2023 Annual Report • Congregation Shaare Emeth

Thank You, Rosalie!

Mazel Tov On Your Retirement!

While we will miss you, your unwavering leadership, your sharp wit, your business sense, and your unflappability, we are overjoyed that you have reached this milestone and exciting time in your life.

We wish for you endless adventures, games of Mahjongg, time with family, rest and relaxation, stale cake, and bottomless cups of decaf.

Congratulations on an incredible career, and thank you for sharing the last 15 years with us. Shaare Emeth wouldn’t be and won’t be the same without you.

With love, Your Colleagues

FROM OUR PRESIDENT Dear Congregants,

It is hard for me to believe I have completed one full year as President of Congregation Shaare Emeth. I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve this community and I am honored to work with such passionate and dedicated members and staff.

Over the past year, we have continued to build and grow our sacred community. Attendance at Temple programs and events remains high, and we continue to welcome new members to the Congregation. We are also strategically growing our staff as appropriate. Preschool continues to thrive, and I cannot wait to see what our new camp director brings to camp this upcoming summer.

We remain committed to social justice. Our congregation has been at the forefront of creating a more just and equitable society, and I am proud of the role that we play in this work. Shaare Emeth’s Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee continues to look for ways to educate and advocate for social change. We have done amazing work in our support of Afghan refugee families as they settle into St. Louis. The Tzedek Committee continues its efforts to raise and distribute funds to support worthy causes. I am especially proud of our Rabbis for their participation in litigation challenging Missouri’s anti-abortion laws.

Reflecting on this year, I realize how much we have to be thankful for. I hope to continue to build on the successes of the past year and look forward to working with you in the year ahead. Together, we will continue to make Shaare Emeth a welcoming and vibrant community where all feel valued and supported.

Thank you for the opportunity to be Temple President. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to our community. I look forward to all that we will achieve together in the coming year and beyond.

Sincerely,

Bill Remis, President

WORDS OF INTRODUCTION

FROM RABBI BENNETT

Dear Friends,

The synagogue has many names in Jewish tradition. In Hebrew, the synagogue can be called a “Beit K’nesset,” or “house of assembly,” or a “Beit Tefillah,” or “house of prayer,” or “Beit Midrash,” or “house of learning.” Some call their synagogue a “Temple,” while others refer to the synagogue as “shul,” from the Yiddish for “school.” For some, the synagogue is a building, while for others, it is an institution and its programs.

Finally, some call their synagogue a “Kehillah,” a congregation or community. I like this the best. In fact, for me, our synagogue, “Congregation, Shaare Emeth,” which means “Gates of Truth,” is a “kehillah kedoshah,” a sacred community, and these words truly describe who and what we are. We are a congregation that provides wonderful worship services, programs, social activities, classes and educational opportunities, celebrations, and a myriad of ways to contribute to the betterment of our society. But most of all, we are a community of people who care about each other, about our faith, our world, and about God.

At a time when affiliation and participation at so-called “organized religious institutions” are declining, I marvel at the significant number of people who willingly participate in person and virtually in so many different facets of our congregation. There are so many times when our building is filled with people, from Shabbat and holiday worship services to Adult Education to Religious School and Shirlee Green Preschool, Camp Emeth, and Camp Micah, to the many programs sponsored by such groups as our Tzedek Committee, our Traditions with a Twist Committee, our Baby Boomers, our 20s and 30s, our Caring Committee, our Seniors groups, our Early Childhood Engagement programs, our Youth Groups, and every other facet of congregational life. We are a hub of activity, creativity, and caring. We are a congregation because we are a community, a sacred community, a “Kehillah Kedoshah.”

The past year has seen remarkable growth and change in our programs, staff, and community. As we have emerged from more than three years of pandemic change, we continue to thrive. Exciting things are happening in our community. Together with a wonderful staff, talented and committed lay leadership and volunteers, and the best members anywhere, we will continue to be Shaare Emeth – truly a “kehillah kedoshah” – a sacred community!

Blessings,

Rabbi James M. Bennett

BUILDING & GROUNDS

HOUSE

Robert Colton , Director of Building Operations

It has been another busy year for the building. In addition to routine maintenance, repairs, and painting, other projects include:

• Installation of new watermain, replacing the 40-year-old line

• Renovation of Administrative offices to create additional office space

• Repair of irrigation system

• Addition of outdoor lighting

• Dead tree removal

• Replacement of security camera located at the south lobby

• Parking lot asphalt repairs

• Replacement of HVAC unit dedicated to the tech room

• Repairs to the Stiffman Sanctuary Ark door mechanism

SECURITY

Robert Colton , Staff Liaison

Shaare Emeth hosted a First Responders Open House this year. Local law enforcement and members of the FBI were given tours of the building. The temple staff attended Run/Hide/Fight training, and similar training was conducted for the temple volunteers.

TECHNOLOGY

Robert Colton , Staff Liaison

Livestreaming technology upgrades took place in both the sanctuary and the Kehillah Center this year. Cyber Security enhancements have been deployed to assist staff with phishing emails, and upgrades have been made as needed to staff computers.

FUNDRAISING: HEART & SOUL GALA

Gail & Charles Eisenkramer and Deena & Dave Goran , Co-Chairs Rachel Pereles, Committee Liaison; Valerie Cundy , Hannah Michelson , Rosalie Stein , Staff Liaisons

Committee members: Amy Bennett, Dick Brickson, Patty Croughan, Debbie Lefton, Nancy Lehrer, Jerri Livingston, Bill Livingston, Sue Matlof, Brenda Pereles, Sharon Remis, Johannna Schillinger, Harvey Schneider, Leanne Schneider, Andy Shanker, Sharon Tureen, Jody Waldman, Susan Witte, Linda Yatkeman

The 2022 Heart and Soul Gala was held on Saturday, November 12, 2022. The event theme was Mind, Body, Spirit. Drs. Vicky Fraser and Steve Miller were honored with the Harris Frank Community Service Award for dedicating their lives to the advancement of medicine and healthcare delivery in St. Louis and across the country. Marilyn and Dr. Gary Ratkin were honored with the Tzedek Award for their long, active history at Shaare Emeth and the community, both serving on multiple committees committed to justice and community service.

To recognize the honorees, multitudes of sponsorships and tributes were made. Over 100 people attended the event which successfully raised nearly $100,000

The evening began with cocktails in the South Lobby and Tree of Life Hallway, followed by the awards ceremony in the Stiffman Sanctuary. A delicious catered dinner with live music was enjoyed in the Simcha Center. The vibe of the event was warm and celebratory.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Lisa Suffian, Chair; Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein, Clergy Liaison; Rosalie Stein & Scott Berzon, Staff Liaisons

Committee members: Jeffrey Spector, Rachel Pereles, Bonnie Solomon, Norm Handshear, Evan Waldman, Eunice Reichman, Gary Glassman, Eric Feinstein

We had two subcommittees working on separate projects throughout this year.

1. Employee Recognition Subcommittee: A Years of Service Program was established for full-time and permanent part-time staff. Special recognition will be made at 5, 10, 15, 18, 20, 25 years of service. A new Lifetime of Service plaque will be displayed. Current staff members’ names will be added to this plaque when they reach 18 years of service; this is considered “Lifetime of Service.” This year we celebrate:

• Cantor Seth Warner - 15 years

• Rosalie Stein - 15 years

• Robert Colton - 20 years

• Stacy Jespersen - 20 years

2. Employee Handbook Policy Reviews Subcommittee: Recommendations on 21 policies have been made and an additional 11 policies are ready for final approval by The Operating Committee this month. Policies were reviewed based on recommendations from the previous work we did with Sacred Spaces as well as our Employment attorney.

Through the year the committee helped to give Hanukkah gifts of nuts and chocolates to the staff, Purim Bags, and helped celebrate our administrative staff for Administrative Professionals Day, along with the Directors and Clergy, in April.

MEMBERSHIP

We welcome new staff:

Effective July 1, Lucy Greenbaum will become our full-time Director of Music Engagement. Lucy will be the primary musical engagement professional for the Shirlee Green Preschool, working closely with the Preschool Director to create and implement a holistic musical curriculum for our preschool classes. Lucy will continue to evolve all the musical components of Camp Emeth, including Friday Shabbat experiences, song sessions, and all-camp activities. Lucy and Cantor Warner will curate a musical vision for Shaare Emeth that includes innovation, preservation, challenge, participation, and excellence across all areas of congregational life.

Emily Cohen (Director of Family Engagement and Membership) has added Early Childhood Engagement to her portfolio. Emily Throgmorton is our Temple’s new Religious School Administrator, and Tammy Beaird began a new position as Business Operations Specialist in the main office. Laura Horton was hired as the new Director of Camp Emeth and has been busy preparing for summer. Finally, Helena Cooper will become Shaare Emeth’s new Youth Engagement Specialist.

We are sad to see her go, but Rosalie Stein is retiring June 30, 2023. A transition committee is in place to hire a new Executive Director.

