Residents of Covenant Place extend thanks

It is with great pleasure and gratitude the Russian community of Covenant Place wants to thank Joan Denison, Covenant Place’s executive director, and many people involved in the moving residents from Building F and G to the new Cahn Family Building. 

The new Covenant Place building is amazing, and we want to thank Denison for her construction project involvement, supervision of the building process, selection of interior and exterior materials, designs and overall contribution that she has made to make our lives here at the Covenant Place more enjoyable and comfortable. Our new apartments are comfortable, light, bright, beautiful and well-organized. It is a joy to wake in the morning in a spacious and well-laid out living space. Such an amazing improvement in our lives will make us live here longer and happier. The entire Russian speaking community we are very grateful to Denison, donors to the project and the builders. To put this project through is a monumental task and it has been achieved with excellence. 

We would also like to extend additional gratitude to everyone who participated in the project, specifically, Laurie Wilson, the relocation company, Development Resource Partners LLC, volunteers who donated their time and energy with assistance in packing and unpacking, and the amazing office staff at Covenant Place, who have been attentive, kind, understanding, diligent and caring at every stage of the process. 

The Russian Speaking Community of Covenant Place 

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Stop promoting Friday night events

In Ellen Futterman’s interview with Judy Gladney, one of the first African-Americans to integrate the University City schools  (Oct. 9 News & Schmooze column), editor Futterman encourages members of  the Jewish community to join her and Judy for a free forum at the University City Library, scheduled on a Friday evening (Oct. 11) from 6 to 7:30 p.m., a time when many Jewish families are beginning to observe the Sabbath.

Why is it that events that are of particular interest to the Jewish community are scheduled on a Friday evening?  Compounding this insensitivity, the event is promoted by the St. Louis Jewish Light, the preeminent newspaper for the Jewish community. This is not the first time the Light has publicized a program of interest to the Jewish community that was held on a Friday night.  

Perhaps the Board of Trustees of the Light need to review their policy regarding promotion and/or sponsorship of events that take place on the Sabbath and the participation of their staff in such activities. 

Rosalyn Borg, University City

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Troubling spike in NYC hate crimes deserves more attention

I remind you that the first word in the name “Jewish Light” is Jewish. 

I do so because the Oct. 9 Jewish Light includes major pieces decrying the conditions of Hondurans, Salvadorans and others who entered the United States illegally, a commentary on the 1930s St. Louis connection to Margaret Sanger and the abortion industry, but not one word about the spike in brutal attacks against Orthodox Jews in New York City. In a May report, the New York Police Department noted that hate crimes directed against Jews rose 90 percentfrom January through May compared to the same period in 2018.

Morton Klein, of Zionist Organization of America, was the only leader of a major Jewish organization attending a Sept. 22 demonstration demanding action to stop these anti-Semitic attacks. Two New York city council members attended, but no other Jewish politicians could be bothered. No Chuck Schumer, or other State or National Jewish politician.

Could the massive indifference by “Jewish Communal Leaders” to the 90 percent spike in hate crimes committed against Jews be because the Orthodox New York Jewish victims are not “our kind of Jew”?  Perhaps the indifference is because the victims are ultra-Orthodox Jews, don’t live in Manhattan and are not part of the Democratic coalition?

Contrary to Mayor Bill DeBlasio’s claim that the attacks have been by perpetrated by neo-Nazis, most of the perpetrators have been African Americans, whose increasingly anti-Semitic national leadership remains very cozy with Jewish liberals.  

The Jewish community should be appalled that our communal leadership is more focused on supporting illegal immigrants, abortion, than publicizing the 90 percentincrease in brutal beatings of New York Jews.

Richard Senturia, University City

Director, Citizens for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Middle East

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Editor’s note: In the Sept. 4 edition, Jewish Light included a 1,000-word story on the rise in anti-Semitic attacks in New York City, and there is updated coverage on the topic in this week’s edition (see page 8).