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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 Holidays

Children and their teachers and parents dressed up for Purim, some as Batman in honor of the slain Bibas brothers, at the Gabrieli Carmel School in Tel Aviv, March 13, 2025.(Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Children in Israel and beyond are dressing as Batman for Purim to honor the slain Bibas brothers

Philissa Cramer, JTAPublished March 13, 2025

For over a year, an image of the Bibas family in Batman pajamas symbolized the global call for their return from captivity in Gaza. This Purim, children in Israel and beyond are dressing as Batman for Purim to honor Ariel Bibas, the 4-year-old who was...

Max and Mallory Palmer celebrating Purim at CRC, 2009.

Purim helps children see evil in world, prepare to fight it

RABBI ANDREA GOLDSTEINPublished March 13, 2025

This week, we celebrate Purim. The holiday is a remembrance of a dark tale, filled with trickery, deception, and plots of murder and revenge. The themes of the story are heavy and important. But the celebration of Purim is surrounded by a gauzy cloud...

Everything you need to know about this year's 'Purim Parade'

Everything you need to know about this year’s ‘Purim Parade’

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished March 10, 2025

On a typical afternoon in University City, you don’t generally see a pink and blue shark, Wonder Woman, Popeye, CIA spies and a guy dressed as a Rubik’s Cube walking down the street together. Or Haman and Mordecai chatting about their weekend plans....

(Crown Books; Intergalactic Afikomen; Creston Books; Norton Books)

In new Passover children’s books include a mystery, Obama’s White House seder and a graphic novel from writer Dara Horn

Penny Schwartz, JTAPublished March 4, 2025

An endless Passover seder takes center stage in “One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe,” by writer Dara Horn and illustrator Theo Ellsworth, award-winners who teamed up for a humor-filled, time-travel graphic novel for young people. The tale...

Tickets now available for ‘The Passover Project’

Tickets now available for ‘The Passover Project’

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-ChiefPublished February 19, 2025

Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 installment of  “The Passover Project: A Musical Seder,” at the City Winery on Tuesday, April 8 at 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.) Rooted in a few examples from other creative communities around the country, the ...

Hanukkah gelt, chocolate coins given to Jewish children during Hanukkah, are among the decorations on the table as the Kavod group has lunch at The Journey buffet, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019. The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis runs the program that honors Holocaust survivors in the area. This was one of their social outings, which fell right before the start of this year's Hanukkah. The Jewish Federation Of Greater Indianapolis Runs The Kavod Program That Honors Holocaust Survivors In The Area This Was One Of Their Social Outings

Why I love Hanukkah gelt

By Rabbi Janine Schloss, Rabbi Educator at Temple EmanuelPublished December 23, 2024

When I was young, my brother and I used to fight over Hanukkah gelt. This was complicated because the pieces were different sizes, so even if the number of pieces were the same, it still didn’t always seem fair. As an adult, it always felt embarrassing...

Staenberg Menorah in downtown St. Louis

The Staenberg Menorah amongst the world’s largest

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished December 23, 2024

Last year, St. Louis unveiled a spectacular new addition to its holiday celebrations: the Staenberg Menorah, a towering 29-foot-tall marvel located at Kiener Plaza with the Gateway Arch towering behind it. Constructed with 250 feet of truss and lit with...

Two new Hanukkah ice cream flavors debut around St. Louis

Two new Hanukkah ice cream flavors debut around St. Louis

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished December 17, 2024

The Festival of Lights just got a little brighter—and a whole lot creamier. Clementine's Naughty and Nice Creamery is rolling out two new Hanukkah-inspired ice cream flavors at all eight St. Louis-area parlors. If you can’t wait—or live outside...

Staenberg Menorah in downtown St. Louis

Lighting of 29’ Staenberg Menorah to take Place Every Night of Hanukkah

Published December 17, 2024

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI — This Hanukkah, the 29’ Staenberg Menorah at Kiener Plaza Park will be lit every night of the eight day holiday. The Chanukah @ The Arch celebrations, sponsored by Peoples National Bank, will feature Hanukkah light-up giveaways,...

Pizza, prizes, and party vibes: How LollapaJEWza 2024 is dressing Erev Hanukkah!

Pizza, prizes, and party vibes: How LollapaJEWza 2024 is dressing Erev Hanukkah!

Published December 16, 2024

What happens when you take a dive bar, add some dazzling outfits, a guest DJ and the St. Louis young adult Jewish community? You get LollapaJEWza, of course—the annual holiday event that’s been bringing people together for 15 years. This year, it’s...

Photos: Home Depot Hanukkah Experience

Photos: Home Depot Hanukkah Experience

By Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished December 15, 2024

Ruby Gubitz proudly held up her new blue home-made menorah. The 5-year-old painted the base and inserted candles during the Home Depot Hanukkah Experience on Sunday, Dec. 15. Ruby also got to spend some quality time with her grandparents Charlene and...

Hard hats and hot latkes: Chabad’s Hanukkah event at Home Depot is back!

Hard hats and hot latkes: Chabad’s Hanukkah event at Home Depot is back!

Published December 12, 2024

Let’s be honest, when you think of Hanukkah prep, your first thought probably isn’t, “I need to hit up The Home Depot.” But for the past 16 years, Chabad of Greater St. Louis has been flipping that script—and it’s been a glowing success (pun...

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