We are always looking for people who have a specialty in HR to join our committee. Please contact Lisa Suffian (lisasuffian@ gmail.com) if you are interested.

Julia Mendelow , Chair; Rosalie Stein , Beth Kodner , and Emily Cohen , Staff Liaisons

Congregation Shaare Emeth welcomed 38 new member households in 2022, including 102 individuals and 20 new babies.

In St. Charles, we held three “pop up” events for families with young children. These events were successful in connecting Jewish families in St. Charles both to Shaare Emeth and to each

other. Shaare Emeth also had a presence at the St. Charles Jewish Festival and Sababa.

The membership team has worked to streamline the membership process. We are thrilled that the membership forms are now fully online with a paper option also available.

ARCHIVES

Brenda

Baron

z”l

, Chair; Johanna Schillinger , Co-Chair

Archives will miss the hard work and the breadth of knowledge

Brenda Baron z”l brought to the Archives committee. Shaare Emeth is grateful for Brenda’s volunteer spirit and legacy.

In 2022, the Archives Committee continued to work diligently to chronicle the ongoing story of our congregation, accumulating records, documents, printed information, and media that tell all about our worship, personnel, congregants, and programming.

A.V. CLUB

Michele Siler , Chair; Hannah Michelson , Staff Liaison

The A.V. Club continued to help keep Shaare Emeth connected with wrap-around technological services for members of all ages.

Some of this year’s AV Club technology-supported events, provided in collaboration with the Michael Matlof Connection and Communication Fund, were:

• Streaming religious services with additional cameras and improved sound quality.

• Life cycle events online: B’Mitzvahs, funerals, and weddings were shared with loved ones across the world.

• Improved screens, projectors, and sound engineering in our worship and learning spaces.

• Expanded Zoom capability which allowed us to extend our virtual walls to more people.

• Online community programs such as “Matriarchs to Mamalas” Book Club, “Shushan Shamboree” Purim celebration, and a live forum with Dr. Edith Eger, author of “The Choice.”

• Online Jewish Mindfulness Center Meditation Sits, Keshet’s LGBTQ+ Shabbaton, and “Reform Jews Encounter the New Testament” programming kept our commitment to learning vibrant and meaningful.

• A.V. Club members are acknowledged for their contributions during weekly Shabbat services.

We strive to respond to individuals looking for information about their ancestors. Current and future efforts will center around how to best organize the archives we possess both to preserve their condition and arrange them in a user-friendly manner. Our goal is to assure that we capture necessary new information and classify the existing archives to tell the story of a vibrant Congregation Shaare Emeth.

CAMP EMETH

Beth Kodner , Former Director of Camp Emeth, and Laura Horton , Current Director of Camp Emeth

At Camp Emeth, our goal is to provide a safe, nurturing camp environment where children can learn about their world, discover their own strengths, and feel connected to our community in the context of Reform Judaism.

For summer 2022, we were as close to pre-pandemic scheduling as possible. The enrollment for Summer 2022 consisted of 189 individual campers from 145 families. Campers included 91 Shaare Emeth members from 69 families and we welcomed 77 new campers.

Camp Emeth operated for the full eight weeks, including preand post-care. Programming included favorites such as Sports, Art, Music, Israel and Shiur, all-camp field trips to the St. Louis Zoo, Defy, All American Gymnastics, and bowling. For our

oldest campers, the two-night float trip, day trips to Trout Lodge and Aquaport, and a two-day trip to Chicago returned. Our talented staff was comprised of 50 members, including 35 returning staff members, 15 new staff members, and 4 CIT’s. Our Inclusion program utilized an Inclusion Specialist to create ICP’s (Individual Camper Plans), successfully working in collaboration with staff, families, and campers.

Camp Emeth continues its mission to help children appreciate their special qualities, build friendships, develop Jewish values & their own sense of Jewish identity & strength of character, and provide an opportunity for children to gain appreciation for diversity and respect of self, others, and the environment.

CARING COMMITTEE

Barbara Kramer , Chair; Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein, Clergy Liaison; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

Committee Members: Ronnie Brockman, Melanie Bruder, Susie Frank, Barb Furman, Darcy Glidewell, Carole Goldstein, Lisa Gubernik, Cindy Heymann, Gail Hilburg, Sue Koritz, Linda Levin, Jerri Livingston, Marcene Menendez, Bobby Miller, Bonnie Myers, Eunice Reichman, John Reichman, Donna Rothenberg, Marsha Rothman, Linda Sandmel, Sheri Seigel, Gloria Shaikun, Jill Solomon, Sue Steiner, Nancy Taxman, Betty Urban, Barbara Victor, Sheryl Weber, Sharon Weissman, Cheri Winchell

The Caring Committee continues to be an integral part of the Shaare Emeth community by offering a variety of outreach to members. The group continued to provide cards and notes for special occasions, including special birthdays, anniversaries, and other Simchas, as well as condolence cards. This group of committed volunteers has been providing this service for years. Our shiva committee continues to send cards and a special booklet, and reaches out to our families who have lost a loved one.

Holiday gift bags for the High Holidays, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, and Passover for seniors continue to be a welcome gift to those receiving them. Currently, gift bags are delivered to senior

KESHER

members living in various independent and assisted living facilities, and to senior members residing in their own homes who would benefit from a mini care package. Holiday care packages always include food items, an activity book related to the holiday, as well as information about the holiday.

Currently, Rabbi Goldstein and Debbie Bram are working with the current committee and additional new members of re-envisioning what is means to be a caring community. This expanded group is working on some additional ways to reach out to our members in a meaningful way.

Jenn Sagett , Lori Zucker , Co-Chairs; Rabbi Rachel Bearman , Clergy Liaison

This year, KeSHEr has lived up to its name! (In Hebrew, Kesher means connection.) We kicked off the year with our annual Sisters in the Sukkah event where Shaare Emeth women got to know one another and collected Tzedakah to beautify Room at the Inn’s outdoor space.

Another highlight from the year was our annual Gift-Wrapping Event where we continued our tradition of being holiday helpers and wrapping the hundreds of gifts Shaare Emeth collected for Oak Hill Elementary School families.

KESHET LGBTQ+

Leslie Masaki and Michele Siler , Co-Chairs

Rabbi Lori Levine , Clergy Liaison; Hannah Michelson, Staff Liaison

Committee members: Sam Bernstein, Beth Bierman, Rachel Bolter, Chrys Goodell, Michelle Gralnick, Terri Jacobson, Julia Partin, Genevieve Podleski, Michael Sherberg, Molly Thal, Sharon Vermont, Sharon Weissman

Keshet means rainbow or תשק in Hebrew. Since 2019, the Keshet Committee, with the leadership and partnership of Rabbi Levine, has been working toward affirming and welcoming members of the LGBTQ+ community. Our goal is to help the congregation live up to our highest values so that all congregants and prospective members feel they truly belong at Shaare Emeth. The Keshet team hosts programming to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion within our congregation and acts as a resource on LGBTQ+ issues to the congregational community and beyond.

Worship: The Keshet Committee created a member-led Pride Shabbat in June, as well as a highly meaningful Transgender Day of Remembrance Shabbat service, and Transgender Day of Awareness Shabbat worship service.

Shaare Mail: The Keshet Committee provides weekly updates on upcoming events and resources in Shaare Mail that include suggestions for Jewish reading, podcasts, worship ideas, events, and legislative updates for the LGBTQ+ and allied community.

Language Matters: The Keshet Committee continued to host and facilitate “Language Matters” training, including presenting the training to groups that included: the Veterans Administration’s Whole Health team and a Lunch and Learn at Manchester United Methodist Church. In this presentation, Keshet Committee members share best practices on personal pronoun usage.

Staff Resource: The Keshet Committee serves as a resource and counsel to staff and clergy on LGBTQ+ issues, topics, and themes, including reviewing and providing suggestions to staff on inclusive language. For example, our Committee completed work with clergy on shifting the B’Mitzvah program to become more gender inclusive and neutral, implementing the adjusted program in 2022. The Keshet Committee hosted a table during a Courageous Conversations event for Shirlee Greene Preschool parents.

Programming: In January, the Keshet Committee hosted the well-attended Second Annual Shabbaton. Highlights included:

• 30+ people at our virtual workshop

• Large attendance both in-person and virtually during Kabbalat Shabbat services

•

25+ people at Torah study

• 50+ people at our panel and lunch

The Shabbaton included a virtual workshop and programming titled, All of Our Voices – Raising up Diverse Voices within the LGBTQ+ Community, beginning Wednesday, January 25, 2023. The Shabbaton celebrated and honored all members of the LGBTQ+ community by examining intersectionality, focusing on the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination, and disadvantage when someone belongs to more than one group. Attendees learned new ways to welcome all members.

Nate Looney, Director of Community Safety & Belonging, Jewish Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI), Jewish Federations of North America; hosted the virtual workshop, Building Communities of Belonging: Inclusive Practices for the Congregation & Beyond. Kabbalat Shabbat services featured CHARIS, a diverse group of singers united in their mission to perform music that celebrates and encourages women and the LGBTQ+ community. Congregants provided special reading and participation. On Saturday, Rabbi Bennett hosted a special Torah Study that focused on intersectionality. A panel of diverse voices participated in the All of Our Voices session.

