Jewish Light Digital Edition: Jan. 25, 2023

CAMP + EDUCATION

SEE PAGE 2B - 7B

13 Missouri religious leaders sue to overturn abortion ban

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Thirteen religious leaders from across the state, including five who are Jewish, filed a lawsuit Thursday in St. Louis Circuit Court challenging Missouri’s abortion ban, arguing that it is unconstitutional because it imposes “one narrow religious doctrine on all Missouri residents and violates the separation of church and state.”

The lawsuit, Rev. Traci Blackmon v. State of Missouri, maintains that Gov. Mike Parson and the Missouri legislature violated the state constitution by injecting their personal religious beliefs about abortion into law when they enacted several abortion bans as part of House Bill 126, as well as earlier laws that prohibited abortion access in the state.

The faith leaders from St. Louis, Columbia and Kansas City allege that legislators “openly and repeatedly emphasized they were writing their religious beliefs into the abortion bans, even declaring in the bill itself that ‘Almighty God is the author of life.’ ”

“Abortion bans take away our ability to make our own decision about our own bodies, our health care, our lives

and our future, based on our own moral and religious beliefs,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The organization, along with the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), filed the lawsuit on behalf of the 13 clergy members.

“It’s time for a national recommitment to church-state separation, and we’re

starting in Missouri because here the lawmakers told us that they were injecting their religious views, their holy books, into the abortion ban,” said Laser, who is Jewish. “And the law itself has religious language in it, so it’s easy to demonstrate the way that abortion bans violate church-state separation and are

BY SELAH MAYA ZIGHELBOIM JTA

AUSTIN, Texas — The new Israeli government is listening to the concerns of more liberal Jews, Israel’s new minister of Diaspora affairs said on Thursday. But Amichai Chikli said that while some proposed changes that worry Americans — including an overhaul to the country’s Law of Return — would happen slowly, any criticism is largely misplaced.

“There is a large alarm on the left, it’s obvious, and it affects dramatically most of the Jews who live here in America,” Chikli said at the summit of the Israeli American Council, which aims to keep Israelis in America connected to Israel.

“We had an election. The result was crystal clear. We were very honest with our agenda, and it is our responsibility to form this agenda,” he said. “And it does not mean that we are not listening. We do listen, and I spent hours today, yesterday, to listen to Jewish leaders and what they have to say about the Law of Return, about the judicial changes, and everything. We’re listening to the criticism. We’re listening to the concerns. We care about it.”

Chikli was making his first public comments outside of Israel since being appointed minister of Diaspora affairs late last month in Israel’s new right-wing government, helmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu’s decision to ally with extremist parties, including ones that advocate for curbing rights to Arab Israelis, LGBTQ Israelis and non-Orthodox Jews, has drawn concern from across the Diaspora, as has the government’s effort to weaken Israel’s judiciary, which historically has acted to protect the country’s minorities.

Diaspora Jewish leaders have raised particular concern about the coalition’s agreement to amend Israel’s hallmark Law of Return, which permits anyone with a Jewish grandparent to claim citizenship. The eligibility rules were crafted to reflect the Nazis’ criteria for whom to kill during the Holocaust, but Israel’s religious parties say that has left the door open to immigrants who are not invested in building a strong Jewish state.

Speaking in a live interview with

From left to right: Rev. Traci Blackmon, Maharat Rori Picker Neiss and Americans United for Separation of Church & State CEO Rachel Laser march to Civil Courts building in St. Louis on Jan. 19. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICANS UNITED FOR SEPARATION OF CHURCH & STATE

5 Jewish clergy are among the plaintiffs

‘We’re listening’

Israel’s new Diaspora minister gives first public comments in the US

Rabbi James Bennett speaks at a press conference Jan. 19 at the Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in downtown St. Louis, announcing a lawsuit challenging Missouri’s abortion ban.

PHOTO: STACY NEWMAN

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Adina Talve-Goodman’s posthumously published book of essays is poignant blend of humor, insight

I never met Adina Talve-Goodman, but I feel as if I know her. The daughter of Rabbis Susan Talve and Jim Goodman of Central Reform Congregation, TalveGoodman was born with a congenital heart condition and survived multiple operations during her childhood as well as a heart transplant at age 19.

Her new heart served her well for 11 years, but tragically she died in 2018 at the age of 31 months after being diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma.

At the time of her cancer diagnosis, she was attending an MFA program at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and working on her own nonfiction. Following her death, I asked Rabbi Susan if she would share some of her daughter’s writing, which she did, including a piece that won Talve-Goodman Bellevue Literary Review’s Nonfiction Prize in 2015.

That essay, along with six others, comprise her incisive new book, “Your Hearts, Your Scars,” (Bellevue Literary Press, $17.99), which was assembled posthumously by her family and a former colleague at One Story, a New York literary magazine where Talve-Goodman had been managing editor. Though each essay stands on its own, they knit together an unflinching look at life before and after her transplant, taking us inside “the crawl spaces” as she calls them between sickness and health, living and dying, laughter and sorrow, grief and gratitude.

“The change from heart failure to wellness had been quick, and most days after the transplant, I did walk about the world feeling a lot like death in drag. I had gone from not being able to walk a half a mile without resting to thinking I’d like to travel to study clowning in Italy in less than one year.”

Talve-Goodman is both critical observer and active participant in her own life, which despite having lived with a chronic illness — or maybe because of it — provides her a unique perch to explore a variety of situations and circumstances with wisdom, insight and authenticity well beyond her years.

Her prose speaks the truth, her truth, of what it’s like to grow up different than most. People seem to gravitate toward her, like the stranger in “Men Who Like Dying Women and Fishing,” who tells her about his wife of 12 years (whom he met at Red Lobster) dying from heart failure.

Ruminating about romance, TalveGoodman wonders how possible suitors might react to her scars,

the battle wounds of multiple surgeries, including her transplant.

“I waited for him to ask the usual questions: Why did you need it? Are you okay now? What about the donor?”

“You have great boobs,” he says.

Given the wry, matter-of-fact way she relates this exchange, it’s impossible not to laugh out loud. And that’s one of the many joys of this poignant collection — the way in which Talve-Goodman blends humor, humility and compassion so seamlessly, you can’t help but be captivated. The book reads like she is speaking to you.

In her prize-winning essay, “I Must Have Been that Man,” she tells of walking to a favorite coffee shop on a rainy day (during her undergraduate years at Washington University) and encountering a disabled man who had fallen out of his electric wheelchair. With her new heart, she doesn’t hesitate to offer help.

She vividly recalls the day of her transplant at

Children’s Hospital, during Game 5 of the 2006 World Series between the Cardinals and Detroit Tigers. She explains how she feels a responsibility to — and gratitude for — her new heart but is well-aware it comes at the expense of another family’s grief. She also feels a strong kinship to the heart that was removed, recounting the Thanksgiving following her transplant when her family gathered to view and touch it.

“We all wore plastic gloves; we put newspaper on the table in case the liquid the heart was preserved in dripped. I removed my heart and held it in two hands because it was large, pale yellow, and deformed. But it hardly dripped. We passed it around the table and said thanks. Thanks to my old heart for doing all it could, thanks to my new heart for being so good, thanks to each other for coming home.”

