As we close out 2023, three women will close out their careers at St. Louis Jewish institutions. Nikki Goldstein, a member of Traditional Congregation, will be leaving the Gladys and Henry Crown Center for Senior Living after 23 years as executive director. Rosalie Stein, a member of Kol Rinah, will retire as executive director of Congregation Shaare Emeth after holding the position for 15 years. And in early 2024, Lynn Wittels, a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona, will leave her post as CEO and president of the Jewish Community Center, a position she has held for 17 years.

In early December, the Jewish Light sat down with Goldstein, Stein and Wittels for a freewheeling roundtable discussion on subjects ranging from what they loved about their jobs to their favorite TV shows.

What will you miss most about working at your jobs?

Rosalie Stein: It’s really the relationships with my coworkers. Someone’s always there to talk and to brainstorm with. So that part I’ll miss. And I’ll miss the congregants.

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Lynn Wittels: I’ll miss the people. I’ll also miss the bubbles that rise up from the early childhood playground. I love that on beautiful days.

Nikki Goldstein: I’ll miss the people. I’m going to have to make friends (laughs). My colleagues—it’s fun to be with them. And really, the board and residents that I know and love.

What do you do to decompress and de-stress after a long workday?

NG: I eat.

RS: I watch Hallmark movies. Everyone’s happy.

‘What inspires you all?

LW: When I look across the Jewish community, it makes me so proud that we are part of a network of agencies that take care of the community and one another and both inside and outside the Jewish community. It’s pretty inspiring to be a part of that.

RS: The work that is done in a congregation inspires me, from the clergy level to preschool, all across the board.

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the Jewish community from when you started to the present?

RS: I can tell you post-COVID, people are looking for community. And we’ve had a great deal of people reaching out. We’ve kind of modeled some of our programs differently to get people in the doors and to feel welcomed and nourished. Also, since the war has begun, a lot of people are just struggling with community.

NG: Generations. People who are 62 and over are not the same as people who used to be—the different generations of older adults and what that means.

When you were growing up, did you have a dream job?

LW: My father was a retailer, and I just assumed I would go into business, which I did. My grandfather wanted me to be either a nurse or a teacher. And I said, “Well, grandpa, why not a doctor?” And he laughed. He said, “Well, you’re a woman.”

What’s something no one knows about you?

RS: I was the posture queen in 6th grade, and I did win a bible contest from the Board of Jewish Education. I think it’s buried somewhere in the archives of the Jewish Light!

NG: My husband went to school with Lynn and Rosalie.

Favorite movie?

NG: “Casablanca.”

RS: “Mr. Mom.”

LW: “Field of Dreams.”

What’s the best piece of advice anyone gave you?

RS: Be nice to everybody. You just don’t know when you’ll run into that person again.

LW: My mom used to say, “You get more flies with honey.” My dad used to tell me, “You’re only as strong as your weakest link.” And from a business perspective, that’s probably the most serious great advice I’ve ever gotten. Because it’s true.

Cats or dogs?

NG, LW and RS: Dogs.

Favorite travel destination?

LW: My family meets every year at the end of the year in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., at a place called Frenchman’s Creek. It’s the best week of the year. I live 51 weeks so I can go there for one week. Because we’re all together.

NG: I love digging up Jewish history in places where there are no Jews anymore, unfortunately.

What are you looking forward to doing with your extra time?

LW: I’m looking forward to working out again. COVID was the end of that. I want to slow down a little bit and have time to share some of what I’ve learned over the last 18 years with others and improve my golf game.

NG: I’d like to just savor whatever I get to do more and not always feel like I have that next thing to do. And if I take a walk and I want to take an extra 10 minutes, I can. I can read a little longer. I love to make family dinners or entertain and not be thinking by the time guests come, “When are they going to leave?”

RS: Anytime our family gets together, no matter where they are, that’s what I’m Looking forward to. I am the matriarch of the family so that’s important to me. And scrapbooking. I scrapbooked all my nephews and my son’s wedding from the time they get engaged to the time they get married.

Favorite TV show?

NG: “Julia” on Max.

RS: “The Righteous Gemstones” on Max.

Favorite Jewish tradition?

LW: Lighting the Shabbat candles because I talked to my mother when I do it, who passed away 21 years ago, so it kind of reminds me of her. . . and making latkes.

NG: Going to shul. I like going to services on Saturday morning.

RS: A lot of things that we do. On Rosh Hashanah, our tradition is to do a honey bar. On Hanukkah, when the kids were growing up, we’d go through 20 pounds of potatoes.

Are there any specific significant initiatives at your organizations that stand out in your careers?

NG: I am proud that our residents know we’re always there for them. And we can’t always say yes but even if we can’t say yes, they know they’re heard and don’t feel belittled no matter what they’re coming to talk to us about or ask. That they should go away feeling good and heard.

RS: I think redefining and keeping our doors open and being in the community and I think is the greatest thing that I think I’ve left. Some people say “I don’t want to support a temple. It’s not important.” Well, I kind of feel like it’s pretty much the heartbeat of the community, your congregations because as soon as somebody needs something, they pick up the phone and call a rabbi.

LW: The In Program at the J, which is part of our Adult Day Center, works with young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I think that’s one program that I’ll always be proud of. And I think the people who work in the program are going right to heaven. I mean, they are angels. What they do and how they do it and the sensitivity with which they do their work is incredible. Ashley, Kristen, Lexi, are pretty remarkable. People who work at all of our places do it for the people we serve.