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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 Pop Culture

The actors are (L) David Wassilak as Milton and (R) Dustin Petrillo as Haskell.

Timely, moving ‘Immigrant’ returns to NJT

BY GERRY KOWARSKY, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHTPublished October 19, 2023

“The Immigrant” is the first play the New Jewish Theatre has presented three times in its 25-year history. Mark Harelik’s tribute to his grandfather has never been timelier than it is in NJT’s brilliant production. The title character is Haskell...

Fauda star Tsahi Halevi with his son wearing an Israeli army uniform.

Fauda stars show up for reserve duty

By Yulia Karra, Israel 21cPublished October 17, 2023

A host of stars of the popular Israeli TV show Fauda are among hundreds of thousands of Israelis called up for reserve duty over the past 10 days. Israel declared war on October 7 after more than 1,500 Hamas gunmen infiltrated Israel from the Gaza...

Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) October 15, 2023

Taylor Swift’s bodyguard returns to Israel to fight in the war

Jacob Gurvis, JTAPublished October 16, 2023

(JTA) — An Israeli bodyguard who has been working for superstar Taylor Swift on her global “Eras” tour has returned to Israel to fight in its ongoing war against Hamas. Eran Swissa, an entertainment reporter for the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom,...

Jeff Tweedy plays Debbie Friedman's "Mi Shebeirach" in an undated video. (

Ahead of St. Louis show, Belleville native, Wilco singer Jeff Tweedy offers Jewish prayer for healing amid Israel-Hamas war

Shira Li Bartov, JTAPublished October 16, 2023

(JTA) — The Israel-Hamas war has elicited a chorus of celebrity responses, from Bono’s in-concert callout to Pete Davidson’s somber monologue on “Saturday Night Live.” Now Grammy-winning songwriter Jeff Tweedy and his wife have offered a...

Pete Davidson reflects on Israel-Hamas war in somber opening of ‘Saturday Night Live’

Pete Davidson reflects on Israel-Hamas war in somber opening of ‘Saturday Night Live’

Published October 15, 2023

(JTA) — “Saturday Night Live” returned to the air for its 49th season with a somber reflection on the Israeli-Hamas war by former cast member Pete Davidson. In the “cold open,” the Staten Island native spoke directly to the camera, reminding...

U2 performs in Las Vegas, Sept. 29, 2023. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)

U2’s Bono changes lyrics in tribute to Israeli music festival victims of Hamas attack

Gabe Friedman, JTAPublished October 9, 2023

(JTA) — The original lyrics of U2’s hit song “Pride (In the Name of Love)” were about Martin Luther King, Jr. But on Sunday night, the band’s singer Bono changed some of the song’s lyrics to pay tribute to Israeli victims of Hamas’ attacks. In...

Michael Biren.

From mourner to goblin, this Jewish actor helps bring the magic of ‘Beetlejuice’ to life at The Fox”

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished October 8, 2023

Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetle... Eh, not so fast. If you don't know what happens when you say that name thrice, you probably didn't see the popular 1988 film starring Michael Keaton as the mischievous demon. Fear not, that may make the experience of...

Taylor Swift in 2019.  Photo: © Glenn Francis,www.PacificProDigital.com/CREATIVE COMMONS and  Travis Kelce in 2021.  Photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA/CREATIVE COMMONS

Look what Taylor made me do: Watch football

Amy Fenster Brown, Special To The Jewish LightPublished October 5, 2023

I cannot stop watching football lately, but it’s only for one reason. Taylor Swift and her new boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce.  My husband recently overheard me playing a game clip on the computer and said, “Are we watching football...

Tsutomu Shimura, better konwn as the rapper Lyrics Born, launched his cooking show "Dinner In Place" in 2020. (Photo/Courtesy)

‘Jewpanese’ rapper has a new hit — an online cooking show

BY ANDREW ESENSTENPublished October 4, 2023

This story was originally published by J. The Jewish News of Northern California As he mixed matzah ball ingredients in a bowl during a recent episode of his online cooking show, Tsutomu Shimura reminisced about his bubbe. “I grew up going to...

"You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah."

Hollywood urged to break stereotypes, create more diverse Jewish characters

Andrew Lapin, JTAPublished October 3, 2023

(JTA) – As the WGA, the screenwriters’ union in Hollywood, returns to work following a five-month strike, the authors of a new analysis of Jewish representation have a message for its members: The world needs more Jewish characters who aren’t rich. Portrayals...

Saint Louis Fashion Fund Anniversary

St. Louis Fashion Fund celebrating a decade of style and impact

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEFPublished October 1, 2023

If anyone doubts St. Louis’ claim as a fashion-forward city, they haven’t met Susan Sherman or discovered the St. Louis Fashion Fund. Co-founded by Sherman in May of 2014, the St. Louis Fashion Fund (SLFF) plans to celebrate its 10th anniversary...

St. Louisan Jessica Radloff's 'The Big Bang Theory' book coming soon in paperback

St. Louisan Jessica Radloff’s ‘The Big Bang Theory’ book coming soon in paperback

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished September 27, 2023

One year after her first book was released, St. Louis native Jessica Radloff's "The Big Bang Theory. The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series" is coming out in paperback with additional pages and content not seen in the hardback. Radloff,...

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