That she asked her doctors if she could bring home her heart in the first place was an unusual request. Her cardiologist wondered if it was a “Jewish thing.” Her rabbi parents said no, it’s not a Jewish thing to take your organs home.

“All I could say was that I wanted it, it had been mine, and I didn’t want it thrown away. They released it to me in an urn through a funeral parlor as my own ‘remains.’ ”

An introduction by Sarika Talve-Goodman talks about her sister’s legacy, her complicated medical history and her intentions for the book. Comedian/actress (and Clayton High graduate) Jo Firestone paints a verbal picture of her best friend since the age of 6, including Adina’s love of glitter and babies, Cher and “Moonstruck,” pretty shoes even if they did give her blisters and little Italian restaurants.

I never met Adina Talve-Goodman, but after reading “Your Hearts, Your Scars,” I know her indominable spirit lives on, reminding us to take nothing for granted, least of all our health and our relationships, and to savor the moments, especially the ones between the crawl spaces.

“Your Hearts, Your Scars” is available at local bookstores, such as Left Bank Books in the Central West End, and on Amazon.

‘Your Hearts, Your Scars’ is a newly published book of essays by Adina Talve-Goodman (at left), who died in 2018.

Nixing a Caribbean cruise, Rachael Pevnick asked for 90th birthday gift to honor Jewish War Veterans

BY BILL MOTCHAN

SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Rachael Pevnick will turn 90 on Jan. 22. She could have spent her birthday sipping a margarita on a Caribbean island. Her children offered to send her on a cruise, and she briefly considered it.

“Then I came up with a better idea — for them to put the money they’d spend on the trip to better use,” she said. “I told

Her wish is the Rachael and Ted Pevnick Family Scholarship. On Jan. 15, Rachael and her children — Andrea Goldenberg, Larry Pevnick and Debbie Sher — presented a check for $10,000 to the Jewish War Veterans Post 644. Ted Pevnick was a veteran and active in the post, so Rachael and her family thought it fitting to honor his service.

Ted Pevnick was born in St. Louis on May 16, 1923. He enlisted in the Army in 1943 and served in World War II with the 717th Railway Operating Battalion. Pevnick transported troops and equipment throughout Europe. He returned home in 1946 and worked in the scrap metal and iron industry. He passed away Ted and Rachael were married in 1954. They volunteered for Nusach Hari B’nai Zion, where Rachael is president emeritus of the sisterhood. She is also vice president of the Covenant Place Tenant Council.

talking to people,” Goldenberg said. “He always had a smile, and he loved life. He had empathy toward others.”

Ted Pevnick had an optimistic attitude. His favorite phrase was: “He who is rich is one who is happy with his lot in life.” He always offered a helping hand for others, Rachael said.

“He delivered for Meals on Wheels, he was president of the PTA for the Sunday school, and he took care of two ladies who couldn’t drive,” she said.

Jewish, be related to a Jewish veteran and provide a short essay about their own volunteer service and how their veteran relative influenced them,” Frohman said.

The applicant’s academic record will also be evaluated. Application forms can be requested from Tom McHugh via email at tom66f@aol.com or from a school guidance office. They must be submitted by April 30. Scholarships will be awarded at the Jewish War Veterans Memorial Day ceremony May 28.

Rachael Pevnick and

Larry Pevnick

Ted was a gregarious and well liked by everyone, his daugh“He loved people and

The Pevnick scholarship will help graduating high school seniors with academic assistance, said Ellis Frohman, commander of Post 644.

“To be eligible, applicants must be

Rachael Pevnick said she knows Ted would approve of the scholarship.

“He would be overwhelmed. In fact,” she said with a wink, “I know he knows I’m doing it.”

The J to host used book sale

The Jewish Community Center’s biannual Used Book Sale returns Jan. 29 through Feb. 2 with offerings in a variety of genres, including mysteries, general fiction, nonfiction, children’s books and many others.

“The Used Book Sale at the J is a great place to find amazing bargains and valuable collectibles, “said Lynn Wittels, president and CEO of the J. “The sale is well recognized by book dealers and the literature community as being among the best in the St. Louis region.”

Preview day is Sunday, Jan. 29 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with a $10 admission; free admission begins on Monday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through

Wednesday, and on Thursday customers can fill a bag for $5 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

For updated and complete information visit jccstl.com/programs/used-book-sale/.

From left: Larry Chervitz, quartermaster of Jewish War Veterans Post 644, Monroe Ginsburg, chaplain of Jewish War Veterans Post 644, Brian Sher, Andrea Goldenberg, Debbie Sher, Rachael Pevnick, Larry Pevnick, Ellis Frohman, commander of Jewish War Veterans Post 644, Robin Pevnick, Stan Goldenberg and Les Birenbaum, junior vice commander of Jewish War Veterans Post 644.

Jewish Federation of St. Louis announces new officers, board members for 2023

The Jewish Federation of St. Louis approved its 2023 Board of Directors. In May 2022, the Federation had named Bob Newmark as the incoming Board Chair. Greg Yawitz preceded Bob Newmark as Chair and served for three and a half years as a dedicated leader for the Federation.

“Greg has been a partner and steward over the past three years, guiding the Federation through COVID, helping to raise funds for those impacted by the war in Ukraine and playing an integral role in the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum expansion and transition to its own entity. I’d like to thank Greg for his service to the Federation,” Jewish Federation President & CEO Brian Herstig said in a statement. “With that said, I’m looking forward to partnering with Bob in the new year as we continue to work to provide a thriving, diverse, and secure Jewish community.”

Federation’s newly formed Governance and Board Enrichment Committee worked with staff to assess gaps on the board and to identify and nominate new community members to join the board.

Jewish Federation’s Officers and board members are:

• Board Chair: Bob Newmark

• Vice Chair At-Large - Sue Schlichter

• Vice Chair of Communications - Craig Rosenthal

• Vice Chair of Community ImpactBurt Garland

• Vice Chair of Community Leadership & Engagement - Jonathan Deutsch

• Vice Chair of Development - Toby Warticovschi

• Vice Chair of Finance - Felicia Malter

• Vice Chair of Governance & Board Engagement - Ben Cherry

• Past Chair - Greg Yawitz

The newest board members: Dafna Revah, Rabbi Janine Schloss, Mont Levy and Rachel Thimangu

Continuing board members are Aviva Raskas, Cathy Goldsticker, Dalia Oppenheimer, Daniel Friedman, Donn Rubin, Emily Stein MacDonald, Jim Deutsch, Joe Pereles, John Greenberg, Leslie Yoffie, Melanie Winograd, Neil Jaffe, Rob Wasserman, Sherry Shuman, Shira Berkowitz, Stephanie Gross, Tim Stern and Vicki Singer

Additionally, Ken Kranzberg was voted into the Council of Life, the highest honor the Federation can bestow upon distinguished community leaders.

Board members whose terms ended at the end of 2022 include Rabbi Carnie Rose, Carol Staenberg, Gerry Greiman (a past Board Chair), Harvey Wallace (a past Board Chair), Michael Litwack (a past Board Chair) and Susan Goldberg.