In the next year, the Keshet Committee looks forward to a year of joy, support, and community, where our congregation continues to affirm that we are all created B’Tzelem Elohim – In God’s Image. It is the committee’s goal to truly build relationships within our congregational community where all members feel a sense of value, connection, meaning, and understanding.

In loving memory of committee members Suzanne Bierman (z”l) and Bob Sparks (z”l).

MITZVAH GARDEN

members:

The mission of the Mitzvah Garden of Congregation Shaare Emeth is to provide space for congregants to garden together – to create a shared vision by working collaboratively, educating, and cultivating a welcoming outdoor space where the focus is on feeding people in need through sustainable, organic practices and improving native habitat and biodiversity.

Our two esteemed committee co-chairs – Lorry Blath and Gary Ratkin – have stepped back after their hard work and guidance over the last five years. They will continue to remain involved as members. We are extremely grateful for all that they have contributed.

Jessica Goltzman has taken the helm as the new Garden Coordinator. Jessica started 2023 with a kick-off meeting in January that included organized, systematic planning for the garden. She is currently securing her Master Gardener certification, using that education to improve the entire gardening process – soil preparation, direct sow planting and companion planting schedules, succession planting, tending (watering and weeding), harvesting, delivery, and crop rotation. The goal for this season is to double last year’s harvest – 523 pounds! – both in quantity and variety, as well as to maintain that level in the following years.

The acquisition of seedlings, starter plants, and other materials was less challenging this spring due to building a relationship with SEED St. Louis. This non-profit organization supports a network of over 250 community, school, and urban gardens throughout St. Louis, with the intent of providing tools, education, and empowerment to grow their own food. Thanks to this relationship, the Mitzvah Garden committee will build upon this strategy for the future.

A major highlight this year was the weed barrier project. As previously reported, past years have presented numerous challenges in weed removal

throughout the seasons. Over a period of two Sundays in March and April, three different materials were layered (cardboard, cloth, and wood chips) to cover the entire non-bed area – approx. 1,825 sq. ft.

Another new initiative has been the ‘reorganization’ of the committee. One of the three leadership roles has been defined, with Jessica Goltzman taking on the Garden Coordinator position. The remaining two leadership roles, Communications/Volunteer Coordinator and Education Coordinator are currently open, and the committee is in the process of finding volunteers to fill those positions.

Our biggest challenge this year will be finding more volunteers to work in the garden, as well as to take on leadership roles. We know that it “takes a village,” as we strive for more volunteer assistance, so an activity timeline has been created to give a clear visual for what needs to be done in the garden and when. There are many moving parts to make a garden successful, and we need more people to help us do these jobs.

Once again, Camp Emeth campers were able to participate in garden activities last summer –helping with watering, weeding, and harvesting. Additionally, committee members worked with Religious School students, teaching them about gardening through hands-on guidance with various maintenance tasks in both the spring and fall. The practice of volunteer “Workday Sundays” will be in place for the upcoming growing season, as well as the maintaining of a tri-weekly watering schedule during the summer.

Mitzvah Garden work for 2023 is off to a great start! We look forward to working together and providing a larger harvest than before – one that is filled with healthy and environmentally-friendly fruits and vegetables for our community.

Lorry Blath and Gary Ratkin , Co-Chairs; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

Committee

Jessica Goltzman, Garden Coordinator; Deborah Aronson, Wendy Flusser, Aaron Goltzman, Kent Hirschfelder, Steve Kamenetzky, Sue Picus, Gary Ratkin, Alan Schaffer, Vicki Schaff, Sue Schreiber, Stan Shanker

RUBIN LIBRARY COMMITTEE

Jackie Lipsitz , Chair; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

Committee members: Sandy Birenbaum, Ronnie Brockman, Barbara Feldacker, Fran Lizzo, Barbara Raznick, Leah Rubin, Lee Scissors, Nancy Taxman, Jerri Livingston

Three years ago, the committee made the decision to launch a different kind of book club, Matriarchs to Mamalas, with the desire to further connect the temple community to the library. Attention was focused on women, both historic and current, such as women in politics, science, art, medicine, and fashion. Monthly meetings are held via Zoom. We are very pleased that the book club has met with enthusiasm, and we are looking forward to another year of meeting interesting women via books.

YOUTH PROGRAM

The committee has been diligent in purchasing new books, including preschool books for the Shabbat cart, new books from the Jewish Book Festival, and classroom books for the Religious School. The library also carries a collection of books that have been banned in Missouri.

The library hours coincide with those of the temple and it is open to congregants using self-checkout. We hope to continue our work of providing current reading material to the congregation.

Lucy Greenbaum , Director of Youth Engagement & Musician-In-Residence

We had a fun and memorable year with our 3rd-12th grade youth programming. It has been truly an honor and a pleasure to work with the youth of Shaare Emeth over the last four years!

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We started off the year with a fun and frightful night at Boo at the Zoo and continued the fun with afternoon outings to Sweetology and the Science Center. To kick off 2023 we met up for an energetic afternoon at Urban Air Adventure Park where we jumped, explored, and laughed together! Lastly, we celebrated Passover in a unique and fun way with a Chocolate Seder, our largest attended event of the year with 20 participants! We wrapped up the year on Sunday, May 7th with a pool party and some time on the Aquaglide, a water-based obstacle course. It has been such a fun year with our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders!

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Our friends in middle school started off by climbing to new heights at Go Ape! Adventure Park at Creve Coeur Lake for climbing, jumping, and ziplining with new friends! We met up for bowling at Olivette Lanes, worked together in the Mitzvah Garden to help get the garden cleaned up and prepared for winter, enjoyed activities at Main Event in Chesterfield, and at Steinberg Ice Rink!

SETYG

Our Executive Board held their Overnight (EBO) in August to plan for the year. It was a fantastic start to the year for our teen board members. Our first event for high schoolers for the year was a Jewish in St. Louis Scavenger Hunt. This scavenger hunt took us to multiple important locations in St. Louis with Jewish historical ties, including the old Shaare Emeth building in U. City and an American Jewry statue/ monument located in Forest Park, Ted Drewes, and we ended the evening with an unforgettable Havdalah at the Arch! It was an awesome start to the school year.

Our teens also led a beautiful Yom Kippur Afternoon service for our community during the High Holidays. We gathered at the home of the SETYG President, Amelia Swier, to celebrate “Friendsgiving” together, held monthly Lounge Night programs, including “Pumpkin-Fest” for Halloween, Donuts & Dreidels for Chanukah, Valentine’s Trivia, and a March Madness Minute-To-Win-It Lounge Night. We wrapped up our year at Breakout Games Escape Rooms (where the teens escaped and promptly headed to safety during the recent tornadoes!). Our final event on Saturday, May 13th helped us to honor and say goodbye to our graduating seniors.

20S & 30S

Rabbi Rachel Bearman , Clergy Liaison

Congregation Shaare Emeth’s 20s and 30s community strives to be a space where everyone- whether Jewish, Jewish-Adjacent, or Jew-Curious- feels welcome, comfortable, and connected.

Over the past year, Shaare Emeth’s 20s and 30s Community has continued to build connections to one another, to the Shaare Emeth community, and to the broader St Louis Jewish Commu nity. Some of our highlights from the last 12 months have been the Challah Bowl: An Epic Tournament of Jewish Foods, our annual Erev Rosh Hasha nah dinner, the 20s and 30s project for Gathering for Gratitude, and helping to build the Purim Carnival this spring. Up next... we’re excited to be partnering with MaTovu to (virtu ally) bring Rabbi Nikki DeBlosi to our communities to offer a three-session course called “Sex and Judaism.”

EDUCATION

B’MITZVAH PROGRAM

Cantor Seth Warner

From Fall 2022 to the end of Spring 2023, 27 students celebrated B’Mitzvah at Congregation Shaare Emeth, including one student who is living abroad with his family. He studied with the clergy over Zoom and came back to St. Louis during winter break to read Torah and celebrate in-person with his family

This year, Cantor Warner and the Keshet Committee expanded the language of B’Mitzvah used at Shaare Emeth. In keeping with current gender and pronouns that are fluid, students can choose which pronouns to be called when they are here. Students also choose what to call their celebration from a myriad of choices,

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

including Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, B’nei Mitzvah, B’Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, etc. The all-inclusive name of the ceremony is B’Mitzvah.

The B’Mitzvah Academy (BMA) for students in grades 6-8 is in full swing and working nicely. 6th and 7th grade students work together in small groups with Cantor Warner and members of the B’Mitzvah Academy faculty to take their Hebrew reading, prayer practice, Torah and Haftarah reading. Students are uplifted by their peers in working together and helping each other to grow and learn.

Emily Cohen , Director of Family Engagement and Membership

Families with Young Children

The 2022-23 school year has been full of opportunities for families with 0-5-year-olds. Through early childhood engagement events (ECE), holidays and Shabbat came alive at the Chanukah Glow Party, Simchat Torah Jam, and Boker Tov Shabbat (see Worship).

