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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

Jewish Humor

Jeremy Piven

No entourage: Solo Jeremy Piven brings stand-up comedy tour to Chesterfield

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEFPublished May 21, 2025

One of the first things Jeremy Piven will do when he steps onto the stage at the Factory in Chesterfield on June 8 is let the audience know he’s Jewish — just in case anyone was wondering. “You know how you can tell someone’s Jewish?”...

St. Louis Cardinals mascot Fredbird before the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Help make Fredbird a Hall of Famer while remembering his Jewish ‘family’ history

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished May 14, 2025

For over four decades, Fredbird has been the feathery face of the St. Louis Cardinals, delighting fans with his antics on and off the field. Now, the iconic mascot is once again in the spotlight as he’s nominated for the Mascot Hall of Fame making it...

Nevo Abutbul

Meet the 20-year-old Jewish mentalist bringing his mind-bending act to St. Louis

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished May 13, 2025

When Nevo Abutbul takes the stage at Variety St. Louis’ new "Believe Gala" this Friday, May 16, he’ll be doing what he does best—captivating audiences with his unique blend of mind-bending tricks and inspiring stories. At just 20, the Israeli phenom...

Yaacov Kirschen drew his "Dry Bones" comic strip, which at one point ran in 35 newspapers around the world, for over 50 years. (Image via Amazon.com)

Remembering ‘Dry Bones’ cartoonist Yaakov Kirschen

Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTAPublished May 8, 2025

(JTA) — Yaakov Kirschen’s first cartoon was published in the Jerusalem Post on Jan. 1, 1973. The comic, called “Dry Bones,” starred a Ziggy-like character named Shuldig, a bald and bristly everyman, and his dog Doobie. I first read Dry Bones...

How Jews shaped the Western – and how the Western shaped Jews

How Jews shaped the Western – and how the Western shaped Jews

By Olivia HayniePublished May 4, 2025

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. When you think about Jewish contributions to the world of entertainment, your mind probably immediately goes to...

Nathan Fielder in a scene from Season 2 of "The Rehearsal."

Paramount+ pulled his Holocaust episode. Jewish comedian Nathan Fielder isn’t letting it go.

By PJ Grisar, The ForwardPublished April 28, 2025

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. While the newest season of Nathan Fielder’s docu-comedy The Rehearsal aims to fix an epidemic of airplane crashes, episode...

Did you ever think you’d hear Springsteen sing Dayenu? Now you can. Sort of.

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 17, 2025

In a video I predict will become required Passover viewing, actor and voice legend Hank Azaria channels his inner Bruce Springsteen to deliver the “Dayenu” we didn’t know we needed—gravelly vocals, Hebrew lyrics and a klezmer-rock beat included. Azaria,...

Some Yiddish things my bubbe said to me

Some Yiddish things my bubbe said to me

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 14, 2025

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 (bubbe) and Baba. Both would use...

Six13’s new Passover parody drops: Bruno Mars meets matzah

Six13’s new Passover parody drops: Bruno Mars meets matzah

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 3, 2025

It’s become a bit of a Passover tradition — just when you’re knee-deep in cleaning and planning for seder, the Jewish a cappella group Six13 drops a new parody video to lighten the mood. This year is no different. On Thursday, the group released...

Empty nest, full heart: one Jewish mom’s hilarious, honest take on her kids growing up

Empty nest, full heart: one Jewish mom’s hilarious, honest take on her kids growing up

Amy Fenster Brown, Special To The Jewish LightPublished April 2, 2025

My son, Leo, just turned 18. My youngest. My baby. Even though he will always be my baby, to the world he is a legal adult. I have two legal adult children. Old people have adult children, and I’m not the same age as old people, am I? Technically I’m...

A five-story replica of a stamp of Superman in 1998 in Cleveland, home of the superhero’s creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File

See you in the funny papers: How superhero comics tell the story of Jewish America

Miriam Eve Mora, University of MichiganPublished March 26, 2025

Nearly a hundred years ago, a hastily crafted spaceship crash-landed in Smallville, Kansas. Inside was an infant – the sole survivor of a planet destroyed by old age. Discovering he possessed superhuman strength and abilities, the boy committed...

(L) Jayson Heil in "All My Sons." (R)  Jacob Schmidt and Spencer Sickmann in "Trayf."

From “Trayf” to triumph: New Jewish Theatre actors snag spotlight at awards gala

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 26, 2025

The New Jewish Theatre (NJT) continued its streak of excellence at the 2025 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, bringing home three acting honors across two standout productions. Actors Jacob Schmidt and Spencer Sickmann were recognized for their comedic...

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