Kol Rinah will welcome Hazzan Joanna Dulkin back to St. Louis for Shabbat events Feb. 17 and 18.

Dulkin serves of Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka, Minn. She previously served the Jewish Center of Princeton, N.J., and Kol Rinah’s legacy congregation, Shaare Zedek Synagogue. She received her Master of Sacred Music and Investiture degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and completed the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s Cantorial Leadership Program. An honors graduate of Stanford University, Dulkin is an officer of the Cantors Assembly, and was on the editorial committee of Siddur Lev Shalem.

On Friday, Feb. 18, Kol Rinah will host a musical Kabbalat Shabbat at 6 p.m. led by Dulkin with Rabbis Noah Arnow and Scott Shafrin and Kol Rinah Engagement Coordinator Karen Kern. At 7:30 p.m. guests can take part in a Shabbat dinner (RSVP required, cost and signup TBA), followed at 8:30 p.m. with learning and singing with Dulkin.

On Saturday, Feb. 19, Dulkin will lead Shabbat morning services at 9 a.m. A Kiddush takes place at noon. Mincha/Maariv is at 5:15 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. there will be a musical Havdalah with Dulkin, followed by wine and dessert reception. At 7 p.m. there will be a singing circle with Dulkin.

The weekend events are sponsored by the Leo and Sara Wolf Adult Education Fund and the Irvin and Dolores Rubin Music Fund.

For more information, visit www.kolrinahstl.org/event/shabbat-with-hazzan-joanna-dulkin.html

Bob Newmark is the new Board Chair of Jewish Federation of St. Louis

Ken Kranzberg was voted into Jewish Federation’s Council of Life

Rabbi Sandra Lawson to kick off new Shir Hadash Speaker Series

Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community, the only Reconstructionist congregation in Missouri, will present a four-part Shabbat community education series to increase awareness and knowledge of this branch of Judaism. The series will take place one Shabbat per month, January through April, and will feature a national or local rabbinic scholar who will lead services and learning sessions focusing on Reconstructionist approaches to theology, Torah interpretation, Jewish history, freedom and inclusion, and civilization and culture. The community is invited to attend all services and programs.

Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Sandra Lawson will kick off the series on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28. A St. Louis native, Lawson is the inaugural Director of Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism, the central organization of the Reconstructionist movement.

Shir Hadash is partnering with MaTovu for Friday evening’s Kabbalat Shabbat service and dinner with Lawson. The program will take place at MaTovu, 4200 Blaine Ave. Lawson will lead the service beginning at 6 p.m. She will discuss her

Jewish journey from St. Louis to the Reconstructionist movement. The Shabbat dinner will follow. A vegetarian main course will be provided by MaTovu. Attendees are asked to contribute a side dish or dessert. Advance reservations are requested for dinner: www.matovustl.org/ events/2023/1/27/kabbalat-shabbat-with-rabbi-sandra-lawson.

Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Lawson will lead a hybrid Shabbat morning service at Shir Hadash, which meets in the Arts and Education Building at The J’s Staenberg Family Complex, 2 Millstone Campus Dr. The service can also be attended virtually via Zoom. Lawson will discuss “Jewish theology in general and Reconstructionist theology in particular.” Immediately following the service and kiddush, Lawson will lead a Lunch and Learn program focusing on the week’s Torah portion, Bo, in a Reconstructionist fashion. A vegan lunch with a gluten free option will be provided free of charge. RSVP required at www.shirhadashstl.info/ events/lawsonshabbat or via e-mail to stlshirhadash@gmail.com.

Lawson was born in St. Louis to a military family and served in the military her-

self. She earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in sociology prior to enrolling in the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She was ordained in June 2018. Lawson is a sought-after speaker and has a substantial social media presence as the Snapchat Rabbi and TikTok Rabbi.

Future programs in the series will be as follows:

• Saturday, Feb. 25, at 10 a.m. – Shir Hadash Rabbi Emeritus Lane Steinger will lead the Shabbat morning service and Torah discussion on parsha Terumah, followed by a Lunch and Learn focusing on the Reconstructionist approach to Jewish history.

• Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1 – Koach Baruch (KB) Frazier, a fourth year student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, will lead a Kabbalat Shabbat service at MaTovu on Friday evening focusing on “Freedom through a Reconstructionist Lens.” The next morning at Shir Hadash he will lead a Shabbat service and Torah discussion centered on Shabbat HaGadol. A Lunch and Learn following the service will examine how inter-generational and inter-racial communities can become truly inclusive.

Holocaust Museum events to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Each year on Jan. 27, the world commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day on the anniversary of the 1945 liberation of AuschwitzBirkenau by Soviet soldiers. This year, the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum is planning a weekend-long commemoration from Jan. 27 to 29.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a six-hour memorial name reading. During the museum’s open hours (10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), museum staff, board members, volunteers and civic leaders will the names of hundreds of Holocaust victims. The reading will be live streamed on the museum’s

documentary. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for museum members. Guests can sign up for the program on the museum’s website.

“In the closing gallery of our Museum, we ask guests to pause and reflect on the quote from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, ‘whoever listens to a witness,

• Saturday, April 22, at 10 a.m. – Shira Singelenberg, a third-year student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, will lead a Shabbat service and Torah discussion of parsha Tazriya-Metzora, followed by a Lunch and Learn exploring “Judaism as an evolving religious civilization: the culture wars inside me.”

The Shir Hadash community education series has been made possible, in part, by an Anything Grant from the Staenberg Family Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. For more information on the education series or about Shir Hadash visit shirhadashstl.info or contact stlshirhadash@ gmail.com.

Class at Shaare Emeth: ‘Reform Jews Encounter the New Testament’

Join Rabbi James Bennett of Shaare Emeth for an introduction to and exploration of the scriptures of our Christian neighbors.

Classes take place on Wednesdays, Feb. 8, 15, and 22 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom; continuing on Wednesday, March 1, 15 and 22 from 7:30-9 p.m. (March classes will be held in person at Shaare Emeth or via livestream.)

Bennett will join in dialogue with a variety of Christian clergy representing different faith communities to help us understand how we can see the texts of our neighbors through their eyes and our own. This class is part of the Schneider Interfaith Forum made possible through the generosity of Harvey and Leanne Schneider. To register, email Stacy Jespersen at sjespersen@sestl.org.

B’sha’ah Tovah: A Class for Expecting Parents

The traditional, Jewish response to learning that someone is expecting a child is “B’sha’ah Tovah,” which literally means “at a good hour” but is understood to mean “may everything go well and happen at the right time.” Shaare Emeth will present “B’sha’ah Tovah: A Class for Expecting Parents,” from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 11. The class will provide opportunities to connect with other expecting parents and to explore both traditional and contemporary ways that Judaism can add meaning to every stage of the journey to parenthood – from anticipating, to welcoming to celebrating. B’sha’ah Tovah is open to Shaare Emeth members and to the community. Register online at https://sestl. co/bshaahtovah. For more information, email Rabbi Rachel Bearman at rbearman@sestl.org.

