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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

Tzipi Livni

The fall of Tzipi Livni is a defeat for the two-state solution

By ABE SILBERSTEINPublished February 28, 2019

In Israel, there is perhaps no politician more associated today with the two-state solution than Tzipi Livni. As the country’s former foreign minister, lead negotiator with the Palestinians and two-time leader of the opposition, Livni has warned Israelis...

‘Focused anger’ can be a powerful source of change

‘Focused anger’ can be a powerful source of change

By Leah Borden and Steven PuroPublished February 28, 2019

In traditional Judaism, anger as an emotion is deprecated, and Jewish history to this day shows that anger at legitimate oppression can be turned against Jews. However, Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller in a visit to St. Louis acknowledged that anger can sometimes...

Barbara Finch

Better Together plan needs faith leader input

BY BARBARA L. FINCHPublished February 21, 2019

It’s both fascinating and painful to watch members of the St. Louis business community join with selected public officials and others to roll out the new Better Together plan, which aims to combine St. Louis city and county into a metro government.Fascinating,...

Marty Rochester

Counting down to the final lecture

BY MARTY ROCHESTERPublished February 21, 2019

I am one of 77 million baby boomers in the United States – among the very first, having been born just a couple of months after World War II ended. According to AARP, 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day. Sixty-five percent plan to work past...

Ariel Sobel

Most people have no idea what ‘Zionism’ means

By Ariel SobelPublished February 21, 2019

LOS ANGELES — I was born in 1995, which means a lot of things. The Twin Towers toppled when I was only in kindergarten. I’m a digital native. In my lifetime, Israel has always existed. And most people have no idea what the word “Zionism” means.At...

Rabbi Ariel Picard

The wisdom behind Israel’s crazy multi-party system

By Rabbi Ariel PicardPublished January 10, 2019

JERUSALEM — Israeli politics looks like a big mess right now. In the past few weeks, three new parties have been launched and one party has kicked out a former partner. More changes are likely, too. It probably will get messier still if Prime Minister...

Rachel Brosnahan stars as Miriam “Midge” Maisel, the titular character in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ gets Jewish converts totally wrong

By Alexandra PucciarelliPublished January 10, 2019

Since it came into our lives last year, I’ve had mixed feelings about “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Its jokes sometimes feel like the kind of things we say among other fellow Jews, but not to the rest of the world. The show does have a comforting...

RABBI YONASON GOLDSON

Cremation vs. burial: Preserving human dignity in life and death

BY RABBI YONASON GOLDSONPublished January 10, 2019

Your hard drive crashes. You pitch your laptop and buy a new one.You spill merlot on your favorite white shirt. You drop it in the trash.You total your car.You have it towed to the junkyard.You die. Why should those you leave behind treat your body any...

ROBERT A. COHN Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

Merkel, Macron and May—O, My! Democratic allies are weakened

BY ROBERT A. COHN, Editor-in-Chief EmeritusPublished January 3, 2019

“Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”—Winston Churchill, speech to House of Commons, November 1947Winston Churchill’s famous quote rings...

Leon Moss

My grandson stole my usual Shabbat role — and I couldn’t be prouder

By Leon Moss, Kveller via JTAPublished January 3, 2019

I was edged out on Friday evening. The carefully planned operation was carried out by grandson No. 2, the one with the red hair.“Move over, Pop. I’ll do it,” he said firmly, prodding me in the ribs with a sharp elbow.It’s like this: I say the...

Amnon Lord

Election timing is a smart choice by Netanyahu

By Amnon Lord/JNSPublished January 3, 2019

“We’ve had four good years, but all good things must come to an end.” This statement from Habayit Hayehudi Party chief and Education Minister Naftali Bennett may be the most poignant assessment of last week’s decision to hold elections in April.Set...

Jonathan S. Tobin

Discrimination against Israel is not free speech

By Jonathan S. Tobin, JNSPublished December 27, 2018

Critics say Anti-BDS laws silence a political debate. That’s simply untrue.It sounds outrageous. A speech pathologist in a Texas school district was asked to sign a pro-Israel pledge. If she refused to go along, she would lose her job. Described in...

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