As part of a seven-decade old program dubbed the “Roving Rabbis,” two Chabad rabbinical students are visiting cities in St. Charles County this July and August as part of their community outreach training. The young rabbis-in-training will spend their summer on the road, sharing their love for Jewish life, aiming to bring the beauty of Judaism wherever they go.

Rabbinical students Zevi Nussbaum and Benjy Pearson started their visits July 14 and will continue through Aug. 4. 

During their three-week visit, Nussbaum and Pearson will be reaching out to members of the Jewish community in the region, with one-on-one home visits to schmooze, teach and connect as they seek to reinvigorate Jewish connections.

According to the Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ 2014 demographic study, an estimated 5,800 of the region’s 61,000 Jews live in St. Charles County. 

For the rabbis-in-training this summer assignment will also provide an invaluable on-the-ground experience in Jewish outreach and the specific challenges of smaller Jewish communities, as well as a unique appreciation for the diverse composition and needs of the Jews living in St. Charles. 

“The goal is to make Judaism accessible and relevant to every Jew in the St. Louis region, wherever they may be,” said Rabbi Yosef Landa, regional director of Chabad of Greater St. Louis, who is hosting the young rabbis and oversees the program. “One-tenth of our region’s Jewish population is in St. Charles and we need to be there for them in whichever way we can.” 

For more information or to request a visit, email [email protected].