Rabbi Sandra Lawson

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS

NCJW plans trivia night on Feb. 18

National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis will host a trivia night fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Congregation Temple Israel. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and trivia will begin at 7. Individual tickets are $25; a table of 10 is $250.

The fundraiser format will include eight rounds of themed trivia, with 10 questions per round. Between rounds, attendees can peruse and bid on sweets in the dessert auction, take a chance on some great prizes in the Wine Pull and Restaurant Reach, and enjoy additional crowd-participation games. Basic refreshments will be provided, and teams are welcome to bring their own food and drink (no pork or shellfish).

The 2023 Trivia Night will feature local Jewish drag queen Keylonce as its emcee. Keylonce’s alter ego, Kevin Lee, is cofounder and assistant director of Stomp the World, a nonprofit organization that creates educational and life experiences for children outside the classroom.

Temple Israel is located at 1 Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Dr. in Creve Coeur, at the intersection of Spoede and Ladue roads. Tickets and tables for Trivia Night may be purchased by visiting https://ncjwstl.org/trivia-2023. For more information, contact the NCJWSTL office at 314-993-5181 or email Ellen Alper at EAlper@ncjwstl. org.

CRC welcomes artist Siona Benjamin for Spiritual Enrichment Shabbat Weekend

Central Reform Congregation will welcome artist Siona Benjamin for a Spiritual Enrichment Shabbat Weekend, Feb. 3 and Feb. 4. Benjamin is an Indian-Jewish artist who spent more than a year working on a painting that would be transformed into a 15-foot wide circular mosaic installed in the floor at Central Reform Congregation.

The events planned include:

• Friday, Feb. 3: Kabbalat Shabbat at 7 p.m. Siona Benjamin’s unique perspective as an Indian-American-Jewish artist has inspired her to create art that represents her transcultural and multicultural narrative. Often featuring blue characters, Benjamin’s work illuminates vibrant colors, cultural and religious symbols in various mediums to create works that have synergy and meaning and challenge each of us to explore our own unique identities. Join CRC for a Shabbat teaching featuring Rabbi Susan Talve and artist Siona Benjamin followed by a festive oneg.

• Saturday, Feb. 4: Shabbat Morning Services at 10 a.m. CRC will dedicate a new Torah cover and ark curtains designed by Benjamin. A festive oneg will follow the service.

• Saturday, Feb. 4: Lunch and hands-on workshop with Siona Benjamin, 12:30 p.m. Lunch available with advance registration and $10 donation.

• Saturday, Feb. 4, Tu B’Shevat seder in the CRC oneg at 7 p.m.: Share in the mystical ritual of the full moon that assures the refructification of the fruit trees. Learn more about the mysteries of our zodiac floor from the artist. Join us for heavy hors

d’oeuvres, wine, and a chocolate dessert reception. Merchandise by Benjamin will be available for sale, including an auction of original prints with images from Zodiac Floor and Torah Cover. Attendance with

advance registration and $36 donation. CRC is located at 5020 Waterman Blvd. For more information, visit www.centralreform.org/events/weekend-with-siona.

Shaare Emeth’s Keshet Committee to host second annual Shabbaton

Congregation Shaare Emeth’s Keshet Committee will host its second annual Shabbaton that includes a virtual workshop and programming titled, “All of Our Voices – Raising up diverse voices within the LGBTQ+ community,” which began Wednesday, Jan. 25 and continues through Saturday, Jan. 28.

The Shabbaton will celebrate and honor members of the LGBTQ+ community by examining intersectionality, which focuses on the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination and disadvantage when someone belongs to more than one group. Together, attendees will learn new ways to welcome all members into the congregation.

Participants can attend all events or pick any combination of events to attend. All programming is free, but registration is

required.

“We are delighted to offer another meaningful week of learning through Keshet’s second annual Shabbaton,” Rabbi Lori Levine said in a statement. “Our committee has implemented truly affirming and inclusive programming and changes for our LGBTQ+ members and guests. We hope the wider community will be inspired by the storytelling and skill-building we have planned.”

Levine continued, “With the training at our weekday virtual session from Nate Looney, who serves as the director of Community Safety & Belonging for Jewish Federation of North America’s Jewish Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) team, we will have the opportunity to deepen our commitment to inclusivity for all. Additionally, the Kabbalat Shabbat

service will offer inclusive readings and music. And on Shabbat morning, Rabbi James Bennett will lead Torah study, incorporating inclusive values into our session. We will also hear from an amazing roster of diverse community members.”

Keshet means “rainbow” 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” with programs to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion within the congregation, and to act as a resource on LGBTQ+ issues to the congregational community.

Remaining Shabbaton events include:

• Friday, Jan. 27 at 6 p.m.: Kabbalat Shabbat Service with inclusive music and readings, in the Stiffman Sanctuary at

Shaare Emeth (also available via live stream).

• Saturday, Jan. 28: Special Torah study with Rabbi James Bennett. Join Bennett in the Kehillah Center at Shaare Emeth (enter through North entrance), for a 9 a.m. nosh, and study beginning at 9:30 a.m.

• Saturday, Jan. 28: “All of Our Voices: Intersectionality and Inclusion for All — A Diverse Panel of St. Louis.” The event will be held in the Kehillah Center at Shaare Emeth (enter through North entrance) from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (also available virtually), immediately followed by lunch from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.

Shaare Emeth is located at 11645 Ladue Road. Register at https://congregationshaareemeth.shulcloud.com/form/ KeshetAllVoices.

Indian-Jewish artist Siona Benjamin spent more than a year working on a painting that would be transformed into a 15-foot wide circular mosaic installed in the floor at CRC. Benjamin returns to CRC Feb. 3-4 for a Spiritual Enrichment Shabbat Weekend. FILE PHOTO: KRISTI FOSTER

NEWSMAKERS

Newsmakers is a compilation of the Jewish community’s newsworthy professional and academic accomplishments. Submit your news to news@stljewishlight.org. Call 314-743-3669 for more information. Published the first edition of each month. Newsmakers is compiled by Elise Krug.

Vickie Shuchart returned to Congregation B’nai Amoona as director of strategic operations. Her role is to create a strategic vision for all communications and will oversee the messaging, as well as the technology needs of the congregation as they relate to programming. Shuchart previously worked at the synagogue for 13 years in multiple departments. Most recently she was the director of Nishmah, at the Jewish Community Center.

Dr. Ken Ludmerer, of the Washington University School of Medicine, was appointed to the board of directors of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Institute for Excellence in Education.

Dr. Jim Feigenbaum and his daughter, Dr. Jenna Feigenbaum, have been named team dentists for the St. Louis Blues hockey team. Their practice, Feigenbaum Dental, is located in Creve Coeur and has provided general dentistry for families for over 36 years. Jim Feigenbaum’s son, Dr Lawrence Feigenbaum, serves as the dermatologist for the Blues. He is affiliated with Mid-County Dermatology and is as president-elect of the Missouri Dermatological Society.

Included with the 2022 inductees of the Parkway Alumni Hall of Fame was Damon Rich (Central High School class of 1993). He is an urban planner based in Newark, N.J. and founded Center for Urban Pedagogy, a nonprofit organization that uses art and design to increase meaningful civic engagement. Rich is also a

designer and partner at HECTOR, an urban design, planning, and civic arts practice.