ECE events have been attended by 87 families since August 2022, which includes 150 children ages 0-5. These family events offer a low-barrier entry point for families to see what Shaare Emeth is like, meet clergy, staff, and lay leaders, and begin to feel at home within the congregation. 52% of the families who attended ECE events this year are not (yet!) members of Shaare Emeth.

ECE is also an opportunity to expand the reach of Shaare Emeth beyond families who attend Shirlee Green Preschool, while also deepening the connection of those who do. 63% of families who attended an ECE event this year have a child at SGP and 37% do not.

Another goal we worked towards throughout the year was to include families with young children in larger congregational events with intentionality. Families with 0-5-year-olds had a dedicated service project at Gathering for Gratitude in November, as well as several activities tailored to this age group at SukkahFest and the Shushan Hootenany Purim celebration. With the Tzedek and Mitzvah Garden committees, we welcomed families with little ones to the garden in July for an inter-generational Making Mensches session for all ages.

Beyond events, we have expanded our personal outreach with families who express interest in Shaare Emeth. Through communication, follow up, and other personal touches, more families have been able to connect with Shaare Emeth and to go from simply event attendees to engaged members of the community.

JQuest

Launched in Fall 2022, JQuest is a Sunday morning Jewish learning experience for PreK and Kindergarteners. In addition to hands-on Jewish learning and family involvement, outreach and accessibility are core to the JQuest philosophy. The program is tuition-free, with just a $36 materials fee for the year, and is open to the whole community, Shaare Emeth membership is not required.

The JQuest program is funded by the Louis and Pauline Krasner Fund of Shaare Emeth.

The data helps tell the story of how JQuest was able to lower barriers and expand the reach of Shaare Emeth in this first year:

• 34 children enrolled in JQuest for the inaugural year, including 15 in PreK and 19 in kindergarten.

• Of those 34 children, 23 are Shaare Emeth members and 11 are non-members.

• JQuest families live in 11 different zip codes, including Festus, St. Charles, Fenton, South City, and everywhere in between.

One goal for JQuest was to help families connect not only with their grade level cohort but with the rest of the Shaare Emeth community. 77% of JQuest families attended family programming during the fall holidays. JQuest families actively participate not only in JQuest but in other parts of Shaare Emeth.

We look forward to expanding to first grade this fall and including more families in experiential, accessible Jewish learning.

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

Rabbi Lori Levine , Associate Rabbi & Director of Education

This school year has been one of growth, new successes, and rebuilding our community. Being together and having the opportunity to sing, eat, and pray in person and see the smiling faces of our children has been a huge gift. The joy and excitement in our hallways, led by our stellar faculty and dreamed up by our full-time Religious School team, is palpable from week to week. I think we took advantage of every chance we could to connect with each other, with our greater congregational family, and with our St. Louis community at large. New curriculum and learning models re-energized the important work of Jewish identity formation happening across several different age groups. I am grateful to all our families, our temple staff, and our lay leadership for all of the support and love they have shown our learning programs. It makes a difference!

Enrollment and Our Learning Community

This year, we had 293 students enrolled from Pre-K through 12th Grade. This is a 7% increase from last year and a promising trend as we continue to build back to reach our full potential post-pandemic.

• Our JQuest Program was a huge area of success in recruiting new families in Pre-K and Kindergarten. More details on that can be found in the JQuest report on the previous page! We welcomed 10 new families into the 1st-6th Grade student population.

• I spent three months at the end of 2022 and start of 2023 doing a thorough evaluation of our membership data as it related to families with religious school-age children. Working with Rosalie Stein and Rabbi Goldstein, I shared the research I gathered about our membership pool, including the percentage of children currently enrolled in religious school versus the percentage who are members but are not in religious school. It turns out we have much potential to grow and engage our youngest members in new ways. The analysis I did helped me identify specific goals for enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year, with a particular focus on rising 2nd and 3rd Graders as an area for focus. I also shared this data with others working on a re-imagining of our teen engagement at Shaare Emeth so they had strong numbers to back up and inform their process.

New Paths to B’Mitzvah Learning

We entered Year Two of our B’Mitzvah Academy (BMA) learning model that we introduced last year. This year, Cantor Warner and I focused on two major areas: increasing parent/family engagement around B’Mitzvah and strengthening the curriculum for Judaics. To address both, we had the opportunity to partner with Moving Traditions, a national organization that provides cutting-edge curriculum for Jewish teens. Their B’Mitzvah curriculum has been used by our 6th and 7th graders all year, and we ran three of their family learning modules with our clergy rotating through teaching both groups. We had meaningful, exciting conversations about everything from planning a B’Mitzvah celebration with a Jewish values lens to exploring questions of personal responsibility and creating healthy habits as a teen. We plan on continuing this very successful partnership and look forward to seeing our teens find ways to thrive and grow as they journey towards becoming B’Mitzvah at Shaare Emeth.

Family Learning & Enrichment

Our family learning programs have been some of my favorite moments this year. After many years of planning, we finally have a robust roster of family learning experiences for each grade level through 7th Grade. Families have the chance every year to get a taste of what religious school looks like for that grade level and create unique Jewish moments with their children. They have personalized their siddurim (prayerbooks), made a yad for reading Torah and blessed their Hebrew names, studied the different ways we all see God, visited the Holocaust Museum, and more. We are so grateful to all of our adults who participate and engage with us, sometimes with multiple children over many grade levels within one school year. It makes a huge difference and helps everyone find new ways to keep the conversation going at home and beyond!

EDUCATION

SHIRLEE GREEN PRESCHOOL

Brandi Cartwright , Director

The 2022-2023 school year at Shirlee Green Preschool focused on the essential school pillars of faculty development and strengthening our new academic approach while harnessing community resources to enhance the learning environment and opportunities for our young students. This school year, we:

• Set a high standard for teaching faculty at Shirlee Green Preschool through targeted recruitment, classroom support and oversight, and professional development.

• Reshaped the content of curriculum and instruction to support the reality of contemporary children’s lived experiences, while focusing on collaborative work, creativity, innovative thinking, and critical skills through citizenship and the right of all children to express their learning in ways that represent their cultural identities, history, and personal voice.

• Nurtured community connections through grants, volunteers, and resource sharing.

By Their Very Presence

An Approach that Respects Local, Personal, and Shared Meaning Making in the Young Years

All children in Upper School spent the school year engaged in long-term project work. Highly-collaborative, pro-social, and tied to Jewish values, each long-term project was born from children’s imagination, given support structures with the help of teacher mentors, and came to life over the course of the school year.

Faculty: Experience, Education, Dedication

“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”Japanese proverb

Knowing the quality of a school is directly tied to the strength of its teachers, the preschool infused additional, experienced, certified, degreed teachers onto our staff roster.

• 70% of Shirlee Green Preschool teaching faculty have a degree in education, or equivalent degree, or are currently enrolled in an education degree program.

• All faculty have at least 5 years of early education experience.

• Every Shirlee Green Preschool teacher completes 64 hours of curriculum and instruction professional development each year.

A Community of Support

Ever focused on building a better learning experience for young learners, Shirlee Green Preschool reached into the community during the 2022-2023 school year. We gratefully received support from those around us and provided support to those needing our expertise.

• We received a $4,000 Anything Grant through the Jewish Federation of St. Louis to purchase new equipment for the gross motor room.

• $13,500 was raised during Trivia Night for the transformation of the gross motor room.

• Preschool Director, Brandi Cartwright, was invited to present a workshop on values-based education at the national Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ) conference in San Diego, California.

• Preschool Director, Brandi Cartwright, was invited to join the Communications Committee of ECE-RJ and has had three articles for their online publication, Unite!, during the 2022-2023 school year: “Building the Happiness Norm,” “A Conference Junkie’s Guide to the 2022 ECE-RJ Annual Conference: It Matters More than You Think,” and “What’s Jewish about Preschool Graduation.”

These efforts have had a positive impact on student enrollment.

2021-2022 enrollment total: 134, a 9% increase from last school year while staying within our State limit.

Children of member families: 59, a 9% increase from last school year

Children of Jewish families: 96

FINANCES

ENDOWMENTS & LEGACY COMMITTEE

Renee Silverstein and Mike Lefton , Co-Chairs

The Legacy committee has continued to educate and speak with congregants about long-term giving. We have met with many congregational families to discuss their legacy gifts to the temple. We also made a presentation to the Board of Trustees.

We are pleased to report that we have opened the following endowment funds.

• Marilyn and Gary Ratkin for Social Action Education

• Bohm Family Campus Endowment Fund

• Reichman Family Music Endowment Fund

• Milton and Lee Bohm Religious School Enrichment Fund

• B’nai El Tzedakah Fund

• Pauline & Louis Krasner JQuest@Shaare Emeth Fund

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

To spotlight one fund, the Louis and Pauline Krasner Fund allowed JQuest, Shaare Emeth’s new Sunday morning learning experience for PreK and Kindergarteners, to include all interested families regardless of their financial circumstances.  Launched in fall 2022, JQuest does not require synagogue membership and is tuition-free for all.  Lowering the financial barrier to Jewish education made a difference for families with young children.  When asked in a survey how much cost factored into their decision to enroll in JQuest, 75% of families reported that cost was either “somewhat important” or “definitely important.”

