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

Video: Israel Trips 2022: Ryan Hearst

Video: Israel Trips 2022: Ryan Hearst

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN , EDITOR-IN-CHIEFPublished September 22, 2022

After graduating from the University of Alabama in May and before starting a finance job with Lockheed Martin this month, Ryan Hearst went on a Birthright trip through his university’s Hillel chapter to Israel. It was the first time the 22-year-old...

Israel Summer Trips 2022: Zoe Klevens

Israel Summer Trips 2022: Zoe Klevens

ELLEN FUTTERMAN , Editor-in-ChiefPublished August 31, 2022

It didn’t take Zoe Klevens very long to return to Israel after getting back from her first trip there this summer. In fairness, the Parkway Central High School junior had already decided in advance of her summer trip to spend the fall, or more specifically...

Video: Brady Meyersons summer in Israel reconnected him to his Judaism

Video: Brady Meyerson’s summer in Israel reconnected him to his Judaism

By Ellen Futterman , Editor-in-ChiefPublished August 17, 2022

Brady Meyerson went to Israel this summer on Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ Israel Bound trip, which ran from June 13-July 4. He joined roughly 60 other teens who also were on the three-week trip; for many, like Brady, it was their first time visiting...

Yael Shaw

Yael Shaw’s journey to Israel

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-ChiefPublished August 10, 2022

What about your Israel trip still resonates the most? Did visiting the Jewish state change your connection to Judaism? How did the actual trip compare to your expectations? The above questions are just a few the Jewish Light asked a number of St. Louis...

St. Louis athlete Steve Brown going for gold in squash at 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel

St. Louis athlete Steve Brown going for gold in squash at 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished July 7, 2022

You’re never too old to go for gold. That is what Steve Brown may be thinking as he prepares to embark on a journey of a lifetime. Brown, 55, is one of more than 1,200 athletes on Team USA heading to Israel for the 21st Maccabiah Games, which take place...

Branson Appelman

Teen moves to STL to play hockey, now playing in Israel for Team USA

Lonnie Goldsmith, TCJewfolkPublished July 6, 2022

(TCJewFolk) -- Since the time he was three years old and just starting out, Branson Appelman always wanted to bring his baseball mitt onto the ice with him to play goalie – even when his father (and coach), Avery, tried to push him back to playing defense. Now...

Joie Sandler, Jake Brown repping St. Louis, Team USA at World Maccabiah Games

Joie Sandler, Jake Brown repping St. Louis, Team USA at World Maccabiah Games

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished July 6, 2022

Editor's note: View individual and team sports updates and results on the Maccabiah website. Gymnast Joie Sandler is also featured in a new Team USA video, available here.  Two St. Louis Jewish teens are in Israel representing Team USA at the 2022...

On Sunday, St. Louis Jewish teens gathered at the Jewish Community Center’s Day Camp Pavilion for last minute instructions and a meet-and-greet before embarking the next day (June 13) on a three-week Israel Bound trip under the auspices of Jewish Federation.

Federation program helps St. Louis teens take Root One to Israel

ELLEN FUTTERMAN, Editor-in-ChiefPublished June 29, 2022

Sarah Rumfelt and Katie Wallace happily chatted as they waited Sunday afternoon for the meeting at the Jewish Community Center’s outdoor pavilion to start. It was uncomfortably hot and humid, with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, but that...

St. Louis Israeli Folk Dance (IFD) group though the years.

Folk dance group connects St. Louisans with Israel

BILL MOTCHAN, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHTPublished May 24, 2022

Every Monday night the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School hosts a dance party in the gym. The participants, who range from teenagers to octogenarians, learn and practice the art of Israeli folk dancing. The St. Louis Israeli Folk Dance...

Rabbi Hershey Novack of Chabad on Campus says Birthright Israel
trips like the one above (led by his wife, Chana Novack), are an
important part of getting students to connect with Israel - and
bringing an understanding of the Jewish State to campuses.

Do you know a teen or twentysomething headed to Israel in the next few months?

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-ChiefPublished May 5, 2022

The Jewish Light is looking for local high school and college-age students traveling to Israel this summer who would be willing to take a few short videos on their phone of the people, places, and events on their trip that most inspire them and/or make...

Cantor Ronald Eichaker leading Israeli scouts singing “Hatikvah”

Photos: Yom Hazikaron at the JCC remembers Israel’s fallen soldiers

Bill Motchan, Special For The Jewish LightPublished May 4, 2022

Americans celebrate Memorial Day every year with outdoor family barbecues, concerts and parades. Like the U.S. version, the Israel memorial day, Yom Hazikaron, acknowledges the sacrifice of fallen soldiers, but the occasion is far more solemn. Businesses...

An image from Yokneam.

St. Louis, Atlanta raise a virtual toast of partnership with sister city in Israel

BILL MOTCHAN, Special to the Jewish LightPublished April 21, 2022

More than 6,000 miles and eight time zones separate St. Louis from the Yokneam-Megiddo region in Israel, but the distance hasn’t stopped the communities from regularly celebrating holidays together. The sister cities participated in their latest Zoom...

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