Rabbi Ari Kaiman, a former St. Louisan, is one of 30 members the 2023 JJ Greenberg Institute (JJGI) Fellowship for Rabbis and Senior Educators. The JJGI is part of Hadar, a modern Yeshivat in New York. Kaiman is the rabbi at Congregation Shearith Israel in Atlanta, Ga. He previously served as assis-

BROUGHT TO YOU THIS MONTH BY:

tant rabbi at B’nai Amoona.

Doug Kolker and Andy Schwartz have joined the board of directors of Conflux Co-Learning, the nation’s first co-learning space that exclusively serves manufacturers and distributors. Kolker is a partner and CPA at Wipfli; specializing in research and experimentation tax projects. He is a member of Shaare Emeth. Schwartz is president at AJ Adhesives, a distributor of industrial adhesives.

Former St. Louisan and cofounder of the online design magazine Sight Unseen, Jill Singer co-authored a new book entitled “How to Live with Objects A Guide to More Meaningful Interiors.” It is an anti-decorating book that champions a new approach to interiors — simply surround yourself with objects you love. The book acts as a primer on how to nurture one’s personal style and how to maximize the visual and emotional impact of an interior space.

Mitch Lefkowitz was recognized as the Administrator of the Year by the Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association for his support of his own soccer program as well as those in other districts. A member of Congregation Shaare Emeth, he is the athletic director at Rockwood Summit

School.

Rena Munster celebrated her first year opening Roots Acupuncture and Healing LLC in Richmond Heights. She serves teens through adults and is currently accepting new patients. Munster specializes in infertility and pregnancy support as well as helping patients who are suffering from Long COVID.

High

Munster is a member of Kol Rinah.

TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Vickie Shuchart, Dr. Ken Ludmerer, Dr. Jim Feigenbaum, Dr. Jenna Feigenbaum and Dr. Lawrence Feigenbaum

SECOND ROW: Damon Rich, Rabbi Ari Kaiman, Doug Kolker, Andy Schwartz and Jill Singer

Mitch Lefkowitz (above) was honored as Administrator of the Year by the Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Rena Munster

AJC survey: Half of Americans don’t know how many Jews died in the Holocaust

JNS REPORT

Only 53% of Americans over the age of 18 answered correctly that approximately six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, according to an American Jewish Committee public opinion survey released ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Friday.

“Lacking knowledge can open pathways to trivialization and denial of the Holocaust that can also contribute to rising antisemitism,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. “As we mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 78 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, it is imperative that Americans continue to learn about the most documented, planned genocide in modern history—the Nazi extermination of one-third of the Jewish people.”

Twenty percent of respondents to the AJC survey explicitly said they were not sure how many Jews died in the Shoah, 2% said fewer than one million, 13% chose approximately three million and 11% said

more than 12 million.

About three-fourths (76%) of respondents knew that the Holocaust occurred between 1930 and 1950. Ten percent were unsure of the time period while 1% said it was between 1890 and 1910. Ten percent chose between 1910 and 1930 while 2% said it took place between 1950 and 1970.

When asked how Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany, 39% correctly said it was through a democratic political process but 24% chose not sure. Thirty-four percent said he came to power by violently overthrowing the German government, 1% said it was through hereditary succession and 2% said it was by agreements with neighboring countries.

The great majority of respondents (85%) accurately described Auschwitz as a concentration and death camp for Jews. Twelve percent were not sure about its character, and 1% each said it was a school to train Germans in Nazi ideology, a political campaign designed by the Nazis, and a Jewish ghetto.

Only 26% of survey respondents

answered all four questions correctly, while 30% got three correct and 25% had two correct.

According to the AJC, education is a key factor in Americans’ knowledge of the Holocaust.

questions correctly, compared with just 17% of those who have a high school degree or less education.”

On the question of how many Jews were killed, 42% of those with a high school degree or less education correctly answered approximately six million, compared with 62% of those who have completed at least some college and 59% of college graduates. Additionally, 76% of those who have a high school degree or less education correctly answered the question on Auschwitz, compared with 89% of those who completed some college, and 91% of college graduates.

“Broadly, those who have completed higher levels of education (some college, college graduates, or more) are more knowledgeable than those who have a high school education or less,” the AJC found. “Overall, 34% of those with a college degree and 28% of those who have completed some college answered all four

The survey was conducted by the SSRS non-partisan public opinion research firm on a nationally representative sample of 1,004 general population adults ages 18 or older. It was included as part of a larger national AJC survey of the general U.S. population on antisemitism.

This survey—alongside an AJC poll of American Jews—will be available next month as part of the AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2022 report.

Listening: Diaspora minister gives first public comments in the US

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

Israeli journalist and TV presenter Miri Michaeli, Chikli said he believed it was a problem for Israel’s identity that a decreasing percentage of immigrants from the former Soviet Union are connected to Judaism and many of them don’t stay in Israel for very long.

But the new minister said any changes to Israel’s Law of Return would happen slowly and through a process that includes consultation with others.

“No one, no one is going to cancel the Law of Return, which is fundamental for the state of Israel,” Chikli said.

“We’re not saying we’re about to cancel Chapter Four tomorrow morning,” he said, referring to the amendment to the Law of Return that permits non-Jewish children and grandchildren to immigrate. “That’s not what’s going to happen. What’s going to happen is there’s going to be a committee to determine how can we deal with this serious challenge. And as you see when you go into the details, that’s a challenge. We need Israel to be a strong Jewish state, and we need to tackle this challenge, and we’re going to do it slow. We’re going to do it by listening to all.”

Chikli, who has previously made disparaging remarks about Reform Judaism and who has said the LGBTQ Pride flag is an antisemitic symbol, grew up and lives on a kibbutz founded by the Conservative movement of Judaism where three-quarters of voters backed left-wing parties in the most recent election. He said his government’s critics would do well to change how they form their opinions about the government.

“I think that maybe one tip is less Haaretz and New York Times, and more

by

Rabbi Michael Rovinsky

common sense and tachlis, what the government is actually doing,” Chikli said, referring to newspapers perceived as liberal and using the Hebrew word meaning details. “That’s it. We are proud to be Zionists. Me, myself, I’m proud to represent this government.”

Nearly 3,000 people, many of them Israelis living in America, are expected to attend the IAC’s summit in Austin this week. Chikli’s comments came during the opening day, when Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke to the summit via video message and acknowledged concerns around the new administration.

“It’s no secret that, since Israel’s most recent election, questions were raised by many of our friends around the world and in the United States,” Herzog said. “Our friends want to know that Israel will continue to carry the rich, ethical heritage on which our country was founded, that it will continue to stand for those values of democracy, liberty and equality, which are the animating force behind the United States and Israel alliance. So allow me to

reassure you that Israeli democracy is strong.”

Many of the events during the conference’s first day did not address the monthold government, its turmoil or the concern ricocheting across the world, including among many of Israel’s allies.

