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

Rabbi Shmuel Miller is Head of School at Epstein Hebrew Academy.

Working through challenges nourishes our lives—and our children’s

RABBI SHMUEL MILLERPublished February 9, 2022
Epstein Hebrew Academy Head of School Rabbi Shmuel Miller offers 'nuggets of wisdom that may help fuel your child and the child within you'
Brett Kalmes picks up his son, Elliot, at the end of the day at B’nai Amoona’s Linda Rotskoff Early Childhood Center.

Jewish Federation announces investment in early childhood centers

Published September 11, 2021

Recognizing the importance of the impact of Jewish early childhood centers in the St. Louis Jewish Community, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis has announced a $125,000 investment over the next 16 months into a new collaborative initiative for all 10...

Students at KoREH (Kol Rinah Education Hub) last month. Photo: Bill Motchan

Religious schools find innovative ways to engage students in Jewish learning

ELYSE PICKER, Special to the Jewish LightPublished July 21, 2021

Religious school. If you attended as a child, your memories may be along the lines of mine: something you had to do that took up extra time after school and on the weekends and was often quite dull. However, after surveying the directors of eight...

Members of the Senior Kollel enjoy a morning learning seder in the St. Louis Kollels newly expanded Torah Learning Center. 

St. Louis Kollel launching $750,000 expansion campaign on June 30

Published June 27, 2021

The St. Louis Kollel will launch a $750,000 36-hour triple match Charidy campaign kicking off at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 30 and concluding Thursday, July 1 at 10 p.m. The campaign is part of "an unprecedented expansion effort which includes a complete...

Yom Haatzmaut at Epstein Hebrew Academy Epstein Hebrew Academy celebrated the completion of a Hebrew learning  project on Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day. Pictured here are Dalia Oppenheimer with her mother Zakeie Oppenheimer and her brother Max Opppenheimer, and first-graders Yaffa Globower and Maya Oppenheimer.

For Epstein Hebrew Academy, Israel Independence Day was a day to celebrate Hebrew learning

Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished April 16, 2021

Avi Katz is a preschool student at H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy—and an author. Katz wrote a book—in Hebrew—about his dog, Leo, a Beagle mix. Yet another preschool student, Bennett Bukhshtaber, wrote a book in Hebrew about his father, Matt, talking...

Golf tournament to raise funds for Esther Miller Bais Yaakov

Golf tournament to raise funds for Esther Miller Bais Yaakov

Published September 25, 2020

Esther Miller Bais Yaakov, a local Jewish girls high school, will be hold its 19th annual John T. Glore Memorial Excellence in Education Golf Tournament on Oct. 21 at the Norman K. Probstein Golf Course in Forest Park.  Glore was a general studies principal...

Staff members at The Nest at Central Reform Congregation: Maxine Weil (director of congregational learning), Carly Palans, Gracie Devasto, Tristyn Morrell, Teona Keys and Sally Brown (director).

Jewish preschools reopen with strict protocols, fewer pupils

BY BILL MOTCHAN, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHTPublished July 10, 2020

On the last day of June at 5 p.m., a vacuum cleaner whirred in a hallway at the Nest Early Childhood Education Center at Central Reform Congregation. Maxine Weil, director of congregational learning, recognized the sound.“You hear that?” Weil asked....

Michael and Carol Staenberg

Missouri Torah Institute virtual fundraiser will honor Michael and Carol Staenberg

Published May 24, 2020

Missouri Torah Institute’s 13th Annual Dinner will be a virtual fundraising event on Sunday, June 7, honoring St. Louis philanthropists Michael and Carol Staenberg. The interactive virtual event, entitled “See the Success. Envision the Future,”...

Mirowitz plans ‘Gala in the Cloud’ virtual fundraiser on May 14

Mirowitz plans ‘Gala in the Cloud’ virtual fundraiser on May 14

Published May 8, 2020

Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School welcomes the community to raise a glass and support the school during its “Gala in the Cloud” virtual fundraising event at 8:30 p.m. on May 14. “Our ‘Gala in the Cloud’ will be unlike any other gala, but...

Yeshivat Kadimah plans 7th Annual Scholarship Gala

Yeshivat Kadimah plans 7th Annual Scholarship Gala

Published February 9, 2020

Yeshivat Kadimah High School of St. Louis will hold its 7th annual scholarship gala on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Moulin Events & Meetings in the Historic Centennial Malt House of the Schnaider Brewery, 2017 Chouteau Ave.The event will be celebrating the...

Epstein Hebrew Academy students Ezra Cohen (left) and Jack Wertman take in an art class led by Morah Baila Shulman at right. 

Jewish day schools start 2020 in new University City location

By Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished January 23, 2020

The last week of December 2019 was a time-out for most people, a final period of rest and relaxation. Not so for the staff, faculty and volunteers at H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy. A two-week marathon of packing, moving and unpacking occurred during a short...

Stephen and Darien Arnstein

‘Mirowitz in Bloom’ gala set for May 5

Published April 18, 2019

More than 450 supporters of Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School will celebrate “Mirowitz in Bloom” on Sunday, May 5 at the school’s annual gala. The evening will highlight the generations of students who have bloomed into capable and ethical...

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