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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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Friends from the Yokneam-Meggido region.

How the St. Louis Jewish community is still making a difference, 18 months later

Published May 19, 2025

In the immediate aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attacks, the St. Louis Jewish community wasted no time in stepping up to support Israel, raising significant funds for emergency aid. Now, in May 2025, that commitment remains intact. The Jewish Federation...

PREMA Racing driver Robert Shwartzman (83) celebrates winning pole position Sunday, May 18, 2025, during Fast Six qualifying for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Jewish driver Robert Shwartzman makes Indy 500 history with pole win

By Louis Keene, The ForwardPublished May 18, 2025

Robert Shwartzman had already made Israeli history when he started his engine for time trials at the Indy 500. Four laps later, he made race history, too. Shwartzman, the first Israeli driver to compete at the hallowed race grounds, won its preliminary...

St. Louis is invited to meet 'the art spy' who saved Europe’s stolen masterpieces

St. Louis is invited to meet ‘the art spy’ who saved Europe’s stolen masterpieces

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished May 18, 2025

You might not know her name, but Rose Valland helped save part of the soul of Europe. And she did it while the world’s most ruthless art thieves—Nazis in their knee-high boots and pressed gray coats—stormed through Paris, stealing and crating up...

2025-2026 JA Board Members

Celebrating 40 Years of J Associates: The only women’s auxiliary of its kind in the country

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished May 18, 2025

When you think about the St. Louis Jewish Community Center (the J), you probably think about community, culture and connection. But behind the scenes, one group has been quietly making it all possible for 40 years: the J Associates. This isn’t just...

The outside of Florentin on Delmar.

St. Louis chef Ben Poremba’s restaurants hit by tornado — here’s how you can help

By Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished May 18, 2025

Esca and Bar Florentin, two of the eateries owned by Jewish restauranteur Ben Poremba, sustained significant damage when a powerful storm and tornado hit St. Louis on Friday, May 16. Both restaurants are closed while repair crews assess the damage and...

NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Comptroller Brad Lander on May 13. Photo by Brad Lander for Mayor / Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

St. Louis native Brad Lander takes on NYC Mayor Eric Adams in antisemitism feud

By Jacob KornbluhPublished May 15, 2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Comptroller Brad Lander, who is angling to replace Adams, traded barbs over who was doing more to protect Jews amid rising antisemitism. The clash Tuesday, sparked by Adams’ announcement of a new office to combat...

‘We hate paintball Nazis’: Antisemitism scandal tears through paintball community

‘We hate paintball Nazis’: Antisemitism scandal tears through paintball community

By Hannah Feuer, The ForwardPublished May 15, 2025

Paintball players typically take to online forums to discuss game tactics and compare gear. But this week, the niche subreddit r/paintball was overtaken by discourse about a different subject: moral outrage over Nazi hate symbols. The controversy...

Vanity plate celebrating Oct. 7 attacks sparks outrage in St. Louis Jewish community

Vanity plate celebrating Oct. 7 attacks sparks outrage in St. Louis Jewish community

By Kevin Deutsch, Special to the Jewish LightPublished May 15, 2025

An SUV adorned with an “OCT 7” vanity plate in Chesterfield has sparked outrage in the local Jewish community, with both the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federation of St. Louis condemning the display. The front plate, bordered by a frame...

This St. Louis preschool just became Missouri’s first Jewish green school

This St. Louis preschool just became Missouri’s first Jewish green school

Published May 15, 2025

Whoever said “small hands can’t make a big impact” never met the kids at Shirlee Green Preschool. Over the past four years, they’ve been on a mission: turning food scraps into compost, ditching paper towels, and learning how their everyday actions...

Israeli forces at the site of the May 14, 2025, shooting attack in the northern West Bank. (Israel Defense Forces/X)

Pregnant Israeli woman killed in a terror attack on her way to give birth

Ben Sales, JTAPublished May 15, 2025

(JTA) — An Israeli pregnant woman who was on the way to deliver her baby was killed in a shooting attack in the West Bank on Wednesday night. The Israeli military said that a terrorist fired on cars next to the settlement of Bruchin in the northern...

The “Jews in the Lou” guys trade bagels for barn boots at R&R Ranch

The “Jews in the Lou” guys trade bagels for barn boots at R&R Ranch

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished May 14, 2025

Ben Poremba and Alex Rich are back with a fresh episode of "Jews in the Lou," this time trading the clatter of deli plates for the rustle of hay and the distant whinnies of rescued miniature horses at R&R Ranch. This special on-site episode takes...

Doug Cifu (left) and Dale Tallon pictured on January 2, 2016 in Sunrise, Florida. (Jeff Sanzare/NHLI via Getty Images)

Jewish NHL owner suspended after social media spat with fan he called an ‘anti-semite loser’

Jacob Gurvis, JTAPublished May 14, 2025

(JTA) — Jewish Florida Panthers minority owner Doug Cifu has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL after a social media spat with a fan that included discussion of the Israel-Hamas war and accusations of antisemitism. Cifu, a vice chairman and part-owner...

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