Skip to Main Content
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

Top Story

Steve Bannon made a gesture at CPAC that was accused of being a Nazi salute in February 2025. (Screenshot)

ADL condemns Steve Bannon’s gesture resembling Nazi salute

By Louis Keene, The ForwardPublished February 21, 2025

The Anti-Defamation League on Friday condemned the Nazi salute-like gesture that Steve Bannon made during his speech at the Conservative Policy Action Conference the day before, a stark contrast to the group’s declaration that a similar salute by...

St. Louis Jewish community to gather in solidarity for hostages

St. Louis Jewish community to gather in solidarity for hostages

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished February 20, 2025

The tragic loss of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, after months of captivity in Gaza has devastated Jewish communities worldwide. But the pain deepened further when, during the recent prisoner exchange, Hamas failed to return Shiri’s...

Israeli soldiers salute as they receive the coffins with the bodies of deceased hostages Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas and her two children Kfir and Ariel Bibas, who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, and were handed over under the terms of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, in the Gaza Strip in this handout image obtained by Reuters on February 20, 2025. GPO/Handout via REUTERS

Hamas sent ‘anonymous, unidentified’ body in Shiri Bibas’ place, IDF says

By Louis Keene, The ForwardPublished February 20, 2025

Hamas delivered an unidentified body instead of Shiri Bibas in Thursday’s prisoner exchange, the IDF said, dealing a new wave of horror to a nation still grieving the deaths of her children. The IDF confirmed it had identified the remains of the...

Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs

Hollywood duo to appear on NCJWSTL’s next Coffee Talk show

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished February 20, 2025

Danny Jacobs and Darren Grodsky aren’t done with St. Louis just yet. Fresh off their packed live recording at STL Style House, the creative duo behind the hit podcast "How to Destroy Everything" are sticking around town for one more can’t-miss...

Firefighters and rescue personnel at the scene of a possible bus bombing in Bat Yam, central Israel, Feb. 20, 2025. Credit: Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90.

Israeli authorities probing bus blasts near Tel Aviv as terror

JNS StaffPublished February 20, 2025

Three buses exploded near Tel Aviv and bombs were found on two others on Thursday night in what is being investigated as a coordinated attack. All of the explosions occurred in parked, empty buses across the central city of Bat Yam, located just south...

IDF soldiers at the ceremony to receive the coffins of the four deceased hostages on Feb. 20, 2025.

Nation mourns Bibas family, Oded Lifshitz as bodies handed over to Israel

Israel Hayom (JNS)Published February 20, 2025

Israel redeemed on Thursday the bodies of four fallen hostages from Hamas captivity in Gaza: the three members of the Bibas family – mother Shiri, infant son Kfir, and his older brother Ariel, and Oded Lifshitz. Although the Israeli government has...

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks after giving his annual State of the State address on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Springfield.

Illinois governor compares Trump’s policies to 1930s Germany – ‘It took the Nazis one month’:

By Jacob KornbluhPublished February 20, 2025

Illinois’ Democratic Governor, J.B. Pritzker, drew a parallel between the Nazi regime of the 1930s and the policies of the Trump administration in a speech on Wednesday warning against authoritarian tactics. His remarks sparked sharp backlash from state...

Exploring Israel’s future: What’s next for democracy, gender, and Jewish identity?

Exploring Israel’s future: What’s next for democracy, gender, and Jewish identity?

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished February 20, 2025

For the first time in history, Jewish fundamentalists hold the highest offices in Israel. Their goal? To reshape the country into a theocracy. What does that mean for democracy? What does that mean for American Jews? Dr. Tomer Persico and Yael Yechieli,...

Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, March 23, 2023. (Warren LeMay via Creative Commons)

Since Oct. 7, WashU has quietly opened its doors to Jewish students leaving uncomfortable campus environments

Andrew Lapin, JTAPublished February 19, 2025

(JTA) — During Lauren Eckstein’s freshman year at Pomona College, her grandparents pledged $1.2 million to the private school toward a scholarship to support refugee students. They gave the money, a press release said at the time, in honor of their...

An olive tree named in honor of Dr. Miriam Adelson. Credit: Courtesy/My Tree in Israel Archive Photo.

Fruit of the field: Adopting olive trees in Israel

Etgar Lefkovits, JNSPublished February 19, 2025

MOSHAV HAYOGEV, Israel—The row upon row of pristine olive trees that line the green farmland in this northern Israeli village stretch as far as the eye can see. Olive trees flourish at the agricultural village at Hayogev (meaning “farmer” in Hebrew),...

The JCC will hold a Used Book Sale from Aug. 26 to 30 at the Staenberg Family Complex’s  Arts & Education Building.

J Used Book Sale surpasses fundraising goal

Jordan PalmerPublished February 19, 2025

The numbers are in, and this year’s J Used Book Sale wasn’t just a success—it was a record-breaker. Surpassing its fundraising goal by over 10%, the sale has solidified its role as a cornerstone of the Jewish Book Festival’s (JBF) year-round literary...

Notes From A Jewish Mother: Oh, for a nap—or at least an off button for the brain

Notes From A Jewish Mother: Oh, for a nap—or at least an off button for the brain

BY AMY FENSTER BROWNPublished February 19, 2025

Raise your hand if you need a nap. Doesn’t that sound glorious? We work hard, we have tasks and chores at home, we run around doing errands and keeping up with our social lives … it’s exhausting.  Little kids are encouraged to take daily naps,...

Load More Stories