Skip to Main Content
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

Rick Rubin, left, with Russell Simmons in 1997.

From Rick Rubin to Doja Cat, Jews have helped shape the first 50 years of hip-hop

Andrew Esensten, JTAPublished August 11, 2023

(JTA) — Like many parents, Mickey and Linda Rubin indulged their only child Ricky’s various hobbies — magic, photography, music — while he was growing up in the 1970s on Long Island. Ultimately, they hoped he would set his artistic interests aside...

Corenswet poses with Rabbi Edward Cohn at his wedding rehearsal dinner at Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church in New Orleans. (Courtesy of Cohn)

David Corenswet, the next Superman, was married by a rabbi and a priest

Gabe Friedman, JTAPublished August 9, 2023

(JTA) — When David Corenswet was announced as the next Marvel Superman last month, Jewish movie and comic fans rejoiced: He will be the first Jewish actor to portray the hero in a blockbuster. But one Jewish community in New Orleans has been particularly...

Author William Peter Blatty, left, and director William Friedkin pose on the "Exorcist" steps, the outdoor staircase in Washington's Georgetown enclave made famous by the movie.

How William Friedkin, a Jewish kid from Chicago, made us fear the Catholic devil

PJ GrisarPublished August 7, 2023

William Friedkin, the Jewish hand behind one of the most famous explorations of Christian evil, The Exorcist, has died at the age of 87.  Born in Chicago on August 29, 1935 to Jewish refugees from Ukraine, Friedkin was raised in an observant kosher...

Author Elizabeth Graver tells the story of her mother's Turkish Jewish family, above, in her novel “Kantika.” Her grandmother, Rebecca Baruch, who inspired the novel's main character, is seated front row, fourth from right. (Courtesy of the author)

A novel of Sephardic life revives the Jewish family saga

Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTAPublished August 6, 2023

(JTA) — The very first Jewish book was a multigenerational Jewish family saga. But while the Bible went on to achieve some commercial and critical success, the genre doesn’t always get much love. Consider the big best-selling books of the last...

A cast image from the Discovery/Max reality show "Survive the Raft." The series premiered July 30, 2023. (Courtesy of Warner Brothers Discovery)

​​New Discovery/Max reality show ‘Survive the Raft’ features a Messianic ‘rabbi’ who says ‘I’m Jewish, too’

Published August 4, 2023

Aug. 7: 2023: This story has been updated with comment from Jonathan Dade. (JTA) – Even amid the motley crew with whom he is trying to survive at sea, Jonathan Dade’s introduction as a reality TV contestant makes a splash. “As a Black rabbi...

The Israeli circus troupe "Bomba" performs on NBC's "America's Got Talent." (Screenshot from YouTube)

Israeli circus troupe brings laughs — but no clothes — to NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’

Jacob Gurvis, JTAPublished August 4, 2023

(JTA) — Anyone who has visited an Israeli beach is likely familiar with the popular beach paddle game known as matkot. For millions of TV viewers and a live audience of 1,400 at NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” a trio of Israeli performers who...

Paul Reubens' estate announced his passing on the actors official Instagram page.

Pee-wee Herman actor and comedian Paul Reubens dies at 70 after cancer battle

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished July 31, 2023

Jewish comedian and entertainer Paul Reubens has died at the age of 70, after battling cancer. His estate announced his passing on his official Instagram page Monday. In the post, the estate wrote, "Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic...

Joe Litvag, founder of the Just Listen Company

Five questions for Evolution Festival impresario Joe Litvag

Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished July 28, 2023

St. Louis hasn’t hosted a major St. Louis summer music festival in Forest Park since the final Loufest in 2017. This year, on August 26 and 27, that will change with the inaugural Evolution Festival. The event will bring together headliners The Black...

Spielberg, in hat and shown on the set, won the Oscar for best director in 1999.

25 years ago, ‘Saving Private Ryan’ presented a rare portrait of a Jewish soldier in film

Stephen Silver, JTAPublished July 27, 2023

(JTA) — According to the Jewish Virtual Library, 550,000 Jews served in the United States armed forces during World War II. There were 38,338 Jewish casualties, while 26,000 Jewish soldiers “received citations for valor and merit.” But in high-profile...

Roald Dahl signs books for children in Amsterdam on Oct. 12, 1988. Credit: Rob Bogaerts/Anefo via Wikimedia Commons.

Museum honoring author Roald Dahl updated to recognize his antisemitism

Published July 27, 2023

(JNS) -- “So shines a good deed in a weary world,” Gene Wilder whispered at the climax of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” the first of many film adaptations in a book collection that has now become canonical for generations of young readers. The...

Add one (or more) of these graphic novels to your summer reading list

Add one (or more) of these graphic novels to your summer reading list

Zia Saylor, Jewish Women’s ArchivePublished July 25, 2023

This story was originally published on JWA.com This summer, my beach reads have taken a turn for the more picturesque. Tired after years of reading multiple books a semester in college, the text blurring as I highlighted yet another 100-page reading...

Lucy Greenbaum

Lucy Greenbaum, Prayer Lab musicians to take show on the road this weekend

,Published July 25, 2023

Get out of the heat this weekend and refresh your soul with the celebration of song. That's what's on tap this Saturday, July 29th at 7 p.m. at MaTovu in South St. Louis. "Shira Lishma" which is Hebrew for "Singing for singing's sake" is a special...

Load More Stories