes: Did you hear one that Paul Reiser told?

Jewish Jokes: Did you hear one that Paul Reiser told?

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished December 4, 2024

I was once asked by the mother of an old friend, 'Why I publish a “Jewish Joke.' I responded and she thought I should share my answer. I believe as Jews, we love to laugh. I believe Jews love to laugh at themselves and laugh at the very things we...

Arlo Guthrie’s antiwar staple “Alice’s Restaurant” was inspired by a Thanksgiving Day visit to Alice Brock’s diner in western Massachusetts. (Larry Bessel, Los Angeles Times, via Wikipedia)

Jewish woman who inspired Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant” dies at 83

Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTAPublished December 4, 2024

“Running a restaurant isn’t really satisfying,” wrote Alice Brock. “In fact, next to running a hospital emergency ward, I think this is the worst thing you can do.” But her time running a restaurant gave Brock a measure of pop immortality:...

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