Congregation Shaare Emeth’s eighth annual Mitzvah Day will begin at 8 a.m. April 23. Projects will kick off at 9:30 a.m. For more information or to register, contact Ronnie Brockman at 314-569-1273 or [email protected]. Congregation Shaare Emeth is located at the intersection of Ballas and Ladue Roads in Creve Coeur.

J Fed hosts ‘Golda’

Jewish Federation will thank everyone who supports the

community’s 2006 Annual Campaign with a special “invitation-only” performance of Golda’s Balcony at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 23, at the Fox Theatre. Give, pledge, reserve or purchase tickets online at: www.jewishinstlouis.org/Golda or mail payment to: Golda’s Balcony, c/o Jewish Federation, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63146. Golda’s Balcony hotline accepts messages at 314-442-3725

JCRC explores poverty

Jewish Federation, in cooperation with the Jewish Community Relations Council’s (JCRC) Social Justice Initiative, will sponsor a poverty simulation program in the Jewish Federation Kopolow Building from 9 a.m.-noon Monday, April 24. The program is free. Optional box lunch is $10. RSVP by Tuesday, April 18, to Stella Bilbrey, 314-442-3818 or [email protected].

Shoah victims honored

As part of the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center’s observance of Yom Hashoah at Temple Israel on Monday, April 24, B’nai B’rith St. Louis members will read some of the names of the 6 million Jewish men, women and children murdered during the Holocaust. The reading will begin at 5 p.m. and last until 10 p.m. For more information or to arrange a time to participate call 314-569-4122.

‘Passion’ course offered

A course that will use writings from first and second century historians, Jewish apocryphal accounts, discrepancies and disagreements about the death of Jesus that appear in the Christian gospels to reconstruct the events surrounding the ‘Passion’ story will be offered from 7-8:30 p.m. on five consecutive Thursdays, beginning April 27. Classes will be held at Central Agency for Jewish Education, 12 Millstone Campus Drive. The cost of the series is $75.

Genocide lectures

Holocaust survivor, political analyst and author Dr. John Stoessinger will share his tale of survival at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 27. On Wednesday , May, 10, at 7 p.m. Jerry Fowler, director of the Committee on Conscience which guides the genocide prevention efforts for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, will speak about genocides such as that in Darfur. Both lectures, at the Missouri History Museum, are free and open to the public. For additional information call 314-442-3714.

Film screening

The St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center will feature Sugihara–Conspiracy of Kindness on Sunday, April 30, at 2 p.m. at the Jewish Federation Kopolow Building. This documentary tells how the Japanese consul in Lithuania defied Tokyo and wrote transit visas for more than 2,000 Lithuanian Jews. This screening is free. For additional information, call 314-442-3714.

Stem cell forum

The St. Louis Chapter of Hadassah, the Ethical Action Committee of the Ethical Society, Friends of the First Unitarian Church and Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice will sponsor a forum on stem cell research at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 30, at the Ethical Society of St Louis, 9001 Clayton Road. It is open to the public, free of charge, and child care will be provided by reservation. For more information or to register for child care, call the St. Louis chapter of Hadassah at 314-991-0434.

Family program

The 2006 Yom Ha’atzmaut Family Program will be held Sunday, April 30, from 3-5 p.m. behind the outdoor pool at the Jewish Community Center. Call 314-442-3751. A special evening of music at the Beit Cafe featuring Israeli food, singing and dancing will also be held at the JCC on May 2 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children. Tickets the day of the event are $2 higher. The event is sponsored by the Central Agency for Jewish Education. Call Karen Rader at 314-442-3751.

Yom Hazikaron

Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, will be observed with a memorial service at 7 p.m. Monday, May 1, at the Carlyn H. Wohl Building in Creve Coeur. For more information, contact Rabbi Brad Horwitz at 314-442-3271 or [email protected].

NCJW award

The National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis Section will present Paula Gianino, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, with the 2006 Hannah G. Solomon Founder’s Award on Wednesday, May 10 at Neiman Marcus. The NCJW’s annual Celebrating Women reception is open to the public. Reservations may be made by calling 314-993-5181 or through www.ncjwstl.org. The program begins at 5:30 p.m. and costs $35 for NCJW members and $40 for non-members.

String quartet

Traditional Congregation’s Knosh & Knowledge will present the Ravit String Quarter from 10-11:30 a.m. May 21. Call Barry Schapiro at 636-532-5888 for information.