Chabad on Campus recently published a directory of its Jewish learning opportunities for the spring semester. The class offerings run the gamut of choices, from Talmud to “Fra-Torah,” a class series designed for students active in the fraternity system. Offerings are available for law and medical students, and a business school series is planned. New for this semester is a series targeting faculty and staff at Washington University. The publication is available at www.Chabadoncampus.org/study.

Student loan applications

The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis is accepting applications to the Interest-Free Loan Program. The deadline for submitting applications is April 15. Undergraduate students may qualify for a maximum of $4,700 in loans per academic year. The limit for graduate students is $6,000. This year, $2.6 million will be lent to area students attending two- and four-year colleges, technical schools, and graduate and professional programs. Students of any age who have graduated from high school or completed a G.E.D. and are permanent residents of St. Louis, St. Louis County, the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles and Warren or the Illinois counties of Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair may apply. Students may obtain an application by sending a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to: The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, 8215 Clayton Road, St. Louis, Mo., 63117.

Torah and yoga offered

The Helene Mirowitz Department of Jewish Community Life at the JCC is offering a yoga class that integrates the techniques of classical yoga with the study of Jewish wisdom and tradition. Open to men and women. Class will meet from 11 a.m.-noon Thursdays starting March 2. For information contact Kate Smith at 314-442-3210 or [email protected].

Youth chavurah at U.H.

United Hebrew Congregation will host more than 150 seventh- and eighth-graders March 3-5 for the annual North American Federation of Temple Youth-Missouri Valley Junior Youth Group (JYG) Chavurah. The theme for the weekend is NFTY Alphabet Soup. The theme corresponds to the 2005-2006 NFTY study theme of “Taking the Reform Jewish Journey.” The goal for the weekend is to help JYGers learn more about NFTY, the structure and bodies of the Union for Reform Judaism, and to explore their personal connections with Reform Judaism. For information, go to http://www.unitedhebrew.org/tyg, email to [email protected] or phone 314-469-0700.

Lecture series

The theme for The American Jewish Committee’s Interfaith Lecture Series this year is “the Suffering and the Sacred.” The series kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 5 at Congregation Temple Israel, One Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Drive. Sister Patricia Walter of Aquinas Institute of Theology will deliver the keynote address, and Rabbi Ephraim Zimand from Traditional Congregation will present a response. Additional lectures will take place on Thursdays, March 9, 16 and 23, at 11:45 a.m. Registration for the entire series of four lectures and lunch is $45.00 per person. Registration for Sunday night only is $10.00 per person. The cost for an individual lecture with lunch is $15.00; without lunch is $6.00. There is no charge for seminary students. A check is required to hold a reservation for a lecture. To order lunch, reservations must be received by noon the Monday prior to the Thursday of the lecture, and paid in advance. There are no refunds after that deadline. For further information or to receive a registration form, contact The American Jewish Committee, 7730 Carondelet, Suite 417, St. Louis, MO 63105, or call 314-721-8866 or e-mail [email protected].

Purim party

Purim will be celebrated at a special Family Purim Party on Tuesday, March 7, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. at the Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library, 12 Millstone Campus Dr. The program is for children ages 3 – 9 and their parents and grandparents. The evening celebration will feature Purim stories told by Library Director Barbara Raznick, special craft projects, entertainment and refreshments. Partygoers are encouraged to wear costumes. The cost for the Purim Party is $3 per child, payable at the door. There is no charge for adults. Reservations are required by Monday, March 6, and can be made by calling the Brodsky Library at 442-3720 or email to [email protected].

Art discussion

Rabbi Yonah Weinrib of New York will discuss The Art of Spirituality: Secrets of Creation & Reflections of the Divine at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, at the Sheraton Clayton Plaza as part of Aish HaTorah’s Jewish Speaker’s Series and the Annual Stuart I. Raskas Dessert Reception. Rabbi Weinrib, a renowned artist and speaker, specializes in elaborate manuscript illumination, combining research from traditional texts with exacting calligraphy and artwork. The Stuart I. Raskas Community Service Award will be presented by Julie Eisenberg to an individual who has volunteered for Aish. The event is free. Rabbi Weinrib’s art will be on display and for sale. For more information call 314-862-2474.

Purim program

The Kabbalah Institute of St. Louis will present Games People Play: A Mystical View of the Holiday of Purim at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. March 8, at the Gloria and Reubin Feldman Aish West Center for Jewish Studies, 457 North Woods Mill Rd. Chesterfield. No fee will be charged, but participants are encouraged to make a $10. donation to the charity of their choice. Call 314-814-6629 for more information.

Reisses get honor

Drs. Craig and Jackie Reiss will be the guests of honor at the 32nd annual Tpheris Israel Chevra Kadisha Congregation dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Clayton, March 12. They will be honored as examples of Torah Heritage in every facet of life. A commemorative journal is being prepared for the occassion. Call 314-469-3690 or 314-469-7060 for more information.

Purim carnival

Congregation Shaare Emeth will host its annual Purim Celebration on Sunday, March 12, beginning at 10:30 a.m. with a parade followed by a carnival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event includes carnival games, prizes, raffle and food. It will be held at Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road in Creve Coeur.

