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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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Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia who was arrested by ICE in March 2025, speaking to media. (Screenshot)

Some Jewish groups are condemning Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest

Ben Sales, JTAPublished March 10, 2025

Liberal Jewish groups joined the chorus condemning the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian protest leader at Columbia University who was detained by ICE and threatened with deportation. The statements came amid a cascade of condemnation and protest...

Everything you need to know about this year's 'Purim Parade'

Everything you need to know about this year’s ‘Purim Parade’

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished March 10, 2025

On a typical afternoon in University City, you don’t generally see a pink and blue shark, Wonder Woman, Popeye, CIA spies and a guy dressed as a Rubik’s Cube walking down the street together. Or Haman and Mordecai chatting about their weekend plans....

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen before a portrait of Theodor Herzl, known as the "Visionary of the Jewish State" and the founder of modern Zionism in Jerusalem on May 2, 2018.

Voting opens in election for World Zionist Congress, with future of Israel at stake

Asaf Elia-Shalev, JTAPublished March 10, 2025

Voting opens Monday in an election that gives American Jews a rare chance to directly shape the future of Israel. The U.S. election for seats in the 39th World Zionist Congress will help determine the balance of power in the legislative authority of...

The skyline of Cincinnati (Getty Images); inset: Rabbi Ari Jun. (Courtesy)

Cincinnati rabbi disinvited from rally against Nazis over his support for Israel

Sam Fisher, Lonny Goldsmith, CincyJewfolkPublished March 7, 2025

A version of this story originally appeared on CincyJewfolk, an independent journalism and engagement site for Cincinnati’s Jewish community. When Rabbi Ari Jun learned that faith leaders were invited to speak at a rally in Cincinnati against neo-Nazis...

A view of Columbia University's Low Memorial Library in New York, Sept. 25, 2019 (Josefin Dolsten)

Trump administration cancels $400M of grants to Columbia U over campus antisemitism

Ben Sales, JTAPublished March 7, 2025

The Trump administration has canceled $400 million worth of grants to Columbia University, following through on threats to pull funding from the school over objections to campus antisemitism. The grants came from the Department of Health and Human...

Outside Affton High School.

Affton High School vandalized with hate symbols, but its response was ‘by the book’

By Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 7, 2025

It was the kind of message no school community wants to wake up to. Early Friday morning, Affton High School staff arrived to find swastikas and racist graffiti, including the phrase “wite [sic] power,” spray-painted on the front of the school. District...

David Schwimmer at the ADL Heroes Against Hate

David Schwimmer calls on Jewish stars to speak out at ADL summit

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 6, 2025

David Schwimmer is no stranger to using his voice. Whether as Ross Geller in “Friends,” the bumbling paleontologist navigating love, or as a vocal advocate for the Jewish community, Schwimmer knows when to speak up. And at the Anti-Defamation League’s...

JPro Stl Recognition Event

Cheers to these champions! JPRO STL celebrates its best and brightest!

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished March 6, 2025

JPRO STL honored professionals who work in organizations that touch the Jewish community at its 20th annual recognition event on Thursday, March 6. A gathering of more than 350 community members thanked the honorees for their tireless work. Felicia Malter...

$23M project to expand Crown Center housing for seniors in need

$23M project to expand Crown Center housing for seniors in need

Published March 6, 2025

Crown Center for Senior Living is embarking on Phase II of its construction project, which will create additional affordable housing for local seniors within its University City campus. Crown Center offers affordable housing for older adults, aimed...

Mr. Krupp from Captain Underpants.

Rabbis wear underpants, too

By RABBI JARED SKOFF, Congregation B’nai AmoonaPublished March 6, 2025

When I was a kid, my friends and I read a book series called Captain Underpants. In the story, two kids unwittingly transform their school principal into a superhero. By day, Mr. Krupp is a grumpy, intimidating authority figure. By night, he is a superhero...

Unleash Your Pen: B'nai Brith is confronting antisemitism with new essay contest

Unleash Your Pen: B’nai Brith is confronting antisemitism with new essay contest

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 6, 2025

B’nai B’rith is inviting current college students to share their personal experiences of antisemitism at their school by entering its 2025 None Shall Be Afraid Essay Contest. Winners will earn scholarships as well as the opportunity...

Grammy award-winning bluegrass musician Billy Strings

Video: Billy Strings surprises audience with a heartfelt performance of “Shalom Aleichem”

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 5, 2025

Musician Billy Strings has built a career on breaking rules, bending genres and keeping audiences on their toes. But even his most die-hard fans weren’t expecting what happened at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on March 2, when he and his band launched...

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