For the past 18 months, Congregation Shaare Emeth has had a partnership with the International Institute of St. Louis, the organization that provides essential community integration of refugees in St. Louis. The Institute’s mission is to help immigrants and their families become productive Americans via the community integration services they provide. 

Because of this relationship, the Institute contacted Debbie Bram, director of Jewish Life and Learning at Shaare Emeth, and requested the congregation plan a program involving the immigrant children. She thought this would be a perfect project chesed or mitzvah project for the congregation’s b’nai mitzvah students. Bram works with them to choose, plan and implement each project chesed. 

When she met with Aden, Jack and Lilly, she proposed the idea of doing something at the Institute during winter break, when the children were not in school. All three were very excited to participate and were equally involved in the planning and execution of a three-day event, billed as “Winter Fun Day.” 

Craft activities, cookie decorating, games such as musical chairs, chess, checkers and a piñata were planned. Bram made sure there were others helping out at the event. In addition to the b’nai mitzvah students, many Shaare Emeth members of all ages volunteered. 

Aden, son of Karen and Howard Sher of Clayton, was very interested in the topic of immigration. He addressed it in his d’var Torah (speech) about how we were once strangers; so we, as Jews, have an obligation to help others.

The week before Winter Fun Day, Aden had volunteered at the Institute with the Jewish Muslim Day of Service. A student at Wydown Middle School, he hopes to continue his involvement with Shaare Emeth’s social justice project. “I really enjoyed this project,” he said. “It was a great opportunity for me to meet with the new immigrant population. It made me proud to know how welcoming our community is to our new Americans.”

Whitfield School student, Jack Blase, thought it would be interesting to help refugees who arrived here in St. Louis with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Son of Lindsay and Chris Blase of Town and Country, he enjoyed interacting with kids from Somalia, China, Afghanistan and Burma. Even though many of the families could not speak English, Jack used Google Translate and hand gestures to communicate. 

Lilly, daughter of Jennifer and Ted Houser of Ballwin, felt very fulfilled by participating in the Winter Fun Day event. She said the atmosphere of the Institute was really welcoming. “The smiles on the children’s faces made my day because it showed that we did our job in giving them a day to relax and have fun,” She added. “It gave me an understanding of what immigrants and refugees go through to make it to America after listening to how the parents made it her. 

A student at Morgan Selvidge Middle School, Lilly heard from one of the parents that they had waited about 20 years to come this far. “It gave me a deep understanding of how much they wanted to leave what was once their home,” she said.

As a result of Winter Fun Day’s success, Bram was asked to reinstate the Institute’s Discover St. Louis program. 

As a test run, Shaare Emeth took two busloads of new American families to the Magic House for a fun-filled day. 

Jack, Lilly and the SETYG (Shaare Emeth Temple Youth Group) volunteered helping with the children. Jack was assigned a family from the Congo.

“At first I felt awkward but then realized that no matter where you come from in the world, we are all equal.”  Jack said. “Doing the right thing and helping people out made me feel good inside.”

Because the Discover St. Louis’ initial event was a success, Shaare Emeth, in conjunction with the JCRC, Temple Israel, Central Reform Congregation and United Hebrew, are now providing a summer camp at the International Institute for the new American children while their parents are in English classes. 

Consequently, JCRC has a new committee, Jewish Coalition for New Americans (JCNA) headed up by Stan Shanker, a recent Jewish Light Unsung Hero honoree.

For more information about the International Institute, visit iistl.org.