There are currently over 70 named funds and continue to work with congregants that wish to leave a legacy. We continue to ask congregants to let us know if they have listed Congregation Shaare Emeth in their estate plans.

Natalie Kalmar , Chair and Board of Trustees Assistant Treasurer

The Investment Committee has the fiduciary responsibility of investing the General and Restricted Endowment Funds to provide for both the current and future needs of Congregation Shaare Emeth, while remaining sensitive to the risks inherent in the financial markets. The Investment Policy Statement provides the guidelines regarding asset allocation and the investment strategy of total return. The target allocation of the Investment Policy Statement is:

• Cash - 5%

• Core Fixed Income - 30% Intermediate and Shorter Term

• Total Equity - 65% Domestic and International

The portfolio is managed by TIAA, who as a fiduciary, monitors, rebalances, and provides quarterly performance reporting to the Investment Committee. The portfolio manager meets with the committee quarterly to discuss previous portfolio transactions

and provide updates on the market and portfolio asset allocation. The Board of Trustees is provided with the updates after each quarterly meeting of the Investment Committee.

In 2022, a sharp rise in interest rates led to losses in both fixed income and domestic and international equities. U.S. large cap growth stocks underperformed U.S. large cap value stocks due to higher rates and uncertainty about the direction of the economy. The Treasury yield curve was steeply inverted, historically a signal of an approaching recession.

The portfolio was down -14.31% net of fees in 2022 and has had annualized returns of 3.70% since inception with TIAA as of 3/1/2018. Proceeds from the property sale of B’Nai El as well as a new endowment that was established in 2022 were added to the portfolio resulting in a year-end total portfolio balance of $8,106,734.

FINANCES

TREASURER’S REPORT

Mark Gubernik , Treasurer

The treasurer is responsible for the budget process, fiscal policies, and the financial affairs of the Congregation. He is assisted by the Assistant Treasurer and reports to the Operating Committee and/or the Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustee’s analyzes the Congregation’s operation in two distinct areas, Fee for Service operations (including Preschool and Camp Emeth) and Non-Fee for Service that includes all other areas of the Congregation’s operations.

Fee for Service Income in 2022 was $1,776,836, up 44% year over year and a 16% increase over budget. Preschool and Camp Emeth income rose substantially from the previous year due to higher enrollment and increase in tuition rates. Both had income above the budget for 2022. Fee for Service Expenses were $1,478,762, up 25% year over year and 4.6% over budget.

Non-Fee for Service Income for 2022 was $3,764,273, down 3.7% year over year but an 11.2% increase over budget. Proceeds

from the Employee Retention Credit, a refundable tax credit given to businesses that continued to pay employees during the Covid-19 pandemic, was also included in Non-Fee for Service Income. Membership Responsibility income was down 3% from last year while total fundraising in 2022 was 12.8% over budget. Non-Fee for Service Expenses were $4,303,505, up 15.3% year over year and 11.5% over the annual budget.

The continued dedication and hard work of the clergy, staff, Board of Trustees, as well as the commitment and financial support of the Shaare Emeth Membership, allowed us to end the year with a deficit of $241,157, which was over 34% below the projected budget deficit of $367,244. In December 2022, the Board of Trustees passed the 2023 budget with a projected deficit of $381,993. We are forecasting both Preschool and Camp Emeth income to be significantly above pre-pandemic levels, while overall expenses are budgeted to increase approximately 18% from last year.

FINDING THE AWARENESS OF THE SACRED IN OUR LIVES

Debbie Bram , Director of Jewish Life & Learning

The theme for this year’s adult learning was Finding the Awareness of the Sacred in Our Lives. The following learning opportunities were offered under this theme:

• Finding the Sacred Within Our Walls

• Finding the Sacred in Our Texts and More

• The Sacred Language of Our People: Hebrew

• Finding the Sacred for the Engaged and Soon-to Be-Engaged

BABY BOOMERS

• Dr. Daniel Matt: Deutsch Scholar-in-Residence

• Torah Study: Delving into our Sacred Texts

• Wise Aging: Finding Awareness Within

• Reimagining God

Betsy & Ron Cytron , Co-Chairs; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

Our first in-person event since prior to the Covid-19 pandemic took place in September 2022 with over 100 people in attendance. The first part of the event was held at Cedar Lakes Winery in Wright City. We had a short presentation of four different wines and then were able to enjoy the wines and a buffet of delicious food. We then traveled to the Cytron residence in Foristell, where we had dessert, s’mores, firepit, and live music by Rabbi Jim Bennett, Ron Steiner, and Dave Propper.

On the first night of Chanukah, the Baby Boomer group attended the Chanukah music celebration at the Missouri Botanical Garden, featuring a concert by Shakshuka, with guest vocalist Shayna Warner, after which time we enjoyed sufganiyot at Serendipity. We have more Baby Boomer events planned for 2023

CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW

Snir Dagan and Inbar Bloch

A group of 15 adult students met weekly with Snir Dagan (our communities shaliach/educator) and Inbar Bloch (our shinshinit/ community volunteer) to advance their spoken Hebrew. Inbar and Snir led the group in learning modern colloquial expressions to reading their favorite poems and songs.

ISRAEL ENGAGEMENT

Rabbi James Bennett

The 2022-2023 year continued to be a time of engagement for our congregation with Israel. We continue to be blessed to participate as partners with the St. Louis Jewish Federation in the Shinshinim Program, that brings young Israelis to our community

during their gap year after high school before they begin their army service. Once again, we have been privileged to host a wonderful Israeli shinshinit, Inbar Bloch, as a part of our congregation. Inbar has endeared herself to many members of the congregation in her work in our Shirlee Green Preschool, our Religious School and Youth Programs, our Post Confirmation Class, and throughout the congregation. She has spoken multiple times from the bimah on the High Holidays and on Shabbat, bringing her warmth and insight about Israel to our community, and she will continue to share her knowledge with the campers and staff this summer at Camp Emeth. We have also been blessed to hear Inbar’s beautiful singing voice.

This spring, Rabbi Goldstein, Lucy Greenbaum, and Rosalie Stein brought a group of more than 25 women to Israel for a unique Women’s mission. The tour focused on women’s voices and unique experience throughout Israel and opened the eyes of the participants to a rich dimension of the Israeli landscape and people. Seeing Israel through this lens was a special opportunity that will surely lead to more such missions in the future.

Travel to Israel continues to be one of the major initiatives of our efforts to build Israel awareness and engagement. This summer Rabbi Levine will accompany a group of Shaare Emeth teens to Israel with the Israel Bound trip sponsored by the Jewish Federation, while other teens will travel with Yallah Israel! (the URJ Israel program) and other trips. This fall, we will take a group of Shaare Emeth members and friends to Israel, Jordan, and into the Sinai for another unique Israel experience.

We continue to seek to inform and educate our community about Israel through a series of speakers and learning opportunities, such as our Spring Scholar in Residence program with Rabbi

MAKING MENSCHES

Debbie Bram , Director of Jewish Life &

Learning, Doing, Being Together in Community

An increasing number of Shaare Emeth members have learned about and support the work of JStreet, working for a Jewish and Democratic Israel, and other organizations.

Finally, as we watch the dangers to Israel posed by the right-wing extremists in control of the Israeli government and by the threat of terrorism, we encourage our congregation to support causes in Israel the reflect our values, such as the IMPJ, the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, that supports the Reform Movement in Israel, and the New Israel Fund, that helps fund countless causes working for justice and peace.

Learning

Three programs through the year engaged children with parents and/or grandparents in learning about and doing gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness). These intergenerational groups worked in The Mitzvah Garden at Shaare Emeth, put together Welcome Back to School Bags for Oak Hill Elementary in St. Louis City, unhoused bags at SukkahFest, and participated in Gathering for Gratitude. Our next program on Sunday, June 11 at 9:30 a.m. in The Mitzvah Garden.

Naamah Kelman, dean of the Israeli campus of HUC-JIR, and Dr. Elan Ezrachi, scholar and educator. Such outstanding learning opportunities will continue into the coming year and beyond.

PASSOVER SECOND SEDER

Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein , Debbie Bram , and Lucy Greenbaum

We welcomed over 120 people for an intergenerational seder led by Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein and Lucy Greenbaum. The intergenerational celebration included song, readings, and activities. We were thrilled to be back in-person.

