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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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Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (left) and Jordan’s King Hussein shake hands in front of U.S. President Bill Clinton after signing their peace treaty Oct. 26, 1994, in the Arava. By Ya’acov Sa’ar, Israeli Government Press Office

This week in Israeli history: Jan. 31 to Feb. 7

Center for Israel Education, israeled.orgPublished January 31, 2024

Jan. 31, 1922 — Hebrew ‘Dybbuk’ Opens in Moscow The Hebrew version of “The Dybbuk, or Between Two Worlds” begins its successful stage run at Moscow’s Habimah Theater. Written in Russian and...

Why you shouldn't miss Jewish storyteller, musician Alicia Jo Rabins as she enchants St. Louis

Why you shouldn’t miss Jewish storyteller, musician Alicia Jo Rabins as she enchants St. Louis

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished January 30, 2024

Internationally touring musician, poet and Jewish storyteller Alicia Jo Rabins has made a career out of bringing ancient Jewish legends to life, but you might remember her as a member of the klezmer-punk...

More countries cut funding to UNRWA over allegations of involvement with Oct. 7 attack

More countries cut funding to UNRWA over allegations of involvement with Oct. 7 attack

RON KAMPEAS, JTAPublished January 30, 2024

WASHINGTON (JTA) — A growing number of countries has suspended funding to the main United Nations agency aiding Palestinians in the wake of allegations that a number of its staffers were involved in...

Karen Tal, right, visits with a student at an Amal school in Petah Tikva, Israel, Nov. 24, 2023. (Larry Luxner)

Amid war, this Israeli educator is finding new ways to promote Jewish-Arab coexistence

LARRY LUXNER, JTAPublished January 29, 2024

TEL AVIV — It only took a few minutes from the time the rocket fire from Gaza began on the morning of Oct. 7 for Karen Tal to field her first of many phone calls and messages with terrible news. The...

Jewish aunts, upbringing helps actress bring 'Mrs. Strakosh' to life at 'The Fox'

Jewish aunts, upbringing helps actress bring ‘Mrs. Strakosh’ to life at ‘The Fox’

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished January 29, 2024

The Broadway revival of "Funny Girl" is at the Fabulous Fox Theatre until Feb. 4. If you attend, look for actress Eileen T'Kaye in the role of "Mrs. Strakosh," a Jewish woman and neighbor of Fanny...

Earl Kessler and Al Siwak, the cofounders of Pallet Partners, are shown at the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry.

Earl and Al’s big idea is still helping the Jewish Food Pantry after 25 years

Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished January 29, 2024

Just before the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry opens each day, a line of cars appears. The drivers wait patiently for their turn to pick up food.  The pantry, operated by Jewish Family Services,...

From left: Cheryl Adelstein, Interim Executive Director; Lauren Abraham, Student to Student Director
Elyse Picker, Program Director;
Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, Former Executive Director; Jennifer Swanson, Director of Operations; Rachel Bray, Communications and Engagement Coordinator; Rabbi Scott Shafrin, Deputy Director

JCRC bids farewell to Rori Picker Neiss, search for replacement begins

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished January 28, 2024

During her eight-year tenure as Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), Maharat Rori Picker Neiss regularly scheduled coffee meetings as a way to forge relationships, cultivate...

In his new book, “Our Palestine Question: Israel and American Jewish Dissent, 1948-1978,” he writes about an early, formative era before American Jewish institutions had unequivocally embraced Zionism, and when American Jewish leaders disagreed with the Israeli government over the fate of the 750,000 Palestinians displaced by Israel’s war for independence.

When ‘nice Jewish boys and girls’ first took up the cause of Palestinian rights

Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTAPublished January 28, 2024

(JTA) — In the four months since the Hamas attacks on Israel touched off war in Gaza, Jewish protesters have joined demonstrations in the streets of New York, San Francisco and other cities condemning...

Survivors of the Nova party massacre on Oct. 7, 2023 participate in trance therapy as part of a trauma recovery program at Kibbutz Hazorea in northern Israel, Dec. 27, 2023. (Larry Luxner)

Survivors of the Nova massacre on Oct. 7 work through trauma at unique Israeli therapy center

Larry Luxner, JTAPublished January 26, 2024

KIBBUTZ HAZOREA, Israel — Fifteen young men and women, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings and to each other, dance around a bucolic field, twisting their bodies to trance music blasting through...

Israeli actor Idan Amedi talks to reporters upon being released from Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Jan. 25, 2024. Photo by Gideon Markowicz/TPS.

‘Fauda’ star Idan Amedi recounts Gaza blast

Sveta Listratov, JNSPublished January 25, 2024

Israeli actor-singer-songwriter Idan Amedi, best known for starring in the hit Netflix show “Fauda,” recounted to reporters on Thursday his experience fighting in Gaza and the blast that had him hospitalized...

(Bein Harim Tours)

The surprising effect the Gaza War is having on the Tel Aviv art scene

Sarah Mann, JTAPublished January 25, 2024

Life changed dramatically for millions in Israel on 7th October 2023 and one of them was Inbar Haiman, a young student attending a Peace Festival in the Negev desert that weekend. Caught up in the attack,...

Missouri schools transform Holocaust education with innovative pilot program

Missouri schools transform Holocaust education with innovative pilot program

Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished January 25, 2024

As Holocaust Remembrance Day approaches on Jan. 27, a cross-section of Missouri schools are using a new framework for Holocaust education. The pilot program of up to 25 school districts is the result of...

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