Ofer Krichman, an Israeli expat who works in finance and lives in New Jersey, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he had expected the new Israeli administration to be a bigger topic of conversation.

Instead, he said, he had conversations about “ideology, but based not on politics, based on Jews all around the world, antisemitism, how to cope with that, which is not business, but that’s a valid topic to discuss, and it’s a concerning topic.”

One of Chikli’s first acts was to extend his title to include a mandate to fight antisemitism. He says the movement to boycott Israel, known as BDS, is of particular concern to him. Noa Tishby, Israel’s first special envoy for combating antisemitism and delegitimization of Israel, also spoke during the summit’s first day.

The turmoil was on the minds of some attendees. Grinstein, the founder of the Reut Group, a nonpartisan Israeli policy think tank, told JTA that the relationship between Israel and world Jewry is at a pivotal moment.

“The new government represents a massive challenge to world Jewry on a number of counts,” Grinstein said. “First of all, the government handed responsibility over key touchpoints to world Jewry in Israel to the most radical factions of the government. … These things really make it structurally challenging for world Jewry to be as involved in Israel as they used to be.”

Those concerns offered an undercurrent during the first day of the conference. But the dominant vibe was simply on making business connections and meeting people.

Shani Gil, who works in real estate in the Los Angeles area, said she spent her first day at the conference going through the booths, mingling and handing out business cards.

“It’s an electric vibe in the air,” she said. “Everyone’s very excited.”

Lacking knowledge can open pathways to trivialization and denial of the Holocaust that can also contribute to rising antisemitism.

—

AJC CEO Ted Deutch

OPINIONS

D’VAR TORAH — PARASHAT BO

Pursuit of justice must include justice within our ranks

BY RABBI NOAH ARNOW

In the black and white photo, the couple looked comfortable, stylish even. They were Jews who lived in Berlin during the Shoah who betrayed the hiding places of other Jews to the Gestapo. The photo and just the briefest caption is part of an outdoor exhibition on Berlin during World War II at the Topography of Terror, a museum in Berlin on the site of what was Gestapo headquarters.

I’ve seen this photo twice now. The image, the story, but not their names, stick in my memory. They were killed, by someone, at some point, I think; I don’t remember by whom. What would justice have looked like for them? And who should have administered it?

Jews killing other Jews, or even just punishing Jews, would have been hard to stomach and could have brought sar-

donic joy to the Nazis. A midrash or legend on the ninth plague — darkness — speaks to this situation.

Many Israelites surely wanted to leave Egypt and slavery. Others probably had found ways of collaborating with the Egyptians to make a comfortable life for themselves at the expense of their Jewish brethren.

The midrash suggests that God was unwilling to redeem the sinning and collaborating Israelites but also unwilling to let them remain alive in Egypt. So God has a conundrum: “If I bring a plague upon these sinners in public, and they perish, the Egyptians will say, ‘Just as God brought plagues upon us, so does God bring them upon Israel.’ ”

Thus, the Egyptians would be able to say, “The plagues aren’t really targeting us!”

“Therefore,” the midrash says, “God

ONLINE A St. Louisan’s semester in Israel—in a 90 second video

Parkway Central High School junior Zoe Klevens spent the fall semester at the URJ Heller High School in Israel. On this program, she had school five days a week to learn Hebrew and Jewish/ Israel history, as well as attending other classes. She also volunteered every Friday. View her video, which features one second from every day of the four months she spent abroad. Included is everything from walking to class to visiting Auschwitz during a school trip to Poland.

stljewishlight.org/zoe-klevens

brought upon the Egyptians the plague of three days of darkness, during which the Israelite sinners perished, so that the Israelites could bury their dead and their enemies would not see them doing so, and Israel would praise God for this.”

God dispenses “divine justice” to these collaborators and spares the rest of the Israelites the embarrassment of needing to acknowledge to the Egyptians the guilty Israelites in their midst. God also prevents the Egyptians from ducking responsibility and saying that the plagues aren’t addressed to them, but are natural phenomena targeting everyone.

This midrash is about balancing justice and honesty: God wants justice but wants it kept quiet for the time being. The acknowledgement of the existence of disloyal Israelites would have been too much for everyone at that moment, much

Deserving of community’s thanks

The St. Louis Jewish community should honor a man of extraordinary piety, humility, and menschlichkeit who has selflessly helped countless Jewish families during one of the most difficult times of their lives: the burial of a loved one.

This man is my friend, Barry Needle, who recently retired as cemetery director for three Jewish cemeteries in or near University City. I have known Barry for more than 50 years since I met him when he was a leader of our Jewish Boy Scout Troop based in the Young Israel Synagogue, then on Groby Road, and was so kind to the boys.

I have watched him assist with funerals and comfort the mourners in his characteristic humble manner on many occasions. I have had wonderful visits with Barry in his office or elsewhere when we talked about the St. Louis Jewish history and other issues. I have witnessed his participation in a miracle of God to bury properly a Jewish man by himself in a downpour with no complaints about this or any assignment God gave him each day as he performed the great mitzvot of Kavod HaMet, Nichum Aveilim, and Chasdei Emet.

Rabbi Noah Arnow serves Kol Rinah and is a past president of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light.

like publicizing the existence of Nazicollaborating Jews would have been — and still feels — very painful.

While the impulse to cover over Jewish wrongdoing comes naturally, the Shoah and the Exodus are particular and specific. They should be the exceptions, not the rule.

Our usual tendency should be to expose to sunlight our internal communal embarrassments. This is how we honor those who have been victims of wrongdoing. We are not so fragile as not to be able to take it. If we want to be people, and a nation, who strive for justice, we have to seek justice within and for ourselves as well, and not only for others.

MORE ONLINE

Check out videos by Mia Kweskin (see related story above), as well as (pictured at right) Brady Meyerson, Celia Weingart, Yael Shaw, Ryan Hearst and Zoe Klevens as part of a new series supported by a generous grant from the Kranzberg Family Foundation. The Light engaged St. Louis young people, asking them to chronicle their Israel trip this summer by shooting a short video, or videos, of the sights, sounds, people and places that most impacted them.

stljewishlight.org/israel-videos

I also am grateful to my friend, Jim Singman, a wonderful, humble and caring man, who will be retiring from his position as manager of our holy cemetery on Price Road, Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol, and to his predecessors of blessed memory in this and other cemeteries. May God bless these humble men and women with all that is good.

Jordan B. Cherrick St. Louis

STL’s bagel history

Regarding St. Louis’ bagel history (“A brief history of bagels in St. Louis,” published on stljewishlight.org). Growing up in University City, the New York Bagelry

came to St. Louis in the ’60s, located in Jeffrey Plaza in U. City. I worked there. It was opened by three brothers (possibly a brother-in-law) who came from New York. Two of the brothers went back to New York, one stayed.

Not mentioned was Lichalters bakery located in downtown St. Louis, where my grandfather, Jake Pretsky and my great uncle, Max Feldman, worked for 40 years. Those bagels were thick and doughy, not like the ones we are now accustomed to.

