JFED CONNECTS
AN UPDATE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING AT JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS DECEMBER 2015
INSIDE Phone-a-thon.................................2 PJ Library Party.............................2 JProStl Luncheon........................2 NORC Celebration......................2 Jewish Coaching Academy….3 YPD LollapaJEWza....................3 Spread the Light..........................3 HMLC Shanghai Exhibit…....... 3 Kosher Survey...........................3 LGBTQ Mission to Israel..........4 Israel Bound 2016........................4 Disability Survey...........................4
JFedSTL.org
FROM OUR CHAIR, Harvey N. Wallace Having returned from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) General Assembly (GA) in Washington, D.C., I am truly excited about the energy and commitment I saw among the 3,000 participants to build our Jewish communities and support our communities in Israel and around the world. We heard from celebrities, including David Gregory (formerly Ginsburg), who chose to attend and speak to the GA even though he would be traveling the next day to California for his father’s funeral. We heard from a student at Stanford University whose efforts to serve on the student council were outrageously rebuffed because she was Jewish and therefore was presumed to not have an independent voice on issues surrounding Israel. And, we learned from a young Frenchman of the immigration of thousands of French Jews to Israel as their lives in France were seriously impacted by the hatred they were experiencing. But yet, he was there to tell us of his efforts, and the efforts of fellow French citizens, to not allow this discrimination
and fear to continue. St. Louis was well represented by many lay leaders and senior staff of Jewish Federation of St. Louis. I know from the conversations we had that each one of us took away something different, but we all returned with an enhanced commitment to making our Jewish community a better place. With your help, we will continue to support the organizations and programs that we fund, including Covenant Place for seniors and the Jewish Community Center that provides day care for the youngest in our community. Our agencies and programs have a lasting impact. Many of them have successful fundraising operations. But few of our constituent agencies can fulfill their missions without funding from Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Most importantly, Jewish Federation of St. Louis is the only agency that looks out for the entire Jewish community. We are working hard to raise the funds that are needed, but only a few weeks remain for the 2015 Annual Campaign. If you have not made a gift, now is the time to help us meet all the needs and strengthen our community. To donate, visit BuildJewishSTL.org or call Shelley Phillips at 314-442-3793.
FROM OUR CEO, Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. I write to thank you for the light you have shined in our community through your continued support of Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Your support has helped us achieve some significant milestones this year. Even as the news from Israel and the world continues to concern us, our region is vibrant. Although we have many things to celebrate within our community, there are still issues that face us each and every day that need our continued support and help. With the release of our first Community Study in nearly 20 years, we learned this year that our community has grown by 14 percent to 61,000 Jewish individuals. Additionally, we learned that over 30,000 individuals of other faiths now live in households with at least one Jewish adult due to intermarriage. Our community is also living throughout the region with roughly one-third now living east of Lindbergh Boulevard. Unfortunately, the study also tells us that 26 percent of our community is living with various economic hardships. This means our elderly and our families are struggling for both access to social services and (continued on page 2)