The carnival is free and open to the public. Tickets for food and games are four for $1, or unlimited-use wristbands can be purchased at the door for $14. Receive a free raffle ticket with advance purchase of wristbands for $13. For more information, call Ronnie Brockman at 314-569-0010.

‘Esther’s Banquet’

Congregation Shaare Emeth will host its annual “Esther’s Banquet” Purim celebration at 6:00 p.m. Monday, March 13, at 11645 Ladue Road in Creve Coeur. Esther’s Banquet and Purim Service will feature a Middle Eastern and pizza dinner. The dinner will be followed by a multi-generational prayer service including a lively reading from the Book of Esther (the megillah), as well as children singing and parading in their Purim costumes. The cost for the dinner is $7 per adult and $4.50 for children ages 3 to 12. For more information, call Ronnie Brockman at 314-569-0010.

Estate planning workshops

Susan Lamb, Hadassah’s national planned giving and estate planning expert, will present two programs on increasing your income, protecting your estate, decreasing your tax bite, cutting capital gains taxes, providing for future generations and enhancing your current lifestyle.

The programs are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 20 at a private home at 8032 Park Drive, St. Louis 63117

and 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 21, at The Hallmark of Creve Coeur, 1 New Ballas Place, St. Louis, 63146. There is no program fee. Call the Hadassah office at 314-991-0434 by March 20 to register.

60’s Plus singles to meet

The Reform Jewish Singles 60’s Plus Group will host a dinner and discussion with Karen Aroesty, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at Shaare Emeth Congregation. Her presentation will be entitled “The Latest in Current Events: Hot Topics on the Front Line.”

The cost is $8.50 for both dinner and the program. Hunan Express will cater the dinner.

For reservations, please send a check payable to RST to Ken Schwartz, c/o United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Rd., St. Louis, Mo. 63141. For more information, call Ruth at 314-432-4247.

Benefit performance

St. Louis Charity Performances will present “Ella’s Radio,” Wednesday and Thursday evening, March 22 and 23, at the Sheldon Theatre. The cabaret-type show will feature four local singers (from left to right in photo) — Ed Goodman (KEZK morning radio air personality), Irene Fox, Barbara Helmer and Art Schwartz. They will perform songs of Ella Fitzgerald and friends. Musical director is Bev Condray, with backing by clarinetist Scott Alberici. Tickets are available, starting at $20, at www.metrotix.com, by calling 314-534-1111 or 800-293-5949 or by sending a check with a ticket order to St. Louis Charity Performances, Inc., 8816 Manchester Road, Suite 188, Brentwood, Mo. 63144. The first performance produced by Charity Performances, “One Week Only,” held last September, yielded more than $3,500 to the St. Louis Susan G. Komen Local Affiliate. For more information contact Ed Musen at 314-290-2007 or at [email protected].

Singles get-together

Sparks Matchmaking, a dating service for Jews of all ages, is holding a get-together at Busch’s Grove, 9160 Clayton Rd., at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 29. Jeremy Davenport will perform. The event is free, and there will be a cash bar. For more information or to register, call Paula Sparks at 314-721-3638.

YPD Happy Hour

Join in the fun and excitement at the Jewish Federation’s Young Professionals Division Happy Hour on Thursday, March 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the newly remodeled Busch’s Grove. This is a chance to unwind after a busy work day with a drink, to relax to live entertainment, to meet some great people and to network. Valet parking is available.

Prizes will be awarded.

For information, contact Margo Schwartz at 314-442-3865 or e-mail [email protected].

Passover project

Women of Reform Judaism Co-op Congregations will hold a Passover Mitzvah Project event from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, at Congregation Shaare Emeth. Women from B’nai El, Shaare Emeth, Temple Israel,and United Hebrew Congregations will assemble Passover food baskets to be donated to the St. Louis Jewish Food Pantry. Rabbi Annie Belford of Congregation Shaare Emeth and the Jewish Food Pantry director will be featured guests. Kosher-for-Passover, non-glass food items are being sought. Suggested items include matzo, matzo meal, soup mix, gefilte fish in cans only and candy. There is no charge for this event. RSVP by March 30 to Susan Steifel at 434-1341.

Agudas Israel dinner

Agudas Israel of St.Louis will hold its Annual Gala Dinner on Sunday, May 14, at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Clayton. Byron and Lynda Cohen will be the guests of honor, and Mrs. Bobbi Gibli will be recognized with a community service award. An ad journal will be published to commemorate the event. Call 314-863-8978 for more information.

Lederman promoted

Ruth L. Lederman has been promoted to assistant executive vice president & director of development of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Lederman, a Detroit native, has worked for the Jewish Federation for almost nine years. She joined the organization as director of the Annual Campaign in1997 before being named development director one year later. Last May, Lederman was selected as one of 25 Jewish communal, primarily Federation, employees from across the United States, to participate in the Mandel executive Development Program, sponsored by United Jewish Communities (UJC). The program is designed to ensure succession of the most senior level executive positions in the top 40 Jewish Federations.