Donna Weissberg Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

Kudos to ‘A paragon of excellence’

Regarding “Rachel Pevnick scrubbed her Caribbean vacation to honor husband, a Jewish War Veteran (published first on stljewishlight.org, Jan. 18, also included on page 4A of this edition) allow me to say kudos to Pevnick and her family for such a noble, magnanimous gesture, for donating a check for $10,000 in honor of Pevnick’s late husband, Ted, for his service in World War II.

I know Pevnick, and I must say she is one of the sweetest, most thoughtful, people I’ve ever met.

As a former member of the same synagogue to which Pevnick belongs, I can’t begin to mention how often she talked about the wonderful times she and her late husband shared together. Truly a love story for the ages.

Pevnick has made a great impact on her synagogue, and her tireless work, effort and dedication has won the plaudits of her congregation, and made her one of its most popular and beloved members.

In all aspects of her life, she has been a paragon of excellence.

I wish her many more years of good health and the happiness and joy she has brought to so many people.

Gene Carton Clayton

Thank you to faith leaders supporting the separation of church, state

BY STACEY NEWMAN

I’ll never forget a rabbi who testified before my House committee during the 2017 Extraordinary Emergency Session on Abortion called by then-Gov. Eric Greitens.

Rabbi Jonah Zinn, wearing his yarmulke, sat directly in front of me and explained the Reform Jewish perspective of abortion according to the Torah, to my predominately evangelical Christian fellow committee members.

I thought my colleagues’ heads were going to explode.

During my nine years in the legislature, I had become accustomed to hearing “Christian” points of view in hearings or debates, usually on reproductive health bills. As the sole Jewish House member in 2017, I was overjoyed to witness Rabbi Zinn’s teaching of an alternate religious view as we debated government mandates restricting women’s access to abortion.

I knew religion had no place in government, especially, no place in forcing state mandated pregnancy.

But there it was, stated in Missouri Revised Statute, Chapter 1.205 , passed in 1986, “the life of each human being begins at conception,” a value statement of which my Jewish faith, let alone the scientific/ medical community, strongly disagrees. In Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, 109 S. Ct.3040, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1989 purposefully declined to rule on the constitutionality of this section.

Most of us will insist that Missouri is wrong to impose “a state sanctioned religion,” but courts have been reluctant to intervene.

Last week, 13 Missouri interfaith leaders said now they must.

Clergy from six faith traditions filed suit challenging Missouri’s abortion bans as unconstitutionally imposing one narrow religious doctrine on all Missouri residents, violating the separation of church and state. The lawsuit, Rev. Traci Blackmon v. State of Missouri, accuses the

MARTY ROCHESTER

Missouri Legislature and Gov. Mike Parson of violating several sections of the Missouri Constitution, which prohibits state officials from favoring any religion or compelling people to support or participate in any religious activities or beliefs.

The groundbreaking lawsuit, the first of its kind in the nation in response to state abortion bans, was long overdue. Should one religious doctrine favored by extremist state legislators determine my ability to make my own reproductive health care decisions? Or yours?

No, it emphatically should not.

The HB126 abortion ban bill was sponsored by then-Rep. Nick Schroer, R-St. Charles County. Schroer, who is now a state senator, argued during bill debate: “As a Catholic, I do believe life begins at conception and that it is built into our legislative findings.”

He wasn’t the only one openly advocating for the state to enshrine a specific faith doctrine into a new law.

Then-Rep. Holly Rehder, R-Sikeston, also now a state senator, remarked on the House floor in support of HB126:

“God doesn’t give us a choice in this area. He is the creator of life. And I, being made in His image and likeness, don’t get to choose to take that away, no matter how that child came to be. To me, life begins at conception, and my God doesn’t give that option. … Psalms 119 says, ‘Your hands made me, and formed me.’ ”

Former House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, added to the debate.

“We believe fundamentally that the right to life in our state is so incredibly sacred and so incredibly sacrosanct,” he said.

They could not have been more blatant.

Rep. Ian Mackey, D-Clayton, warned them at the time on the House floor that they were violating the Missouri Constitution’s promise of church-state separation by codifying their religion and their God into the bill.

Whether you believe in a specific faith

tradition or perhaps none at all, the legislature and Parson have no business imposing their personal religious beliefs on the state.

For years, their right-wing Christian views disputed accredited medical science in hearings and floor debates in the State Capitol. It has become their standard operation today as the majority party in power controls every statewide office and both chambers of the legislature.

We’ve seen their mistrust of stem cell cures, medical technology advances, lifesaving vaccines and even attacks on public health policy, rooted in a particular religious doctrine seemingly in opposition to modern science.

Finally, 13 committed clergy members stood up and cried, “Enough.”

Representing Episcopalian, Orthodox Judaism, United Church of Christ, Reform Judaism, Unitarian Universalism and United Methodist traditions, the 13 plaintiffs said no to the Missouri abortion bans, which restrict bodily autonomy, deny equality and violate personal religious freedom.

I could not be prouder of our interfaith leaders, including five rabbis, who respect medical science as complimentary to their religious views, not in contradiction.

Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, summarized it best.

“The claim that life begins at conception is a statement of theological belief and that belief is explicitly not a Jewish one,” she said. “Our Jewish community has not only survived but flourished in America because of the civil liberties we have been afforded. The cornerstone of these liberties is the separation of church and state, including the right to abortion.”

I say amen and thank you, faith leaders. Amen.

How the left is redefining morality, legality and sanity

BY MARTY ROCHESTER

When I meet my liberal friends for coffee, I concede that the right is getting crazier and crazier. But I maintain this is partly in reaction to the left also getting crazier and crazier. How so?

The typical headlines one finds on the conservative College Fix website, news rarely ever reported by the mainstream media, defy what most Americans accept as moral and legal standards of behavior, not to mention sanity.

For example, check out the following items on Dec. 13:

• To access the “Students of Color Alliance Lounge” at Pomona College, an elite West Coast school, students must show that they are not white since the latter would violate “safe spaces.”

• Successful candidates applying for an economics professor position at Toronto Metropolitan University, a public institution in Canada, must identify as “African and African-American people from the Caribbean, Americas, or Europe,” that is, skin color determines hiring qualifications.

• Eighty-seven percent of students say “college is too difficult” even though surveys show over 70% of today’s students are studying less than 10 hours a week and 87% less than 15 hours a week. (Maitland Jones, professor of chemistry at New York

University, recently was fired for being too tough in terms of assigned workload and grading standards.)

• “About one in three Kansas students fails college algebra the first time around. Some take it several times before they pass. Others get so frustrated that they drop out altogether. And that cuts into university graduation rates,” NPR reports. Thus, the Kansas Board of Regents is considering eliminating the requirement.

• Fifty-three percent of U.S. college students feel “intimidated” in sharing opinions different from their classmates, and 58% feel “intimidated” in sharing opinions that differ from their professors.

There is nothing terribly unusual about these reports — they are now every day, commonplace happenings in academia — but they nonetheless represent increasingly crazy developments that never used to exist and that call into question the moral, legal, and sanity foundations of our culture. They are all driven by the left, and they reflect changes that are occurring both on and off campus.

I agree with Bill Maher ( Variety, Sept. 21) that “the biggest problem with the Democrats is their woke baggage . . . Stop talking about pregnant men and stuff that makes people go, ‘Who are these f_____ people? What are they talking about? Men don’t get pregnant.””

