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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

Opinion

Stacey Newman, a former Missouri state legislator, is the executive director of ProgressWomen, a statewide social justice group focused on justice and equality issues. 

Suburban women may decide the outcome of the 2020 election

Stacey NewmanPublished October 26, 2020

Through sheer luck, I belong to one of this year’s most coveted sororities. Our membership is more diverse than ever, encompassing a wide range of ages, education levels, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In 2020 we are highly in demand to affect...

Letters to the editor: Oct. 21, 2020

Letters to the editor: Oct. 21, 2020

Published October 22, 2020

Community rabbis deserve thanks This year, 2020, has been a year of disappointments, worry, stress, loneliness, and even fear. How refreshing, however, to sit down to read the Oct. 7 Jewish Light and see a story highlighting Rabbi Larry Glestein, currently...

J. Martin Rochester, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, is the author of 10 books on international and American politics.

Making good choices improves odds of a good life

By Marty RochesterPublished October 22, 2020

There is a raging debate today between liberals and conservatives, even though few people can really identify what each camp stands for.  Much of the distinction traditionally revolves around the view one has of Big Government, although even here the...

Cheryl Adelstein is the Deputy Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Nancy Solomon Desloge is Co-Chair of the Policy and Advocacy Committee of the Jewish Coalition on Racial Equity.

JCRC: Amendment 3 ‘intentionally deceptive’

By Cheryl Adelstein & Nancy Solomon DeslogePublished October 22, 2020

The Torah portion Shoftim contains a series of laws directing the nascent Israelite community on how to establish a just society. Their guiding principle is found at the beginning of the portion in Deuteronomy 16:18-20: “You shall not judge unfairly:...

I blew the whistle on the planned 10,000 person Satmar wedding. Here’s why.

Naftuli MosterPublished October 20, 2020

(JTA) — On Saturday night, shortly after observant Jews went back online after Shabbat, Orthodox media outlets, Twitter accounts, and WhatsApp groups were ablaze about news that had broken several hours earlier. At his afternoon press conference,...

Henry Abramson

What is a ‘moser’? The ugly, complicated history of Judaism’s most dangerous accusation

By Henry AbramsonPublished October 14, 2020

(JTA) — The intermediate days of Sukkot in the holy city of Brooklyn are normally a time of singing, prayer and communal fellowship. This year the celebrations were marred by violence. Egged on by a rabble-rousing individual who literally wore a political...

Tony Westbrook Jr.

An opportunity for the Jewish community to continue the conversation on race, racism and bias

By Tony Westbrook Jr.Published October 13, 2020

It has been 140 days since the murder of George Floyd outraged a nation.Overnight, we yet again saw protests and outcries against police brutality, systemic racism, and the murder of George Floyd popping up across America and the world. Jewish organizations...

Gail Wechsler

It’s time to act to prevent gun violence

By Gail WechslerPublished October 8, 2020

With the 2020 election cycle in its final stages, many issues are on the minds of people in the Jewish community. Concern about the pandemic, economic decline and racial justice issues are paramount to many. But related to all of those, and arguably just...

Dan Reich

New Holocaust statistics offer a glimmer of hope

By Dan ReichPublished October 8, 2020

As the news broke recently, my phone started lighting up with messages and texts decrying the ignorance of our nation’s young people. In case you missed it, a study found that fully 36% of Millennials and Gen Z believe that fewer than 2 million Jews...

Bethany Mandel

All Jews should condemn attacks against Amy Coney Barrett on the basis of her faith

Bethany MandelPublished October 6, 2020

(JTA) — It feels like it has been a long time since Amy Coney Barrett’s walk from her home to the car that would take her to the White House ceremony where she would formally be announced as President Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court.Since then,...

Amy Hammerman

Honor Justice Ginsburg: Keep her seat open

BY AMY HAMMERMANPublished October 1, 2020

As the sun set Friday, Sept. 18, the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away after a long struggle with cancer. Many of us learned about this sad news while we were celebrating the New Year with enlightening and hopeful services...

Jonathan S. Tobin 

Asking the wrong questions about extremist violence

By Jonathan S. Tobin, JNSPublished October 1, 2020

He did it again. When presented at the first presidential debate of 2020 with another opportunity to make a straightforward condemnation of white supremacists, he refused. Or at least that’s what many headlines screamed the next morning after the train...

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