Jewish Federation has launched new “concierge services” to connect young Jewish adults in St. Louis to each other and to community resources.  Yoni Sarason, Israel Concierge, and Jayne Bloomberg Langsam, Concierge for Young Jewish Families, will work to find “friends” and connect young adults and young families to the Jewish community’s hundreds of Jewish programs, groups, congregations, services and opportunities.

The “concierge” service is a key component of Jewish Federation’s new strategic plan, which aims to create a thriving and vibrant community. Central to that effort is ensuring the strong Jewish identity and engagement of our next generations.

The “concierges” will take the time to personally help young adults find Jewish and non-Jewish resources in the St. Louis region tailored to their needs.

They are calling, emailing, using online resources and social media and getting out into the community to meet with people face to face to show young families what the community has to offer.

Yoni Sarason will reach out to young post-college adults who have been on Israel trips and programs, such as Birthright Israel, to determine how they would like to continue to connect to the community and stay in St. Louis.  

He will contact them, find resources or arrange events and meetings to build on their Jewish interests whether in art, music, culture, the environment, languages, religious expression or social action.

Langsam will reach out to young families to let them know the community is here for them. For those who use community resources, she’ll encourage their involvement and offer new suggestions. For those who are not involved in the community, she’ll find out what they want and need.

Sarason is founder and program director of Moishe House and Next Dor, two community gathering places for post-college young Jews.

Langsam, who grew up in St. Louis, is rearing her family here and knows the community well. She is meeting young families in informal places where they gather such as congregations, preschools, playgrounds, book clubs, coffee shops, yoga classes and community events.

The Israeli Concierge position was made possible by generous gifts from the Irene and the late Bernard Goldstein and Bernard and Jill Esrock families.

To find out more, contact Sarason at [email protected] or Langsam at 314-442-3870 or [email protected].