Congregation Kol Am schedules series of events for spring

* Congregation Kol Am will host a Family Shabbat Dinner and Games Night at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Mar. 16. Reservations are required.

Call 636-519-0082 or contact [email protected].

* Professor David Nachmias, Schusterman Visiting Scholar at Washington University will speak on “Recent Internal Development in Israeli Politics” at Congregation Kol Am on Friday, Mar. 30, immediately following a 7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat service.

Call 636-519-0082 or contact [email protected].

* Kol Am will host a Passover wine and cheese reception and special screening of the 1921 silent gangster movie classic Benja Krik at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 7.

The program will include a discussion led by Pier Marton, senior lecturer in film and media studies at Washington University, and Howard Schwartz, professor of English at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Call 636-519-0082 or contact [email protected].

* Amy Kaiser, director of the Saint Louis Symphony Chorus, will speak on Jewish Opera at Congregation Kol Am on Friday, April 20, immediately following a 7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat service.

Call 636-519-0082 or contact [email protected].

* The congregation will host “A Taste of Talmud,” a bagel nosh and Talmud study with Rabbi Severine Haziza-Sokol at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 28. Call 636-519-0082 or contact [email protected].

NA’AMAT to host Nina Gaines

NA’AMAT USA, St. Louis Council will host a luncheon meeting with Nina Gaines, the NA’AMAT USA Midwest Area Coordinator and member of the National Board of NA’AMAT on Sunday, Mar. 18, at 11:30 a.m. at the Creve Coeur Dielman Recreation Center, 11400 Olde Cabin Rd. The cost for the event, which includes a light lunch is $5. The subject of Gaines’s talk will be “Membership — It’s Survival and Retention in St. Louis” and “NA’AMAT in Israel Update.”

All are welcome but seating is limited. RSVP is required to the St. Louis Council Office, 3969 Olive Blvd., #15, 63132. Call 314-993-3033 for more information.

Hadassah to host ‘In the Genes’ with Ivanovich

Sunday, Mar. 11th, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Hadassah hosts “In The Genes” advocating for your family’s health.

Washington University genetic counselor, Jennifer Ivanovich will speak about what you need to know to be a proactive health consumer. Call 314-991-0434 for information.

‘Speak Out’ attracts dozens

Approximately 50 students and 25 adults braved the cold on Feb. 4 to learn how to be effective political advocates.

Cheryl Adelstein, emceed the event and Sandy Esrock used a humorous presentation to illustrate how a bill becomes a law.

Federation Lobbyist David Winton elaborated on that topic and gave the audience insight into the process in Jefferson City. He also covered the main issues that will be discussed in this year’s general assembly. Rep. Kathryn Fares shared what she felt were the best ways to reach one’s representative and how to make the greatest impression.

Two-thirds of the way through the morning, the group split up with the students attending a program led by Sen. Jeff Smith and Rep. Jake Zimmerman while the adults heard from Karen Aroesty of the Anti-Defamation League on the topic of Separation of Religion and State and from David Winton on the topic of Medicaid.

The Community Speak Out Advocacy Education Day was sponsored by National Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah, JCRC Advocacy Coalition and its member organizations: American Jewish Congress, American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, OACAP and by the Central Agency for Jewish Education, St. Louis Jewish Light, Penman-Winton and Dierbergs.

HMLC contest set to start

The Sixth Annual Holocaust Museum and Learning Center’s Art & Writing Contest for students in grades 6-12 has begun.

The writing contest accepts poems, essays and plays.

The art competition includes drawings, photographs, sculpture, paintings, posters, collage and video.

Each student may submit one writing and one art entry.

First, second and third place winners will be chosen in both writing and art in each division: junior high and high school.

Prizes are first place — $300; second place — $200; third place — $100 and honorable mentions — $25.

Entries must be in the office of the Holocaust Museum by April 27. Postmark not accepted.

For entry forms and complete information, visit the Holocaust Museum website: www.hmlc.org or call 314-442-3714.

Low to visit Shaare Emeth

Singer/songwriter Sheldon Low will lead the Shir Shabbat Worship service at 6 p.m. Mar. 9 at Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Call 314-569-0010 for more information.

40s & 50s singles group will meet at jazz club

The Jewish 40s & 50s Singles Group, co-sponsored by the Midwest Council, Union for Reform Judaism and the St. Louis Federation of Reform Temples, will get together at 8 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 10, at Backstreet Jazz & Blues Club at 614 West Port Plaza. The cost is $10. You can pay at the door or send a check (made payable to Reform Singles Together) to Amy Ogle, 1155 Olivette Executive Parkway, Suite 140, St. Louis, Mo. 63132. For more information, call Amy at 314-997-7566.

