We share, with deep grief and sadness, the news of the passing of Adinah Raskas on September 27, cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, and community leader.
For 63 years, Adinah was the devoted partner of her beloved husband, Heschel, together building a home and a legacy grounded in Torah, family, and community. She was a loving mother to Jonathan; Daniel (and Daphna); Aviva (and Moshe Adler); Ruth (and Nigel Ohrenstein); and Mordechai (and Jennifer). Her greatest joy was her grandchildren and great-grandson, each of whom she made feel uniquely cherished and individually valued.
Carrying forward the legacy of generations of family in St. Louis, Adinah was born and raised in St. Louis and graduated from University City Senior High School. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Boston University and a master’s degree in social psychology. Over the course of more than two decades, she taught sociology at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Washington University, and Saint Louis University, inspiring countless students with her warmth and insight. A particular passion of hers was the question of how universities might serve in loco parentis — as parental figures to young adults. In many ways, Adinah’s life became a living treatise on that subject: she was a master parent to her own children and, in quiet and often unseen ways, a guiding presence for so many others.
Adinah and Heschel shared roots that stretched back to childhood: their parents, close friends and founders of the H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy, ensured that both received their earliest education there. Adinah later returned to lead the school as President, continuing a legacy of Jewish learning that extended through her own children and grandchildren. Her love for Israel was constant, a dream she carried throughout her life and honored in every family milestone celebrated there.
With boundless dedication, Adinah served the wider Jewish community through leadership roles on the boards of the St. Louis Jewish Light, the Anti-Defamation League, the Central Agency for Jewish Education, and Ohr Atid, as well as chairing the Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library. Wherever she gave her energy, her clarity of thought and depth of wisdom enriched the institution.
Adinah was renowned for her legendary Shabbat meals and her treasured honey challah recipe, which she baked each week for her family, even mailing loaves to her children while they were in college. A gifted cook and gracious host, she filled her home with love, warmth, and unforgettable meals. Her devotion also shone through in the smallest gestures — a handwritten note, a carefully clipped article, or a surprise package.
Resilience, generosity, and faith were the cornerstones of Adinah’s life. Following her kidney transplant in 2006, she spoke often of prayer, gratitude, and the strength of community. With courage and determination, she transformed months of illness into nearly twenty years of cherished time with her loved ones. To her, family was life’s most important work. She “produced” not profits, but birthday cards, family trips, Judaica, home-cooked meals, and an endless outpouring of love. While her absence leaves a deep void, her legacy of faith and devotion will live on through her family and all who were fortunate to know her.
Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Louis Jewish Federation, Epstein Hebrew Academy, Nishmat, or Yeshivat Har Etzion.
Grandchildren and great-grandchild:
Adir Raskas
Aaron Raskas
Avi Adler
Bella Adler
Eliana Raskas
Etan Raskas
Hadassah Raskas
Isaac Ohrenstein
Jacob Raskas
Jasmine Raskas
JJ Adler
Leora Raskas
Maayan Raskas
Maya Ohrenstein
Michal Segall
Natalie Raskas
Ralph Raskas (of blessed memory)
Sophia Ohrenstein
Steve Hinson
Tamar Adler
Yari Raskas
