On Thursday, Sept. 10, from 6 to 8 pm, members of the Jewish Light Publisher’s Society will gather at the home of a member for a special thank you and recognition event.

The featured guest at the gathering will be KMOX host Charlie Brennan. As the mainstay of morning radio in St. Louis, Brennan brings a respected and experienced voice to current affairs in the metro community.

The Publisher’s Society is a group of supporters of the St. Louis Jewish Light that recognizes the key role of a Jewish newspaper and Web site.

“The St. Louis Jewish Light is a provider of a service,” says Light Board President Gianna Jacobson. “We provide a steady, constant, and reliable source of information for and about the people and issues in our local community. That service — a local, independent, journalistic voice — is more essential to our community than ever. Yes, we are a journalistic enterprise, with print and electronic outlets. And yes, we are a not-for-profit agency benefiting our entire community.

“I am grateful to the members of the Publisher’s Society for recognizing the critical role the Light plays in advocating for a strong and vibrant Jewish community in St. Louis,” says Jacobson. “Our members are acknowledging that the Light’s value to the community extends far beyond the contents on any given week.”

Now in its third year, the Publisher’s Society serves a critical role for the Jewish Light. In its first two years, the Society has served as a sponsor of various Jewish Light special features and sections.

“The goal of the Society is to build connections in several ways,” says Publisher/CEO Larry Levin. “Through features like our Teen Page, Ohr Chadash; now in its second year, we build strong generational connections. With our coverage of the Jewish Film and Book Festivals and New Jewish Theatre, we build lasting cultural connections.

“And for outreach to the entire community, we provide special coverage of meaning to all Jews, such as our Israel anniversary sections and our very first Earth Day section this year about Jewish perspectives on energy and the environment.”

But the Publisher’s Society is more than simply a sponsor of sections, says Levin.

“We’ve all read about the challenges facing the publishing industry over the last couple years,” says Levin. “We are very confident about the future of independent community newspapers and websites like ours, with a strong and dedicated niche and loyal readership.

“But we cannot take anything for granted. We must have the resources to evolve with the market. The Publisher’s Society helps us realize those resources in a substantial way.”

To that end, says Jacobson, the Jewish Light is undergoing major changes to change with the times.

“The Light is responding to changes in technology and readership habits with an overhaul of its electronic product and a renewed focus on our local community in our print product,” says Jacobson. “Our goal is to continue to thrive and serve the 60,000 members of the local Jewish community. The Publisher’s Society, established in 2007, cultivates leadership giving and support to ensure the Light’s success.”

The goal, as Jacobson notes, is to have a lasting independent Jewish news voice for St. Louis.

“The Publisher’s Society seeks to ensure that the Light will always have the necessary funds to provide a variety of perspectives and voices on all the issues that affect our community and to provide a forum for discussion in which every member of our community can participate.”

The Publisher’s Society offers four levels of membership based on annual contributions to the Jewish Light:

* $500 Publisher level;

* $1,000 Publisher-Gold level;

* $1,800 Publisher-Platinum level; and

* $3,600 Publisher-Diamond level.

Each level features unique benefits such as recognition in the paper and at the annual meeting and invitations to various events.

For more information about the Publisher’s Society or to RSVP to the thank you party, please call the Jewish Light at 314-743-3600.