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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

Local news

Joey Abeles

From USY to the rabbinate: Joey Abeles earns double chai honor

Published July 23, 2025

Former St. Louisan and Jewish educator Joey Abeles, was one of 27 lauded as a USY Alumni Double Chai honoree. Double chai refers to a program that honors USY alumni who are 36 years old or younger and have continued to be involved in USY or the broader...

Andrea Newstead

She’s been behind the scenes at Mirowitz — now she’s front and center

Published July 23, 2025

Andrea Newstead is stepping into a new role as director of admissions and marketing/communications at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. She will lead all recruitment, admissions and retention efforts as well as serve as the school’s primary...

Zoey Waldman-Schein

Shaare Emeth’s new music director is a familiar voice in St. Louis Jewish life

Published July 23, 2025

Zoey Waldman-Schein has been named the new Director of Music Engagement at Congregation Shaare Emeth. Zoey bring a strong background in Jewish music education and community programming, most recently serving as the artistic director of Kolot, the St....

Brian Thomas has been named interim head of school at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School

New Mirowitz leader brings heart, history — and a baseball glove

By Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished July 23, 2025

Veteran educator Brian Thomas has been named interim head of school at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. The appointment of Thomas was announced on Wednesday, July 23, by Scott Levine, president of the school’s board of trustees. Levine’s introductory...

Susan Goldenberg, founder and owner of Ingenium, and Linda Bearman, partner.

St. Louis search firm scooped up by Chicago player

Published July 23, 2025

Ingenium Partners was acquired by Chicago based executive search firm, Randall Partners. Susan Goldenberg, founder and owner of Ingenium, and Linda Bearman, partner, will continue to be engaged as search consultants with Randal Partners in the St. Louis...

In a 2018 photo, then-co-editor Adam Rush and writer Olivia Riutcel work on an Ohr Chadash section in the Jewish Light office. File Photo: Mike Sherwin

Calling all teen voices: Join the Light’s teen page this school year

Published July 23, 2025

Love to write? Want to meet other creative Jewish teens? Have something to say about Jewish identity, high school life, current events, or pop culture? Then Ohr Chadash, the St. Louis Jewish Light’s teen page, is calling your name. Ohr Chadash (Hebrew...

From left to right, The Water Nymphs are: Gloria Schonbrun, Sue Lapp, Lynnsie Kantor, Ellen Samuels, Gail Kramer, Judy Abrams, Lynda Berkowitz, Loren Ludmerer and Nancy Weigley.

Cementing the bonds of friendship, one backstroke at a time

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-ChiefPublished July 23, 2025

One of the many unexpected bonuses of working in the St. Louis Jewish community for the past 17 years has been the friendships I’ve made along the way. Some were entirely unanticipated, born not out of long-shared history or careful cultivation but...

Debbi Braunstein (fourth from right) of the J’s Hamsa Wellness Community, pictured with members of the committee for the Beyond Pink program.

From survivor to supporter: How a cancer diagnosis sparked a wellness movement at the J

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-ChiefPublished July 22, 2025

When Clare Richardson was diagnosed with breast cancer during the thick of the COVID pandemic, the isolation hit her on all fronts. A former marathoner and triathlete, she was suddenly too depleted to work out and, with the world shut down, there was...

Transforming the J in Chesterfield: A community effort

Transforming the J in Chesterfield: A community effort

Published July 21, 2025

The St. Louis Jewish Community Center (the J) is nearing completion of a major renovation of its Marilyn Fox Building in Chesterfield, part of the “Creating the J for Tomorrow” project. The effort, which wraps up in September, marks the end of...

Enemies. Friends. The last Jews in Kabul. Their story became a stage hit.

Enemies. Friends. The last Jews in Kabul. Their story became a stage hit.

By Judith Newmark, Special to the Jewish LightPublished July 20, 2025

At a rehearsal about 20 years ago, Seth Rozin - director, playwright, artistic director of Philadelphia’s InterAct Theatre - was approached by one of the actors, a New York Times in his hand. “Look at this,” the actor said. He pointed to a story...

Four Women, One Torah—Now with four names

Four Women, One Torah—Now with four names

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished July 20, 2025

Last week, we turned to our readers with a mystery: a photo in the Jewish Light from the late 1970s or early 1980s at Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel (BSKI), showing four women and Rabbi Benson Skoff gathered around an open Torah scroll. We had zero names....

Rabbi Ze'ev Smason

Feeling burned out? This St. Louis rabbi wants to send you a spark

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished July 17, 2025

Rabbi Ze’ev Smason has a new weekly project, and it’s one he hopes will bring people just a little closer to themselves. With Spiritual Sparks, the longtime Olivette rabbi sends a spark of inspiration each week—short reflections meant to nourish...

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