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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

What's Jewish About

Cheetah quintuplets on June 1, 2025. Photo by Kelsey Thompson/Saint Louis Zoo

What’s Jewish about the baby cheetahs at the Saint Louis Zoo?

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished June 8, 2025

Mazel tov! Five cheetah cubs were born last month at the St. Louis Zoo. That’s exciting news in its own right—and, honestly, a great excuse to share baby cheetah photos. But here at The Jewish Light, we couldn’t help but ask: Is there a Jewish angle?...

What's so Jewish about Mr. Potato Head? Truth revealed.

What’s so Jewish about Mr. Potato Head? Truth revealed.

AVISHAY ARTSY, JTAPublished May 4, 2023

Imagine that the decade is the 1950s, and you’re safeguarding your spuds from kids trying to stick little plastic face pieces with pushpins into them. If you’re guessing this was the precursor to the mustachioed, bulbous figure known as Mr. Potato...

Shavuot Special | What's so Jewish about cheescake and Sara Lee?

Shavuot Special | What’s so Jewish about cheescake and Sara Lee?

Sarah Ogince, JNSPublished May 31, 2022

(JNS) As the story goes, in 1929, New York restauranteur Arnold Reuben sampled a “cheese pie” at a party and asked for the recipe. He proceeded to modify it, substituting cream cheese for cottage cheese and, in food historian Gil Marks’s telling,...

What's so Jewish about Pickleball?

What’s so Jewish about Pickleball?

Bill Motchan, Special For The Jewish LightPublished April 16, 2022

Last summer, Patty Malashock went to the gym three days a week and walked regularly. She wanted more exercise when she saw a notice at Westwood Country Club about an upcoming pickleball clinic. “I thought ‘What the heck—I’m going,’” said...

What's so Jewish about tamales? Mago knows.

What’s so Jewish about tamales? Mago knows.

Bill Motchan and Jordan Palmer, Special For The Jewish LightPublished March 22, 2022

Trust St. Louis foodies to find hidden gems. The latest is a source for authentic Mexican tamales, just in time for National Tamale Day on March 23. Since last November, a steady stream of cars has been stopping by MagoTamales in Webster Groves. The...

What’s Jewish about protecting the environment?

BY VICTORIA SIEGEL, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHTPublished April 24, 2009

Earth Day officially falls on April 22 this year, but for many Jews this event is not a once-a-year commemoration -- it's a constant fulfillment of a biblical commandment. In fact, there are many Jewish teachings that specifically talk about the need...

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