This Hanukkah, a delegation of 11 representatives from the modern Israeli city of Modi’in will come to St. Louis to visit Congregation Temple Israel. The group will be spending Dec. 2-8 in St. Louis to learn about American Reform Judaism and to educate the St. Louis Jewish community about the growth of progressive Judaism in Israel. Their visit is being made possible, in part, by a targeted allocation from the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

During their stay in St. Louis, the delegation from Congregation YOZMA will visit with teachers and students at Temple Israel’s Hebrew and religious schools and its Deutsch Early Childhood Center. They will also visit the Saul Mirowitz Day School-Reform Jewish Academy and tour the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Center and the Millstone Campus.

In addition, Temple Israel has scheduled a variety of programs and activities that are open to the entire community.

The congregation will host a Hanukkah celebration on Friday, Dec. 3, beginning at 6 p.m. The evening will feature a brief family-friendly service followed by an Israeli-style dinner and celebration that will include Israeli dancing, crafts and music. The cost for the dinner is $5 for adults and children 13 and older; free for children 12 and younger.

On Saturday, Dec. 4, at 9:45 a.m., Nava Assulin of Congregation YOZMA will present “The Teaching of Bible in the Israeli School System” at Temple Israel’s weekly Shabbat Bible Study session. At 11 a.m., immediately following the presentation, Rabbi Nir Barkin will lead a “YOZMA-style” Shabbat morning service.

On Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., Carol Rubin, Temple Israel member and director of Jewish Life at the Saul Mirowitz Day School-Reform Jewish Academy, will discuss “Out with the Organ: A New Reform Judaism for the 21st Century.”

For more details on any of these programs, visit www.ti-stl.org or call 314-432-8050. Temple Israel is located at 1 Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Dr. on Ladue Road at Spoede.