Jewish Book Festival hosts former Chanel CEO for ‘Breaking Fashion Barriers’

The St. Louis Jewish Book Festival will welcome Maureen Chiquet, former global CEO of Chanel, for a discussion of her book “Beyond the Label: Women, Leadership, and Success on Our Own Terms” at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 28, at the Jewish Community Center’s Arts & Education building, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. Chiquet, who attended school at John Burroughs in St. Louis, will be interviewed on stage by Susan Sherman, Board Chair of the St. Louis Fashion Fund. 

“Beyond the Label” charts Chiquet’s unlikely path beginning as a literature major, sharing the inklings, risks and defining moments that have shaped her career. Chiquet seeks to inspire a new generation of women, liberal arts graduates and unconventional thinkers to cultivate a way of living and leading that is all their own.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/jewish-book-festival2017.

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Traditional welcomes guest scholar Shany Mor during Shavuot 

Traditional Congregation invites the community for Shavuot services and leyl tikkun with guest speaker Shany Mor, a postdoctoral research fellow at Brown University’s Political Theory Project.  He has a Ph.D. from Oxford, and has served as a Director for Foreign Policy on the Israeli National Security Policy.  

The programs, which are free and open to the community, include:  

• Tuesday, May 30:  Services begin at 8 p.m. and will be followed by a dairy nosh.  At 9:30 p.m., Mor will present a session on “Israeli Democracy.” At 10:45, Traditional member Steven Puro will facilitate a discussion on “Shavuot —± Perspectives and Emotions,” looking at the question, “What would be your feelings or emotions if you were at Sinai for the receiving of the Torah?”

• Wednesday, May 31:  Services begin at 9 a.m. and will be followed by a dairy kiddush lunch. At noon, Mor will discuss, “Lessons of the 2005 Disengagement for Israeli Policy in the West Bank.”

For more information, call Traditional Congregation at 314-576-5230 or visit traditional-congregation.org. The programs received supported from the Center for Jewish Learning and Jewish Federation of St. Louis. 

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Jewish Federation asks for help in updating contact information

Jewish Federation of St. Louis is seeking the community’s help to ensure it has updated and accurate contact information for constituents. 

To verify one’s contact information, visit JFedSTL.org/Clean-Up and check that the name, nickname, cell phone number and email address on file are up to date. People can also verify contact information over the phone or email by contacting Matthew Gerzevske: 314-442-3793 or [email protected]. Jewish Federation will not share constituents’ contact information.

Those verifying their updated contact information will be entered to win free car washes for a year from Waterway Carwash (18 winners will be chosen).  One entry will be submitted for each adult (18+) household member verified through June 2.

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PrideFest T-Shirts available for pre-order

The St. Louis Jewish Communities Pride Initiative is offering pre-orders of this year’s Jewish community Pride shirts, designed locally by STL-Style. Shirts are $12 and offered in XS-XXXL sizes with both a regular shirt and, new this year, tank top option. Order by Sunday, May 21 to reserve a shirt at JewishinStLouis.org/PRIDE. 

Pick-up available at both the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and Central Reform Congregation in mid-June. The St. Louis Pride Parade will take place on Sunday, June 25. Contact Shira Berkowitz at [email protected] or 314-361-1564 for more information. 

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Groups plan ‘ROAR’ leadership training 

National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis Section (NCJW), along with Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and Jews United for Justice (JUJ), will present ROAR, a Jewish leadership training for Resistance, Organizing, Action and Resilience. 

The all-day workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 4 at the NCJW office, 295 N. Lindbergh Blvd. in Creve Coeur.

The workshop will explore how individuals can “make a difference, not just a statement, in addressing our core values we feel are at risk,” according to a news release. It will look at campaign development and ways to have the greatest impact. 

The workshop is designed for those new or more experienced in social justice work to come together to learn and envision the next phase of the community’s social justice work.  The workshop is hosted by JOIN for Justice as part of a national training series (for more information, visit joinforjustice.org).

The NCJW venue is wheelchair accessible. Kosher breakfast and lunch will be served. A minimum donation of  $18 is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. 

Register at ncjwstl.org or call 314-993-5181. For more information, contact NCJW Marketing Manager Stacy Kress at 314-993-5181 or [email protected].

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Yeshivat Kadimah High School plans commencement

The community is invited to attend Yeshivat Kadimah High School’s fourth annual commencement exercises, honoring the Class of 2017. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 23 at Nusach Hari B’nai Zion, 650 North Price Road in Olivette. A reception will follow the graduation ceremony. RSVPs appreciated to [email protected] or 314-942-3166. 

Students in the Class of 2017 are: 

• Shay Fishman 

• Yoneena Heit

• Yonatan Hirschhorn

• Elisheva Kent 

• Caleb Missler 

• Yonah Shafner 

• Esti Silverman 

• Yoni Strashun

• Isabella Yampol.