Szapszewicz will hold reception, sign book

Maria Szapszewicz, will hold a reception and book signing for her book For the People I Love and Can’t Forget from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 11, at the home of Marylen Mann, 7747 Maryland Ave. Call 314-862-4859, ext. 42, for more information.

B’nai El Women present a Night of Cool Jazz

B’nai El Women of Reform Judaism-Sisterhood and B’nai El Brotherhood will present “Come to the Caberet, A Night of Cool Jazz” at 7 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 18. The “Saturdays at 10” Jazz Group will perform. Light fare, wine and soda will be available for purchase. Admission is $5. Reservations should be made by Mar. 12. Contact Rivalie Cohn 314-726-2810 or Clara Robbins at 314-432-1978 for additional information.

JCC offers free series of wellness speakers

The Jewish Community Center will offer a free Wellness Series sponsored by Washington University Center for Aging and CLASS of the J. The next speaker is David B. Carr, M.D., associate professor of medicine and neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, at 11 a.m. Monday, Mar. 12. The topic is “Polypharmacy and Drug Toxicity: Can Too Many Meds Hurt You?” Classes are open to the public, but reservations are required. Call 314-442-3150 for reservations or for information about future programs.

Cohn will discuss Carter’s book

The Reform Singles Together 60’s+ Group (RST) will meet for dinner at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 13 at Shaare Emeth Congregation. Bob Cohn, editor-in-chief emeritus of the Jewish Light, will speak on former President Jimmy Carter’s book Palestine: Peace not Apartheid and other issues relating to the Middle East. The cost is $8.50 per person. To make a reservation, send a check payable to RST to Ken Schwartz, c/o United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Rd., St. Louis, Mo., 63141. For more info, call Ruth at 314-432-4247.

Epstein Hebrew Academy set to honor three at event

The H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy will honor Charles B. Baron, Lewis C. Chartock, Ph.D., and Rachel Shapiro at its 64th annual scholarship banquet, 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, Mar. 18, at The Crowne Plaza St. Louis-Clayton, 7750 Carondelet. The banquet also includes a silent and live auction.

Baron, an attorney, will be recognized for his long-time service and contributions to the Academy and Jewish community. He has always been involved with the Jewish Federation and his wife with the National Council of Jewish Women. He has served on numerous boards and committees. Baron is a member of Temple Israel and Young Israel. Currently he is involved in issues facing the City schools through the Mildred Simon Foundation.

Chartock is President and CEO of MERS Goodwill Industries, an organization that serves people with barriers to employment. He will receive the Cherrick Community Service Award for his many years of service to the Jewish community.

Shapiro, who works at the Academy, will be the recipient of a special Kochav Gold Star award for her countless hours of work and advocacy on behalf of Ohr Atid: Light of the Future, a program that provides Jewish education to children with special needs.

An elegant champagne and hors d’oeuvre reception, with a silent auction, begins the proceedings at 4:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. The dinner and live auction follow in the Crystal Ballroom. The event is black tie optional with complimentary self-parking.

Tickets are $125 each and may be purchased by calling Gayle Chazen at the H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy at 314-994-7856.

The H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy is an Orthodox day school, disciplined and inspired by Torah, dedicated to the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Committed to excellence in religious and general studies, the school seeks to educate all Jewish children in a nurturing environment.

Shabbat dinner and games night scheduled at Kol Am

Congregation Kol Am will host a Family Shabbat Dinner and Games Night on Friday, Mar. 16, at 6:30 p.m. This event is open to the public and will include Shabbat blessings, prayers and songs, in addition to a traditional chicken dinner. Following dinner, adults and children are invited to spend the rest of the evening playing a variety of popular card and board games.

The cost for the dinner is $10 per person for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. Reservations are required by Monday, Mar. 12. Congregation Kol Am is located in Chesterfield at 1023 Chesterfield Parkway East.

For more information, contact 636-519-0082 or [email protected].

GesherCity to celebrate launch

Jewish young adults have a new way to connect with each other as well as the community — www.GesherCity.org. It is an online, virtual community designed to organize our community’s Jewish young adult resources to provide a central resource for the young adult population. Geshercity features the cooperative efforts of over 30 local organizations which offer programming, events, or services to the Jewish young adult population. The Jewish Community Center of St. Louis and St. Louis Hillel have collaborated to hire David Gerber as a full time staff person dedicated to this project. GesherCity will celebrate its official launch on March 22 with a party at Bar Louie in the Central West End.

BBYO sets dinner for March 14

On Wednesday, March 14, at 6 p.m., B’nai B’rith St. Louis Missouri Lodge #22 will hold its monthly dinner/program meeting, featuring local authors Benita & Burton Boxerman, who will discuss their book Jews and Baseball: Volume 1, Entering the American Mainstream, 1871-1948. RSVP required. Call 314-569-4122 for more info.