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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

News

David Cohen

JCRC appoints new executive director

Published March 5, 2025

The Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis (JCRC) has announced that David Cohen will be its next executive director, following a national search. Cohen, a veteran community relations professional...

Susan Polgar, the Jewish grandmaster who made history in St. Louis and shattered chess’s glass ceiling

Susan Polgar, the Jewish grandmaster who made history in St. Louis and shattered chess’s glass ceiling

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 5, 2025

Susan Polgar returned to St. Louis on Thursday, March 13, and while it’s been years since she called the city home, it was clear that her legacy here is still strong. Speaking...

The Iftar that brought 200 people of different faiths together

The Iftar that brought 200 people of different faiths together

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished March 5, 2025

Bill Livingston was ready for the iftar. Livingston, who is Jewish, was a participant in a traditional Ramadan fast-breaking dinner on Tuesday, March 5, at Congregation Shaare Emeth where he is a member....

John Cleese poses for a picture during a book signing in London, Sept. 10, 2020. (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

John Cleese to perform in Israel in June

JNS STAFFPublished March 5, 2025

Legendary British comedian and actor John Cleese, 85, is set to return to Israel for three performances this June in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Famous as a member of Monty Python and for his roles in “Fawlty...

Jewish Film Festival marks a milestone

Jewish Film Festival marks a milestone

Cate Marquis, Special to the Jewish LightPublished March 4, 2025

March brings spring, and the 30th annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival, starting March 30, with a blooming field of films, including outstanding comedies, documentaries, dramas, historical thrillers and...

Inconceivable!" The Jewish humor of ‘The Princess Bride’—and where St. Louis fans can hear about it

Inconceivable!” The Jewish humor of ‘The Princess Bride’—and where St. Louis fans can hear about it

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 4, 2025

What’s Jewish about "The Princess Bride?" At first glance, the answer might seem "inconceivable"—but as you dig deeper, it’s a delightful rabbit hole of connections. Starting with Billy Crystal's...

Mary Rose Brendel (Karen Smith) and the Tour Company of Mean Girls
Photo by Jenny Anderson, 2023

From pirates to ‘Mean Girls’: 16 unmissable events lighting up St. Louis in March

Patricia Corrigan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished March 4, 2025

Museum exhibits, theater (musicals galore and dramas, too), rock concerts, lectures, flower shows, a blues festival, art shows (indoors and out), dance concerts, live jazz, kids’ programs (Disney on...

Nuchem Shtisel (played by Sasson Gabay) rides a bicycle through Amsterdam in “Kugel.” Credit: Courtesy of IZZY.

Shtisel’ spinoff ‘Kugel’s’ St. Louis screening canceled—but here’s how you can still watch it

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficePublished March 4, 2025

If you’ve been eagerly waiting for "Kugel," the highly anticipated spinoff of "Shtisel," you’re not alone. The St. Louis Jewish Film Festival had planned an exclusive screening on March 9, but organizers...

NYC mayoral candidate Brad Lander at a campaign stop in Manhattan on Feb. 28.

St. Louis’ own Brad Lander running for mayor of NYC and fighting antisemitic hate

By Jacob Kornbluh, The ForwardPublished March 3, 2025

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. Brad Lander, one of two Jewish candidates in New York City’s crowded...

Noah Wyle in The Pitt.

Local Jewish ER doctors reveal what HBO’s “The Pitt” got right—and wrong!

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished March 3, 2025

The new HBO Max medical drama “The Pitt” has generated critical acclaim from TV critics and medical professionals for its realism and accuracy. Each week’s episode depicts one hour in the shift of...

Sacred Threads: The do’s and don’ts of cleaning a tallit

Sacred Threads: The do’s and don’ts of cleaning a tallit

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 3, 2025

For many Jewish families, a tallit isn’t just a garment—it’s a link to tradition, faith, and family history. Whether passed down from a beloved grandparent or gifted at a bar mitzvah, these prayer...

Tami Schlossberg Pruwer and Julie Silverstein (Courtesy)

When women with “chutzpah” came to St. Louis

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 3, 2025

Throughout history, Jewish women have embodied chutzpah—boldness, resilience, and the audacity to break barriers. From politics to science to the arts, their stories have shaped communities and changed...

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