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A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Bills to relax marriage registration rules pass Knesset committee

JTAPublished March 19, 2012

JERUSALEM -- Two bills that would allow Jewish couples in Israel to be married by national-religious rabbis in the city of their choice were approved by a Knesset committee. The so-called "Tzohar laws," named after the organization of Modern Orthodox...

The late Rabbi Sholom Rivkin was the Chief Rabbi of the Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis.

Vaad Hoeir announces restructuring of rabbinic oversight

Published March 7, 2012

The Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis has restructured the rabbinic oversight for its communal operations, and appointed two rabbis from within the local community to fill new positions of Rabbanim Acharaim (Certifying Rabbis). According to Perry Mendelson, president...

Montenegro recognizes Jewish community as official minority

By Marcy Oster, JTAPublished February 5, 2012

The prime minister of Montenegro signed an agreement to recognize the Jewish community as an official minority in the country. Prime Minister Igor Lukšić signed the agreement Feb. 2 during an official ceremony held with representatives of the Montenegro...

Reinstated Amsterdam chief rabbi rues using title on ‘curing’ homosexuality document

JTAPublished February 2, 2012

The chief rabbi of Amsterdam, who was suspended for signing a statement on "curing" homosexuality, reportedly has been reinstated and said he was wrong to sign the document using his chief rabbi title. Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag of New York, who travels to the...

My most memorable mikveh meeting

My most memorable mikveh meeting

BY ROBERT A. COHN, Editor-in-Chief EmeritusPublished January 25, 2012

One of the most memorable events during my long career at the Jewish Light took place in July of 1978 at the home of the late Rabbi Menachem Zvi Eichenstein and the late Rebbetzin Renee Eichenstein. That's when the two invited internationally noted sex...

Group slams suspension of Amsterdam chief rabbi for comments about gays

JTAPublished January 23, 2012

The suspension of Amsterdam's chief rabbi for signing a statement on "curing" homosexuality is "verging on fascism," a committee of Orthodox Jews told a Dutch newspaper. The Committee for the Declaration on the Torah Approach to Homosexuality said in...

Sacks makes last official visit to Australia

JTAPublished January 23, 2012

SYDNEY, Australia - The Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth arrived in Australia on his last official visit before stepping down after two decades in his post. Lord Jonathan Sacks, who travelled with his wife, Lady Elaine, was the guest of honor at a gala...

From left are Jeff Kopolow, Jacqueline Yocheved Rivkin Rubin,
Rabbi Ben Tzion Rivkin, Rabbi Menachen Greenblatt of Agudas Israel
and Rabbi Yosef Landa of Chabad of Greater St. Louis. Jacqueline
Rubin and Rabbi BenTzion Rivkin, children of Rabbi Sholom and
Rebbetzin Paula Rivkin, attended the siyum last week.

Orthodox day schools pay tribute to Rabbi Rivkin

BY ROBERT A. COHN, Editor-in-Chief EmeritusPublished November 9, 2011

It was the kind of event that friends and admirers of the late Rabbi Sholom Rivkin say he would have loved: hundreds of students, rabbis and teachers from four Orthodox day schools filling the gymnasium at the H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy for a siyum-a...

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