REFORM JEWS ENCOUNTER THE NEW TESTAMENT

Rabbi James Bennett

Rabbi Bennett led a five-part series on an introduction and exploration of the scriptures of our Christian neighbors. The classes began on Zoom. We were fortunate to learn in-person with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine who is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at

SENIOR PROGRAMMING

Debbie Bram and Valerie Cundy

Our monthly senior lunch program continued both virtually and in-person this year. The four Congregations - Shaare Emeth, Temple Israel, Temple Emanuel, and United Hebrew - continued

TRADITIONS WITH A TWIST

Hartford International University. The final session was hybrid with Pastor Darren Casper and Rabbi Jim Bennett in conversation. This class was part of the Schneider Interfaith Forum made possible through the generosity of Harvey and Leanne Schneider.

to receive a Kahn Fund grant to provide a monthly program and underwrite the cost of lunch. We were thrilled to return in person in February of 2023

Staci and Joey Gerchen , Chairs; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

Committee: Jim Lammers, Vicki Platke, Hannah Rubin-Schlansky, Jennifer Rosenthal, Michelle Novof, Susie Horowitz, Josh Hutkins, and Rinat Tal

Traditions with a Twist planned two major holiday event celebrations at Shaare Emeth: Sukkot and Purim.

SukkahFest 2022 was a Sukkot celebration for all ages. We gathered for food, song, prayer, activities, and fun. From horsedrawn hayrides to decorating the Sukkah, the holiday was enjoyed by all ages.

Purim’s Shushan Hootenanny was a huge success. The morning began with a Purim Story followed by a carnival with the return of the Shushan Chuck Wagon food from the Purim Committee. Games and inflatables were all over the building including a trackless train ride outside. Purim celebration at Congregation Shaare Emeth would not be the same without Marcia and Hans Oberdorfer and their daughter, Lori Ginsparg, making cotton candy.

TZEDEK | JUSTICE

THE JEWISH MINDFULNESS CENTER OF ST. LOUIS

Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein

This past year the Jewish Mindfulness Center has been proud to offering the following opportunities to connect with Shaare Emeth members, as well as members of the greater St. Louis community.

• 102 free virtual and in-person Mindfulness Meditation sits

• Two Healing Services

• Two spiritual writing workshops

• One poetry class

• Six holiday workshops

• Six extended learning classes

• Tree of Life Tu B’shevat seder

• Mind, Body and Spirit Shabbat

• Seven Prayer Lab Shabbat services

• Two sessions of Mindful Movement and Yoga

• 50-day Middot and Meditation challenge

• 29 daily emails to encourage reflection during the month of Elul

• 52 weekly emails with a personalized message from Rabbi Goldstein

In addition, Shaare Emeth’s Mental Health Initiative (SEMHI) has come under the umbrella of the Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis. The mission of SEMHI is to destigmatize mental illness and to provide education and community support for the mental health and well-being of children, teens, adults, and those who care for them.

Finally, beginning in March 2023, Rabbi Goldstein began seeing people seeking Spiritual Direction. Rabbi Goldstein currently meets with eight people once a month as they reflect on their spiritual journeys.

The Jewish Mindfulness Center has served over 320 people this year and is grateful to our staff:

Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein – Founder and Director

Stacy Jespersen – Administrator

Lucy Greenbaum – Music and Tefilah Specialist

Cantor Seth Warner – Meditation Teacher

Scott Berzon – Meditation and Poetry Teacher

Ellie DesPrez – Yoga Instructor

REDI ( RACIAL EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION )

Holly Bernstein and Amy Hammerman , Co-Chairs; Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein , Clergy Liaison; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

The REDI committee spent 2022 listening to staff, clergy, and committee chairs to find out how our committee can help Shaare Emeth fulfill its mission of being compassionate, respectful, and inclusive to all whom we interact with, whether inside or outside our congregational home. The big takeaway from this listening campaign was that we need educational opportunities to help us become more effective in this space. Currently we are working to utilize the many resources available to us through the RAC and the Federation to start to fill this need.

The REDI committee also requested of the Board of Trustees that the national Juneteenth holiday be recognized by the congregation, which was approved. And we joined in with the Library, Keshet, Tzedek and Voting Rights Committee in hosting the “Banned Books and the Power of School Boards: Why This Election Matters” program to help keep diverse books in our schools.

SACRED SPACES

Dana DeBlasi , Chair of the Task Force on Safe and Sacred Spaces

Committee members: Richard Cohen, Eric Feinstein, Lisa Suffian, Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein, and Rosalie Stein

Congregation Shaare Emeth is a compassionate, respectful, and inclusive community that makes Judaism relevant, meaningful, and joyful.

In February 2022, post the #MeToo movement, the Union for Reform Judaism released the findings of an Ethics Investigation Report conducted of all Union related organizations including URJ camps and NFTY. Over the past year, other Jewish organizations and some synagogues have engaged in similar investigations and released similar reports as well. In light of our commitment to ensure that Congregation Shaare Emeth is a place of safety for all members, guests and staff, Shaare Emeth entered into a partnership with Sacred Spaces at the beginning of 2022 to conduct a similar survey of the congregation. Shaare Emeth believes and is proud to have taken this proactive step to help us stay current with best practices and to be as transparent an organization as we can be.

The proactive effort, led by Dana DeBlasi, Chair of the Task Force on Safe and Sacred Spaces, conducted a survey that found:

• Shaare Emeth is a caring, accepting, and welcoming community for all and is a physically and emotionally safe place.

• The overwhelming majority of staff and board members believe that “mission guides the temple’s actions” (85%) and the “temple’s values are reflected in operations” (92%).

• It’s important to look at our policies, training, and communication connected to respectful practices with the aim of making them more widely known and easier to access and follow.

• Continued work on respectful staff relationships, along with opportunities for collaboration, would be valued.

• A focus on building trust within the organization (particularly so that staff and members feel that complaints will be appropriately addressed) is important.

The results then led to the formations of several working groups charged with the following prioritized initial focus areas:

• Review and update existing Staff Policies and Procedures to ensure they were appropriate for current best practices, there are clear and consistent incident reporting mechanisms.

• Continue to improve our already ‘welcoming’ culture with more transparent communication as to organizational decisions that advance our mission, clear guidelines as to respectful behaviors of all individuals who participated in any congregation programing or on our property, and to work to ensure all members feel heard and have outlets if they need to share a need.

• With the leadership of the staff, work to enhance relationships at all levels including Clergy, cultivate a culture of respect, and to provide additional training on supervision.

Through the work in these areas the following took place in 2022:

The core policies were reviewed by Shaare Emeth’s HR Committee and attorneys, augmented with new language, behavior boundaries, and protocols for reporting. Staff gatherings explaining new and expanded policies were held.

The Lay Leadership and Staff worked on clearer and more transparent communications to all.

A “Shaare our Values” update to the Mission Statement was approved by the Board and included this statement: “The community of Congregation Shaare Emeth expects every congregant, staff member, clergy, and guest to behave in accordance with our values.” These messages and the expectations will continue to be shared from the pulpit, via Shaare Mail and our Bulletin, on our website, through our event registrations and in vendor communications to ensure everyone understand the expectations and can be held accountable to interpersonal interactions.

• Recognize the congregation’s mission, commitments, and values.

• Treat every congregant, staff member, clergy, and guest with respect, dignity, and civility through all types of communication.

• Remain open to all viewpoints.

• Honor the identities, diversity, and abilities of all.

• Promote an emotionally and physically safe environment for everyone.

• Welcome all to participate in our traditions.

• The Hospitality Committee has succeeded in efforts to have Board members and others welcoming members and guests at services and programs, extending outreach to B’Mitzvah students and families, address safety and security issues while still striving to create an open and welcoming presence, particularly after we returned from COVID isolation.

The impact has been greater than the sum of these words. We confirmed through our survey results that we were and continue to be a welcoming, open community. And yet, we have areas that we will continue to focus on for improvements, and to share our efforts with others so everyone knows what an amazing community Congregation Shaare Emeth is.

TZEDEK | JUSTICE

TZEDEK

Kathy Wiesman , Chair; Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein , Clergy Liaison; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

Committee members: Ronnie Brockman, Dianna Fine, David Gerst, Andrew Goldberg, Josh Goldman, Stefanie Greenberg, Debbie Hirschfelder, Caroline Hoff, Jenny Hoffman-Mentle, Ted Houser, Leiba Levine, Corey Miller, Sue Picus, Bill Remis, Mark Rubin, Stan Shanker, Gary Sherman, Jenny Shrensker, Bob Stein, & Dana Weinstein

The Tzedek Committee continued to pursue our congregational interest in the issues of Hunger, Homelessness, Child Welfare, Racial Justice, and Climate Collapse.

New Initiatives

• In January we hosted in collaboration with NCJW the photo exhibit Abortion Stories. The exhibit was featured throughout the temple during the month of January and Shaare Emeth hosted a speaking event about the state of women’s rights dealing with abortion.

• In February 2023 a group was formed to look at the issues that surround the banned book initiative that has come about in United States, Missouri, and our own community.

On-Going Programs and Projects

• Gathering For Gratitude in November resumed in person; congregants participated in various Mitzvah projects that were donated to the community. Marcene Menendez and Sue Picus coordinated.

