The Jewish Student Union (JSU) is marking a new chapter for Jewish teens in St. Louis with the opening of the JSU Staenberg House on the Weissman/Kerner Campus. Designed to offer a bigger and better space for connection, learning, and celebration, this center opens its doors after years of planning and support from the local community.
“The JSU Staenberg House will allow us to run whatever programs we want without the restrictions we’ve faced in the past,” said Rabbi Mike Rovinsky, executive director of JSU. “For example, we recently hosted a Friday night dinner and we had to cut it at 15 people because there simply wasn’t enough room.”
A vision brought to life
The journey to the JSU Staenberg House began with a vision: to provide a welcoming, purpose-built space where Jewish teens could find community beyond the JSU Clubs offered at 16 high schools and middle schools across St. Louis. With generous support from Lauren and Kyle Kerner, Michael Staenberg, The Feigenbaum-Pepose Family, the Silk Foundation, this vision is now a reality. The Orthodox Union (OU) and other local foundations also played a crucial role, helping to fund and bring the project to life.
“JSU is fortunate to have so many generous benefactors who share in our mission and have contributed in such meaningful ways,” said JSU Chairman Paul Gallant. “Even our partners at Pernikoff Construction contributed significantly by absorbing additional costs and working closely with us to keep the project on track.”
Expanding opportunities and programs
The JSU Staenberg House will broaden JSU’s offerings to serve more than the 500 teens currently engaged with its activities. The new space will accommodate a range of educational and social programs, from expanded Shabbat and holiday gatherings to discussion groups and seminars on Jewish identity, philosophy, and Holocaust studies. Teens will also have access to college-accredited courses covering the history of Israel, contemporary Jewish issues, and the study of antisemitism, equipping them with both knowledge and a stronger sense of identity.
Engaging activities and new features
To engage teens on multiple levels, the JSU Staenberg House includes a game room and arcade for socializing, along with a social hall that will function as a youth-led synagogue for Shabbat and holiday services.
“Our social hall can seat 100 for meals and features state-of-the-art audiovisual systems,” said Alana Umansky Minoff, associate director of strategic partnerships. “It’s ADA-accessible, and we’ve also created a conference room complete with a lending library of Jewish texts.”
The center’s fully equipped kosher kitchen, made possible by the Silk Foundation, will support culinary programming. The space features Slurpee machines, a soda fountain, and a coffee station made possible by Wally’s.
“We also plan to open a kosher restaurant one night a week for the community,” Rovinsky added, “with rotating cuisines like Italian, Israeli, Mexican and American.”
A community resource
Beyond its teen programming, the JSU Staenberg House will serve as a valuable community resource. The spacious hall will be available for private events, such as b’nai mitzvot and simchas. The venue will also accommodate overnight stays for visiting speakers and educators, enriching the St. Louis Jewish community with diverse perspectives.
“The excitement from the community has been extraordinary,” said Gallant. “This is a game-changer not only for JSU but also for our broader efforts to engage unaffiliated Jewish families and collaborate with other youth organizations.”
The grand opening celebration, open to the community is set for Sunday, Nov. 17at 2:00PM. To learn more about JSU programs or to get involved, visit them online.
Photos: JSU Ribbon Cutting (All photos by Bill Motchan)
