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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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The photo in the jewelry box: What I didn’t know about Mom and Dad

The photo in the jewelry box: What I didn’t know about Mom and Dad

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-ChiefPublished June 17, 2025

I’ve been thinking a lot about my parents lately. Maybe it’s because this year marks milestone anniversaries of their deaths. Mom died five years ago this month, not long after the pandemic shut down pretty much everything. She died on what would’ve...

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in his Manhattan office, July 18, 2024.

ICE arrests St. Louis native and NYC mayoral candidate Brad Lander

By Jacob Kornbluh, The ForwardPublished June 17, 2025

Immigration agents arrested Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller and mayoral candidate, in immigration court on Tuesday. “While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained...

How a reluctant shopkeeper built Brilliant Antiques

How a reluctant shopkeeper built Brilliant Antiques

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished June 17, 2025

Bud and Arline Brilliant’s "Brilliant Antiques" first appeared in the St. Louis Jewish Light on May 23, 1973. Their ads continued regularly through Dec. 1, 1982. By 1976, the ads began listing only Arline — a quiet handoff that would become lasting...

Approximately 1500 Birthright Israel participants board a cruise ship in Ashdod, Israel headed for Larnaca, Cyrpus. (Erez Uzir/Birthright Israel)

The Birthright odyssey: 1500 tourists set sail for Cyprus as Iran-Israel conflict unfolds

Grace Gilson, JTAPublished June 17, 2025

(JTA) -- As the Israel-Iran conflict halts air travel, 1,500 Birthright Israel participants were evacuated by cruise ship to Cyprus in a bold rescue mission. The unprecedented maritime operation, involving Israeli forces and support from Florida Gov....

On the last Friday of the season at Camp Ramah Nyack in 2019, anyone spending the next year in Israel is called up and invited to dance with the Israeli staffers in a Zionist celebration. (Courtesy of Ramah Nyack)

Their counselors stuck in Israel, US Jewish camps are putting out ‘Help Wanted’ signs

Grace Gilson, JTAPublished June 17, 2025

(JTA) -- As the Israel-Iran war halts flights, Jewish summer camps across the U.S. are scrambling to fill gaps left by over 100 missing Israeli counselors. Camps like NJY, Ramah Berkshires, and Eden Village are now urgently hiring to maintain programs,...

These countries are harshly critical of Israel in Gaza but have its back with Iran. Why?

Ron Kampeas, JTAPublished June 17, 2025

(JTA) A decade ago, Europe and Israel clashed over how to stop Iran’s nuclear program, with Britain, France, and Germany backing the Iran nuclear deal. Today, as tensions between Israel and Iran escalate toward open conflict, Europe and Israel appear...

Stanley Estrin, outside Traditional Congregation in Creve Coeur.

After decades of chanting, St. Louis man completes public reading of the entire Torah

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished June 16, 2025

The scroll lay open on the bimah at Traditional Congregation in St. Louis, its ancient Hebrew letters inked without vowels, punctuation or musical notes. On Shabbat morning, May 31, surrounded by friends and family, Stanley Estrin leaned forward to chant...

Under Leonard Lauder's leadership, Estée Lauder Companies would grow into a global empire with a portfolio that includes Clinique, La Mer, The Ordinary, MAC Cosmetics and Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. (Estee Lauder Companies)

Leonard Lauder dies at 92

Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTAPublished June 16, 2025

Leonard A. Lauder, who helped build his Jewish family’s business into a cosmetic empire and a significant driver of philanthropy, Jewish and otherwise, died at his home in Manhattan on June 14 at the age of 92. As president of The Estée Lauder...

St. Louisan Steve Brown (on left) and members of The USA Maccabbiah Masters squash team

Not this summer: Maccabiah Games postponed, but St. Louis athlete stays committed

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished June 16, 2025

The 2025 Maccabiah Games, originally scheduled for this July in Israel, have officially been postponed until the summer of 2026 due to the ongoing war between Israel and Iran. It’s the first time in 75 years that the so-called “Jewish Olympics”...

A brick thrown through the window of the Butcherie in Brookline, Massachusetts, June 15, 2025. (Brookline Police Department handout)

Jewish patrons rally for kosher grocery hit with ‘free Palestine’ brick

JNS StaffPublished June 16, 2025

A crowd waving Israeli and American flags gathered outside The Butcherie, the Boston area’s only kosher grocery store, on Sunday afternoon to show solidarity after the Jewish-owned business was vandalized overnight. Located in Brookline, a suburb...

Israeli security and rescue forces at the scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit and caused damage in Tel Aviv, June 16, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Death toll rises in Israel after another night of Iranian missiles; US Embassy in Tel Aviv damaged

Philissa Cramer, JTAPublished June 16, 2025

(JTA) — The death toll rises in Israel at least eight people were killed early Monday in multiple locations across Israel as Iranian missiles rained down across the country for the third straight night. The death toll in an earlier strike in...

Val Toskin and Shannon Rohlman

New roles, same heart: Mirowitz leaders step into next chapter

Published June 15, 2025

Beginning this summer, Val Toskin and Shannon Rohlman will assume new administrative positions at the Saul Mirowitz Community Jewish School. Toskin will serve as the assistant head of school for Jewish Life and Learning. She will continue her responsibilities...

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