• Oak Hill Elementary: Caring bags delivered to the staff. Holiday gifts of toys and clothes to 32 students; contributions enabled us to purchase over $1000 in gift cards from Aldi and Walmart to give to the school. Dana Weinstein coordinates.

• High Holiday Food Drive to benefit the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry (HKJFP), St. Louis Area Food Bank and Mazon. Lisa Carson coordinates.

• Room At The Inn continues to shelter in place, but we were able to start delivering a monthly meal to the shelter and continue to provide some financial support in lieu of hosting families at Shaare Emeth. Ronnie Brockman, Cindy Heymann, and Jennifer Rosenthal coordinate.

• Winter Outreach Participated in two community collections of supplies (gloves, hats, blankets).

• Bread Co: Three pickups/week — 150+ times over the year that we delivered bread to the HK Jewish Food Pantry. Stefanie Greenberg coordinates.

• Immigration Advocacy and Action Committee: Stan Shanker coordinates.

• ShaareMail: The Tzedek committee will continue to provide content for both educational and advocacy purposes.

• Keshet LGBTQ+ Outreach and Support group: continued to partner with the Tzedek committee to focus on common advocacy work. Michael Sherberg coordinates.

• Tzedek Shabbat Speakers continued monthly.

• Peter & Paul: resumed our monthly Taco Bar; the food donated by congregants is dropped off at the shelter. Jen and Ted Houser coordinate.

IMMIGRATION ADVOCACY AND ACTION COMMITTEE ( IAAC )

Stan Shanker , Chair; Rabbi Dr. Andrea Goldstein , Clergy Liaison; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

Daniel Axelbaum, Vera Emmons, Wendy Flusser, Kent Hirschfelder, Harriet Kopolow, Carole Lander, David Lander, Taylor Lefkowitz, Gary Ratkin, Marilyn Ratkin, Sue Picus, Nash Pratt, Sharon Remis, Sue Schreiber, Andy Shanker, Gary Sherman, Michele Siler, Nancy Taxman, Robert Taxman

The committee welcomed two refugee families from Afghanistan: The Ebrahimi and the Hashimi families.

The Ebrahimi Family arrived in St. Louis under the auspices of the International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL). After an initial period, the IAAC was asked to help support the family with all aspects of integration into the community, both locally and nationally.

The IAAC has assisted with sourcing education options, living assistance, and medical and dental appointments via donations and transportation. Volunteers have also assisted with babysitting and language tutoring. Stan Shanker and Sharon Remis are working on asylum for the Ebrahimi Family.

Thank you to our volunteers : Stephanie Battaglia-Esses, Michele Bernstein, Amy Cohen, Jan Fishman, Dan Heymann, Carole Lander, David Lander, Marcene Menendez, Sue Picus, Anna Poger, Sharon Remis, Andy Shanker, Stan Shanker, and Marti Zuckerman, Chair

Intertwine Interfaith Welcome Circle (IIWC)

The Hashimi family arrived in February 2022 under the Welcome Circle Sponsorship program of HIAS. Congregation Shaare Emeth, Parkway United Church of Christ, and The Turkish American Society of Missouri raised donations to bring the family to St. Louis. Integration assistance included help with finding a home, employment, enrolling the children in school, obtaining drivers licenses, and general living accommodations.

In March 2023 the family relocated to Yuba City, California where they are near their family and a larger Afghan community. With both tears in our eyes and pride in our hearts, we wished the Hashimi family all the best in their new home. In March we also celebrated Refugee Shabbat, featuring a guest speaker who was a former refugee. The service was attended by many refugee families Shaare Emeth has assisted over the years. A video made by HIAS of the Welcome Sponsor Circle was shown.

Thank you to our volunteers : Betsy Cytron, Vera Emmons, Jay Goldstein, Julia Mendelow, Stan Shanker, Gary Sherman, Janice Sherman, Jane Thal, and Debbie Bram, Staff Liaison

ROOM AT THE INN

Ronnie Brockman , Chair; Jennifer Rosenthal and Cindy Heymann , Co-Chairs

Shaare Emeth supplies a Taco Bar dinner to Room at the Inn (a homeless shelter for women and families) on the first Monday evening of every month. Shaare Emeth volunteers bring dinner or donate funds to cover the cost of food for the clients and staff one night per month.

Room at the Inn has seen the need to keep their families in one place to live. Through a Capital Campaign, they have raised enough money to renovate the existing building to meet the needs of housing ten families.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to donate their time, talents, items of need, and financial donations to Room at the Inn.

If you are interested in volunteering for Room at the Inn, please contact Jennifer Rosenthal, jen.rosie@charter.net or Debbie Bram, dbram@sestl.org. Sign up Genius links are available to donate monthly dinner items.

SHOMREI ADAMAH

Josh Goldman and Caroline Hoff , Co-Chairs

The Shomrei Adamah (protecting our environment) committee has remained focused on the composting program in partnership with New Earth Farms, a North St. Louis small business. We expanded the program to include the Temple staff, preschool classrooms, and an additional 30 congregants.

If you are interested in composting, please email Debbie Bram at dbram@sestl.org.

ST. LOUIS BREAD COMPANY PICK UP

Stefanie Greenberg , Chair

Celebrating thirteen years of service! Volunteers picked up the leftover baked goods at the end of business day at local St. Louis Bread Company locations and take the donations to the

The committee is in the middle of finishing a baseline report of our energy usage. We also partnered with the Trees of Life fundraising program to raise funds for the removal and replanting of trees on the Shaare Emeth campus. The committee provided educational material and participated in the awareness programs to spur donations. The committee also engaged with the Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU) to assess if there is a future program working in partnership with the local community to enact change in environmental issues.

Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry. Eighteen volunteers rotate to pick up the donations at three Bread Co. locations: Des Peres, Westport, and the Four Seasons.

Thank you to our volunteers : Ben April, Leonard Barasch, David Brody, Ronnie and Alan Brockman, Lynne Fogel, Suzy Green, Paula and Norm Hertel, Jen Klearman, Ann and Jack Mayer Eisen, Sue Picus, Mark Pultman, John Reichman, Sharon and Bill Remis, Vicki Schaff, Johanna Schillinger, Lori Sigel, Michele Siler, and Renee Silverstein

VOTING RIGHTS

Holly Bernstein and Ashley Loiterstein , Co-Chairs; Debbie Bram , Staff Liaison

The Voting Rights Committee advocates helping every eligible voter in our community have the tools they need to vote. Activities in the past year included:

• Representing Shaare Emeth in the nonpartisan Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, and volunteering with the nonpartisan Election Protection program.

• Using Shaare Mail to keep our congregation up to date about changes in the voting process, particularly around Voter ID and Absentee Voting, and to remind them to vote in upcoming elections.

• Being a co-sponsor for the event, “The Citizen Initiative Petition Version 2023: What It Is, How It Is At Risk, and What You Can Do.”

• Bringing our Notary Team out to notarize absentee ballots for the November election.

• Sending nonpartisan postcards in cooperation with the RAC, to minority voters in Georgia and Texas, encouraging them to vote in the November election.

• Joining forces with the Library, REDI, Keshet, and Tzedek Committees, along with NCJW, to work against book bans by educating our congregation about the importance of School Board Elections with the program “Banned Books and the Power of School Boards: Why This Election Matters.”

HIGH HOLIDAY MUSIC IN 2022

• 40 volunteer musicians, including singers and instrumentalists, participated in High Holiday services in the Stiffman Sanctuary.

• 10 volunteers participated in the choir and instrumental ensembles who had not previously sung with the High Holiday Choir.

• Volunteers and professionals, including Lucy Greenbaum and Cantor Warner, were a part of every worship experience offered at the Congregation throughout the High Holidays.

• The music of the High Holidays took liturgy and prayer to new heights with volunteers ranging from 15 to 75 years old.

FAMILY-FOCUSED WORSHIP

• L’dor Vador Services – from Generation to Generation take place monthly, spearheaded by the clergy and Lucy Greenbaum to bring our Religious School students and their families a Friday evening Shabbat experience filled with joy and blessing.

• Boker Tov Shabbat is a new Saturday morning worship experience for families with young children that features prayer, music, stories, and lots of laughter and joy. After the service, families enjoy breakfast and hands-on activities together.

