St. Louis had a year of ups and downs in 2011, saying farewell to some beloved communal leaders, one local congregation and two longtime kosher mainstays. The community pulled together in response to the tragic devastation of the tornado that struck Joplin....

Kathleen Sitzer was braced for the impact but it never came. "Surprisingly, it was extremely positive," she said. "I was all prepared for a lot of flak about it. I didn't get it and I was delighted." It was 2005 and Sitzer, artistic director of the New...