Address: 12437 Ladue Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63141 | Phone: 314-576-5230 | Fax: 314-576-1162 | email: [email protected] | website: traditional-congregation.org

Rabbi Seth D. Gordon | Marian S. Gordon, Executive Director

Rooted in Creve Coeur for 52 years, Traditional is a warm and friendly congregation dedicated to Torah and mitzvot in an encouraging, nurturing environment where people can grow at their own pace. 

Our Shabbat services are lay-led, offering many in the congregation the opportunity to participate and are followed by delicious kiddushim for socializing, chatting with Rabbi Gordon, etc. We support daily traditional minyanim for shacharit (morning), minchah/arvit (afternoon/evening, March through October) and arvit (evening) throughout the year. We provide both mechitzah (separate) and mixed seating sections. Tickets are not needed for Rosh HaShanah or Yom HaKippurim services, and seating is open. 

We are especially proud of our strong education programs. Rabbi Gordon teaches classes in Torah, Talmud and Hebrew language to adults and to teens. He also teaches a number of classes for the community at large. Each bar/bat mitzvah is given the opportunity to lead services, chant the haftarah and present a d’var Torah. 

Our youth actively participate in our services. Periodically, we have services led entirely by our youth, and our Graduation Shabbat is a highlight each spring. 

Throughout the year we sponsor excellent social and educational programs and events for all ages, including: a Scholar-in-Residence Weekend, an annual Israel Bonds Dinner (the only one in the St. Louis area), an International Kosher Food Festival, Knosh n’ Knowledge brunch programs, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Purim and other holiday programs, dinners for various occasions, “First Friday” Shabbat Dinner Experiences, environmental initiatives, ongoing chesed support for the hungry and poor, and a champion congregational softball team. 

We are completing a $1.2 million renovation to our building, including a new lounge with coffee bar; meeting space and classrooms will be available to the community to use for social, educational and youth programs.

Traditional Congregation is affiliated with the Union for Traditional Judaism (UTJ), which espouses “genuine faith with intellectual integrity.” We are proud to be “Big enough to serve you, but small enough to know you.”

Elaine Farkas is President.