CONGREGATION SHAARE EMETH 2023 Nominating Committee Report

The 2023 Nominating Committee is pleased to recommend the following slate of Officers and Trustees for election at the Annual Meeting of Congregation Shaare Emeth on May 22, 2023 and acknowledges the returning Officers and Trustees:

OFFICERS

NOMINATED FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM, 2023-2024

President

1st Vice President Secretary Treasurer

Assistant Treasurer

Vice President

Vice President

Vice President

Vice President

Vice President

Immediate Past President

Bill Remis

Dana DeBlasi

Randy Brodsky

Mark Gubernik

Natalie Kalmar

David Goran

Rachel Pereles

Michael Sherberg

Michele Siler

Lisa Suffian

Josh Wallach

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

NOMINATED FOR TWO-YEAR TERM, 2023-2025

Richie Gallant

Judy Schwartz Jaffe

Jonathan Sachs

Betsy Kelly

RE-NOMINATED FOR TWO-YEAR TERM, 2023-2025

Betsy Cytron

Michele Siler

Mark Zorensky

RETURNING TRUSTEES

Julia Mendelow

Heather Peck

Sue Picus

Dave Propper

Justin Reppy

Johanna Schillinger

Jeffrey Spector

Gabrielle Tullman

Mike Vredenburgh

Evan Waldman

Kathy Wiesman

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Josh Wallach, Chair

Joe Berger, Mike Lefton, Sue Picus, Jennifer Scissors, Jill Solomon, Dave Propper, and Mike Vredenburgh

Rabbi Jim Bennett and Rosalie Stein, Ex-officio members

PAST PRESIDENTS

Barney Hysinger z”l

Abraham Kramer z”l

Barney Hysinger z”l

Frank Block z”l

S.A. Rider z”l

Louis Hellman z”l

Gustave Rosenberg z”l

Nicholas Scharff z”l

William Goldstein z”l

Louis Straus z”l

Ben F. Stromberg z”l

Henry Sayers z”l

J.D. Goldman z”l

Alfred C. Einstein z”l

Judge Irvin V. Barth z”l

Edwin B. Meissner z”l

Major B. Einstein z”l

A.B. Frey z”l

Nathan H. Burgheim z”l

Harvey Frohlichstein z”l

Lee Kaufman z”l

Arthur Kahn z”l

Paul. H. Berwald z”l

Herbert Frank z”l

Alvin A. Abramson z”l

Louis Shifrin z”l

Alfred W. Petchaft z”l

Ely E. Goldwasser z”l

Alfred J. Fleischer z”l

1963 - 1964

1965 - 1966

1967

1968 - 1969

1970 - 1971

1972 - 1973

1973 - 1975

1975 - 1978

1978 - 1981

1981 - 1983

1983 - 1985

1985 - 1987

1987 - 1989

1989 - 1991

1991 - 1993

1993 - 1996

1996 - 1998

1998 - 2001

2001 - 2003

2003 - 2005

2005 - 2007

2007 - 2009

2009 - 2011

2011 - 2014

2014 - 2016

2016 - 2018

2018 - 2020

2020 - 2022

Elmer Abramson z”l

Joseph Chused z”l

David Corwin z”l

Harris Frank z”l

Bert Rosen z”l

Louis M. Weltman z”l

Minna Fendell z”l

Robert Frey z”l

Charles Eisenkramer

Bernard Pasternak z”l

Buddy Lebman

Alice Davis (Schwartz)

Carl Moskowitz

Harvey Schneider

Joy Liss

Charles Werner z”l

Mike Geigerman

Bob Cohn

Patty Croughan

Ken Kleban

Marty Zigler z”l

Steve Rosen

Ken Birenbaum

Joe Pereles

Greg Yawitz

Renee Silverstein

Mike Lefton

Josh Wallach

155 TH ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

May 18, 2022

The 155th Annual Meeting of Congregation Shaare Emeth was called to order at 6:03 p.m. by President Josh Wallach.

Cantor Warner led the opening blessing, Hachnasat Orchim.

The first order of business was to pass the minutes of the 152nd Annual Meeting. Michael Sherberg made the motion, Michele Siler seconded, and the motion passed.

Josh welcomed everyone to the meeting, both in attendance at the temple, and those attending via stream. He called attention to those Shaare Emeth staff members attending in-person, as well as past presidents also in attendance.

Josh presented gifts to the outgoing Board members, Ed Musen, Jill Solomon, Mike Lefton, Gene Jacobson, Doug Kolker, Ben Silvermintz and Andy Speller.

Josh opened his remarks by sharing some of his experiences at Shaare Emeth as a volunteer, working and leading committees, serving on the Operating Committee and Board of Trustees, and finally as the President.

Josh spoke about looking ahead to the future and where the congregation is headed. As President, one of his initiatives was establishing a planned giving and legacy program. He stated that Past Presidents Joe Pereles and Renee Silverstein worked as co-chairs alongside Executive Director, Rosalie Stein, to create the Legacy Program, now known as the Natan Circle.

Another of Josh’s initiatives was to encourage us to attend more thoughtfully and intentionally to the important issue of Mental Health. The Shaare Emeth Mental Health initiative, led by Dr. Dan Weinstein brings us important programming at a critical time.

Josh assured the congregation that he is confident our lay leadership is robust and that the succession planning in place has us setup for wonderful things ahead. He expressed his confidence in Bill Remis, incoming President, and Dana DeBlasi, incoming 1st Vice President, and that they will be a strong duo who will exceed the demands of the positions.

Josh expressed his thanks to the directors and staff, the clergy and his peers on the Board for the mutual respect everyone has shown during his presidency. Josh continued with thanks to his family for allowing him to do the work he loves to do.

Rabbi Bennett spoke about the long history of Shaare Emeth and this is the 155th Annual Meeting of the congregation. He spoke about moral ethics and how working together has brought our congregation to where it is today.

Rabbi Bennett acknowledged the hard work Josh put into his two years as President, and the unprecedented time during the COVID pandemic. He presented Josh with a gift of thanks.

Rabbis Stiffman and Goldstein introduced Cantor Warner as the new President of the American Conference of Cantors, with his installation to be held on June 8, 2022. Cantor Warner spoke briefly, thanking Lucy Greenbaum, and the others musicians and choirs, the Clergy, Rosalie, Robert and the rest of the staff for helping to make this position possible.

Josh introduced Mike Lefton, Chair of the Nominating Committee. Mike introduced and thanked the rest of the committee, Jill Solomon, Richard Cohen, Melissa Adler, Joe Pereles, Tod Greenberg, and Ronnie Brockman. Rabbi Bennett and Rosalie Stein were ex-officio members of the committee.

Mike then presented the recommended list of Board of Trustees and Officers (Operating Committee) as follows:

2022-2023 Operating Committee (One Year Term)

Bill Remis, President

Dana DeBlasi, 1st Vice President

Randy Brodsky, Secretary

Mark Gubernik, Treasurer

Bob Sparks, Assistant Treasurer

David Goran, Vice President

Rachel Pereles, Vice President

Erin Schreiber, Vice President

Michael Sherberg, Vice President

Lisa Suffian, Vice President

Josh Wallach, Immediate Past President

Michele Siler, At-large Member

SUPPLEMENTS

Nominated for Two-Year Term

2022-2024:

Natalie Kalmar

Heather Peck

Justin Reppy

Jeffrey Spector

Johanna Schillinger

Mike Vredenburgh

Evan Waldman

Board of Trustees

Returning Trustees:

Melissa Adler

Richard Cohen

Betsy Cytron

Amy Hammerman

Michele Siler

Mark Zorensky

A motion was made by Bob Cohn, seconded by Mr. Charles Eisenkramer, to accept the Nominating Committee report was adopted. The motion passed.

Bill Remis thanked Josh for his time as President. Bill expressed his gratitude to the staff and to his family. He posed the question to himself, the Board and the congregation, “how do we get members back into the temple?” He said he does not know the answer, but will work to get members back to the temple. He encouraged us to listen to each other.

Respectfully Submitted

Randy Brodsky, Secretary

Re-nominated for Two-Year Term

2022-2024:

Julia Mendelow

Sue Picus

Dave Propper

Gaby Tullman

Kathy Wiesman

Rabbi Jim Bennett offered his congratulations to the new board members, and thanked the outgoing board members for their service.

Josh called the Board members to the bimah for a blessing from the Clergy. Rabbi Bearman led the blessing over the installation of the Board of Trustees and Officers.

The meeting adjourned at 7 p.m.

STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Rosalie R. Stein

DIRECTOR OF JEWISH LIFE & LEARNING

Debbie Bram

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Robert Colton

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Scott Berzon

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & MEMBERSHIP

Beth Kodner

DIRECTOR OF SHIRLEE GREEN PRESCHOOL

Brandi Cartwright

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Hannah Michelson

DIRECTOR OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT & MUSICIANIN-RESIDENCE

Lucy Greenbaum

DIRECTOR OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT & MEMBERSHIP

Emily Cohen

DIRECTOR OF CAMP EMETH

Laura Horton

MAIN OFFICE

ADMINISTRATORS

Tammy Beaird

Valerie Cundy

Stacy Jespersen

Jana McGinty

Maggie Muhr

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

Kayla Adams

Jessy Burnett

Marci Diamond

Emily Throgmorton

CLERGY

RABBIS

James M. Bennett

Andrea M. Goldstein, D. Min

Rachel K. Bearman

CANTOR

Seth P. Warner

RABBI EDUCATOR

Lori Levine

RABBI EMERITUS

Jeffrey B. Stiffman

BOARD OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

Bill Remis

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

Dana DeBlasi

VICE PRESIDENTS

David Goran

Rachel Pereles

Michael Sherberg

Michele Siler

Lisa Suffian

SECRETARY

Randy Brodsky

TREASURER

Mark Gubernik

ASSISTANT TREASURER

Natalie Kalmar

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Josh Wallach