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

Robin WIlliams at the Happy Feet Two Australian Premiere 4 December 2011,

Robin Williams’ hilarious Exodus retelling is a must-see Passover tradition

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 19, 2024

Robin Williams was not a Jew, but perhaps it was because of his lifetime friendship and professional partnership with Jewish comedy legend Billy Crystal that many people think he was indeed Jewish. Williams, who died in 2014, embraced Jewish culture...

Buzz Off! Why I’m serving up unfiltered truth to nosy advice-givers

Buzz Off! Why I’m serving up unfiltered truth to nosy advice-givers

BY AMY FENSTER BROWNPublished April 18, 2024

Recently I read an article about home organization. The expert suggested vacuuming in natural light to really be able to see dirt and debris, so you won’t have to go back and do touch ups. Until that moment, I had no idea going back and doing touch...

MATZA MIA: Six13s Passover parody is the matzah ball of musical mashups!

“MATZA MIA: Six13’s Passover parody is the matzah ball of musical mashups!

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 17, 2024

Just in time for the first night of Passover, Jewish a cappella group Six13 dropped their latest musical parody video - MATZA MIA! If the title doesn't jump out at you, it's a not to the legendary Swedish quartet ABBA, who rocked the world of disco...

People take cover in a stairway in Jerusalem, as a red alert is sounded when drones and missiles fired from Iran neared Israel, April 14, 2024.

As Jews do, Israelis awaiting Iranian missile barrage, counter with humor

Philissa Cramer, JTAPublished April 14, 2024

(JTA) — The sirens started blaring all over Israel just before 2 a.m. — in the south, in the north, near army bases around the country and, unusually, in and around Jerusalem. The sirens are meant to stop Israelis in their tracks — or wake...

Hayehudim in concert with Shalom Hanoch, 2010

‘The Jews’ – Why this band’s name is so controversial

By Mira Fox, By Mira FoxPublished April 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 band is called HaYehudim — “The Jews,” in Hebrew. And that simple statement of identity was apparently...

Clara Deitchman

Yiddish things my bubbe said to me

Published April 12, 2024

Since joining the Jewish Light, I’ve reflected on my own Jewish experience growing up, and part of that was the Yiddish my grandparents would use, particularly my maternal grandparents, whom I affectionately named Mama and Baba. Both would use Yiddish...

A Jewish mother and an illustrator have teamed up to create an unofficial Taylor Swift haggadah for Passover this year. (Courtesy Shelley Atlas Serber, Wikimedia. Design by Jackie Hajdenberg)

The exodus story you know ‘All Too Well’ gets retold in new Taylor Swift haggadah

Jackie Hajdenberg, JTAPublished April 10, 2024

(JTA) — Taylor Swift has (unofficially) entered her Exodus era. Swifties can now express their love for the pop icon while celebrating Passover, thanks to the “Unofficial Taylor Swift Haggadah,” written by author Na’ama Ben-David. Ben-David...

From Hebrew school to hot jazz, how Elana Jamess musical journey brought her to St. Louis

From Hebrew school to hot jazz, how Elana James’s musical journey brought her to St. Louis

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 9, 2024

Sometimes the most unexpected journeys lead to the most remarkable destinations. For Elana James, hers has beena musical one which began at the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy in Kansas City and now brings her to St. Louis, for a show on Friday, April 12,...

Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld exit jail in the final episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, which revised the ending of the Jewish comedy duos previous series Seinfeld. (Max)

Series finale of HBO’s ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ reunites Larry David-Jerry Seinfeld Jewish comedy duo

Published April 9, 2024

(JTA) — Those who might have described “Curb Your Enthusiasm” as a kind of “Seinfeld” on steroids got a fitting conclusion on Sunday, as the last episode of Larry David’s landmark 12-season sitcom was essentially a reprise of the much-maligned...

Jewish Jokes: Did you hear the one about the kippah wearing bee?

Jewish Jokes: Did you hear the one about the kippah wearing bee?

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 8, 2024

I was recently asked by the mother of an old friend, “Why I do a “Jewish Joke of the Day.” 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...

Alex Edelmans antisemitism-focused one-man show, Just For Us, is premiering on HBO as a comedy special. (Courtesy Max)

Funny man Alex Edelman’s antisemitism-focused one-man show, “Just For Us,” is premiering on HBO

Published April 5, 2024

(JTA) — Alex Edelman’s acclaimed comedy special “Just For Us,” about his experience as a Jew attending a white supremacist meeting in New York City, first premiered at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in the summer of 2018. Months...

From L.A. to Israel to St. Louis: A dance of Jewish connections and joy

From L.A. to Israel to St. Louis: A dance of Jewish connections and joy

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 2, 2024

Dance holds significant importance in the Jewish faith. In the Bible, Mishnah and Talmud, dance is referred to in various contexts as an important ritualized activity and as an expression of joy. In today's world of dance, the Los Angeles-based company...

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