Nothing like a little friendly competition to bring an entire community together. That was the spirit once again at Battle of the Stars, the annual fundraiser hosted by J Associates, the women’s auxiliary of the St. Louis Jewish Community Center.
On March 8, community members packed the Staenberg Family Complex for a night of high-energy games, camaraderie and giving. By the end of the night, the event raised an impressive $248,000 to support vital J programs.
“Thank you so much to the amazing J Associates and everyone who attended Battle of the Stars,” said Julie Gibbs, chief philanthropy officer at the J. “All of the excitement and enjoyment ultimately benefits the J’s programs, services and scholarships.”
The Berg Team does it again
For the second year in a row, the Berg Team walked away with the title of Battle of the Stars champions. The returning champs—Jason Berg, Abi Berg, Zach Deutsch, Rachel Deutsch, Dani Berg, Scott Yaffe, Bryan Berg, Jessica Schatz, Eddie Cherry and Emily Cherry—proved once again they were a force to be reckoned with.
A night of fierce (but friendly) competition
The evening kicked off with a gathering in the gym, where guests enjoyed dinner and watched a heartfelt Fund-a-Need video highlighting the impact of J programs.
The competition took over the entire J, with teams rotating through a mix of physical and mental games, each testing a different skill set. This year’s lineup included:
- Reel it in
- Keep your eye on the ball
- State of mind
- Tap it in
- Oy vey, it costs how much?
- Maniac
- Hoops, there it is!
- Tag that track
After the games, everyone returned to the gym for the final challenge, dessert and a medal ceremony honoring the top three teams.
Impact beyond the games
While the competition was fierce, the biggest win of the night was for the J programs that will benefit from the $248,000 raised. Proceeds will support scholarships for the Early Childhood Center and summer camps, meal services for homebound seniors, Adult Day Services and Theatre Unlimited for adults with disabilities.
What’s next?
With another wildly successful year in the books, excitement is already building for next year’s Battle of the Stars.
“We hope to be back next year to battle it out again! We’ve already heard from people who couldn’t make it this year that they can’t wait to come back,” said Chelsea Leon, special events manager at the J. She went on to send a special thank you goes to the J Associates and event chairs Amy Lampert and Judy Schwartz Jaffe, along with Julie Sandler, vice president of development and Amy Bennett, president, “whose leadership has helped make Battle of the Stars a standout event in the St. Louis Jewish community.”
Looking ahead to next year, one question remains—can the Berg Team make it three in a row?
