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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

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Dennis Klopfenstein. Klopfenstein is being held on $500,000, cash only, no 10% bond.

Jewish security network stops repeat offender charged with harassment after targeting Jewish institutions across St. Louis County

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 25, 2025

A Chesterfield man with a history of violence and stalking is now facing new charges after reportedly contacting and attempting to access several Jewish institutions in St. Louis County. Coordinated...

Former St. Louisan and Trump nominee Ed Martin says he regrets praising Nazi sympathizer

Former St. Louisan and Trump nominee Ed Martin says he regrets praising Nazi sympathizer

By Jacob Kornbluh, The ForwardPublished April 24, 2025

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. A Trump-nominated prosecutor facing congressional scrutiny over past...

Philip Fishman and Peggy Rothman.

After loss, two Jewish seniors find love in St. Louis—and a remarkable coincidence

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEFPublished April 24, 2025

Philip Fishman has a thing for coincidences. Sometimes he seeks them out—especially when he’s writing historical fiction novels. Other times, they find him. You decide which this is. When Fishman...

The Zionist Congress meeting in April 2023 in Jerusalem. (Oz Schechter/WZO)

US Jewish voting surges in Zionist election, with ballots open through May 4

By Debra RubinPublished April 24, 2025

At a time of heightened antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, American Jews have been voting in record numbers in an election that will help determine how billions of dollars in Israel-related funding...

Stan Polovets, left, co-founder and chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation, with Argentine President Javier Milei. (Genesis Prize Foundation)

Chairman of ‘Jewish Nobel’ Stan Polovets hails non-Jewish laureate’s extraordinary support for Israel and Jewish people

Published April 24, 2025

When Argentina’s president Javier Milei was named in mid-January as the recipient of this year’s Genesis Prize, it marked the first time the $1 million annual award, sometimes called the “Jewish...

Visiting Israel on Birthright in the year and a half since Oct. 7, 2023, many trip participants said they felt safer in Israel than they did back home. (Idan Arad)

Birthright participants say visiting Israel in the post-Oct. 7 era is a transformative experience

By Larry Luxner, JTAPublished April 24, 2025

Maddison Spiegel of Westchester County, New York, had tried for years to go on a Birthright trip to Israel but somehow it never happened. The first time she was supposed to go the COVID-19 pandemic...

New year, new Mah Jongg madness: What’s hot (and what’s a trap) on the 2025 card

New year, new Mah Jongg madness: What’s hot (and what’s a trap) on the 2025 card

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 23, 2025

It’s every Mah Jongg player’s favorite time of the year! The NMJL’s 2025 cards are arriving in mailboxes all over the country, and just when we were all getting comfortable and feeling as though...

Oct 18, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Former Texas Rangers player Ian Kinsler is introduced to throw out the first pitch before game three of the ALCS against the Houston Astros for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Globe Life Field.

Former Mizzou star Ian Kinsler returns as Team Israel manager for 2026 WBC

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 23, 2025

Ian Kinsler didn’t just wear the jersey—he helped make history in it. In 2021, the former Mizzou Tiger and four-time MLB All-Star suited up for Team Israel at the Tokyo Olympics, where the squad became...

Tom and Rick Pernikoff. Kevin Bowers, the group’s drummer.

New album blends soul, harmony and a hint of Eleanor Rigby

By Kathleen Lees, Special to the Jewish LightPublished April 23, 2025

Brothers Tom and Rick Pernikoff have been playing music together since they were children—a fascination that grew from driving in the car with their mother, who cranked up Motown on the radio, to learning...

Deborah Ben-Aderet and Arielle Turover Cohen.

From terror to healing: survivor of Oct. 7 attack shares her story in St. Louis

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 23, 2025

A powerful night of resilience, reflection and healing is coming to St. Louis. On April 28, just two days before Israel’s official day of remembrance, the local community will hear directly from Deborah...

David Palatnik and Dafna Revah.

A Jewish approach to wellness: Local couple behind CBD Kratom acquires WellBeing Brewing

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 22, 2025

For Dafna Revah and David Palatnik, entrepreneurship has always been about more than profit. The Jewish couple—best known for founding CBD Kratom and growing it into a national retail brand—has long...

Antisemitism in Missouri hits high levels again as debate grows over new state bill

Antisemitism in Missouri hits high levels again as debate grows over new state bill

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 22, 2025

In the span of one week this spring, two St. Louis area schools were defaced with swastikas and white supremacist slogans. The antisemetic and racist graffiti—spray-painted on Affton High School and...

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