Maher (Deadline, Jan. 28) contends that

“the party of FDR and JFK” has become “the Looney Left” and “turned to LOL and WTF moments, where congresspeople talk of canceling rent and mortgages, canceling Lincoln and Dr. Seuss, and making Mr. Potato Head gender neutral, among other sins.”

Maintaining he is still a liberal despite his frequent criticism of liberals, Maher (Newsweek, March 10) says “I haven’t changed . . . at all. My politics haven’t changed. They’ve changed. . . Five years ago, no one was talking about defunding the police. . . Letting 3-year-olds decide what gender they are. This wasn’t something five years ago. Free speech, you know, used to be a left-wing thing that we were proud of and owned and now that seems to be under attack [from the left].”

Maher (Fox, Nov. 7) concludes, “The left has gone super-crazy with lots of s___ that the average American just never voted for, doesn’t recognize in this country, doesn’t want.”

I never thought I would agree with Bill Maher, since I consider him an anti-religious bigot and guilty of many hateful comments against various groups. However, I find his equal criticism of not only many contemporary conservative politicians but also many liberal politicians very cogent. He is absolutely on the mark.

In past op-eds, I have tried to call attention to the nuttiness of the left and how it is

J.

undermining our most basic principles (for example, the New York Times music critic who urged the elimination of blind, “behind the curtains” auditions for symphony orchestra applicants, since they were “unfair” in not producing enough “diversity” or the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History website that associated such things as “rational thought,” “hard work,” “self-reliance,” and “the nuclear family” with “whiteness” and thus inviting racism).

I will continue to call out insanity in our politics and culture when I see it. If I seem inclined to do so far more on the left than the right, it is not that the latter is undeserving of criticism, only that I am trying to balance the scales in these pages. I wish all of us would be more willing to recognize and speak up about what is wrong with the direction the country is going in, whether from the left or the right.

Martin Rochester, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, is the author of 10 books on international and American politics.

Stacey Newman, a former Missouri state representative, is the executive director of ProgressWomen, a statewide social justice group focused on justice and equality issues.

Maharat Rori Picker Neiss speaks at a press conference Jan. 19 at the Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in downtown St. Louis, announcing a lawsuit challenging Missouri’s abortion ban.

PHOTO: STACY NEWMAN

2022-2023 Ohr Chadash

Teen Page Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Molly Levine

Staff members:

Alissa Barnholtz

Noam Buch

Benjamin Kruger

Maya Sagett

Daniel Shanker

Avital Vorobeychik

Ella Wertman

Advisor: Caroline Goldenberg

Israeli officer welcomed to community with special gift

BY DANIEL SHANKER

Major Elad, a pilot in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), spent a year in St. Louis on a personal mission: He and his family sought treatment for his 6-year-old daughter, who has cerebral palsy.

But St. Louis gave him much more than just medical help.

Elad and his family planned to stay in St. Louis for six weeks. However, as his daughter’s treatment progressed, they realized they needed to stay for nearly a year.

“When my family and I came to St. Louis, being a very social family, we shared our story with the people of this beautiful community,” Elad said. “We met so many kind people with open hearts. People that understood our goal for our daughter and for our children.”

Community members began inviting Elad’s family for Shabbat meals. Ethan and Debbie Schuman were one family who welcomed the Israelis into their home.

“I came with my family to the Schumans, and we started talking about history, family, Israel, politics, Judaism,” Elad said. “I told Ethan that I came from a traditional family, but myself—I’m not a religious man. [But] I do love the traditions. I do believe in the common intent of people, thinking positive things together and intending [to do] good.”

During their conversation, Schuman stumbled across a realization: Elad had not brought his tefillin and tallit to the states.

“First of all, I don’t use them every day, only when I go to the synagogue from time to time,” Elad explained. “[Secondly] because I [intended to] come here for six weeks. I only came here with two half-empty suitcases, so the tefillin and the tallit stayed in Israel. I guess [Schuman’s] wheels started turning and thinking, ‘Maybe there’s an opportunity here.’”

A few weeks after this conversation, Elad’s wife encouraged him to attend Shabbat davening at Young Israel.

“Rabbi (Moshe) Shulman (of Young Israel) started

talking about the tzitzit, and the light blue color, the tzevat techeilet, that was in the tallit,” Elad said. “Then, he said, ‘I want to tell you about this young man who is here with his family from Israel for treatment for his daughter.’”

Shulman explained to congregants that Elad was without his tallit and tefillin. He had received this information from community members.

“Some of the people of the community, [led by] Ethan Schuman, approached [Rabbi Shulman], saying, ‘Elad is here, he doesn’t have his tallit. He doesn’t have his tefillin. Let’s do something together and fix this situation,’” Elad said.

After being met with this abundance of warmth and kindness, Elad had only one way to describe how he felt.

“When a group of people have pure and meaningful intentions directed in the same direction, great things happen,” Elad said.

There is another layer to the story, though, one that is very personal to Elad.

“What none of the people around knew is that my

grandfather passed away just 30 days earlier,” Elad said. “[He] was the source of the tradition in my family. He was shomer Shabbat and was very educated in the bible, and he is, in fact, the man who prepared me for my bar mitzvah. He bought me first tallit and tefillin and showed me how to use them.”

As Elad received his new tallit from Shulman, he could not help but feel a connection to his grandfather.

“When I approached Rabbi Shulman to accept the tallit, I hugged him. At the same time, I hugged my grandfather,” Elad said. “It was beyond this world. It was very, very emotional.”

After 10 months, Elad’s family returned to Israel in July of 2022 with fond memories of their time in St. Louis.

“I had a lot of friends from the community calling me back and saying, ‘Wow, this story is amazing,’” Elad said. “This is something that will remain with me forever. There’s nothing I can do now—St. Louis is a part of me, and I am a part of this community.”

LEFT: Major Elad and Ethan Schuman in an IDF Apache helicopter in Israel. Elad’s face is blurred for his security.

ABOVE: The tefilat haderech, the pre-travel prayer, printed inside an Apache helicopter. The IDF requires all vehicles to be equipped with it.

Major Elad seated in an Apache helicopter.

New literary

will share stories of St. Louis’ Jewish students

BY DANIEL SHANKER AND AVITAL VOROBEYCHICK

The St. Louis Jewish community includes individuals from many different backgrounds who hold diverse perspectives and beliefs. With such diversity comes the perfect opportunity for individuals to share their story.

Enter the Machshava Literary Magazine. The Machshava is the St. Louis Jewish literary magazine headed by high schoolers at Yeshivat Kadimah High School: a division of Epstein Hebrew Academy (EHA). The publication offers St. Louis Jewish students the opportunity to build a magazine consisting of their original art, fictional short stories, poems and divrei Torah, inspired by the theme, “Time flies when you’re having fun!”

“The goal is to create something that brings people together,” said Itta Boyko, the principal of EHA and an advisor for the Machshava. “The Machshava isn’t specific to just the kids in our building, but it is really reaching out and bringing together Jewish teens and children, compiling [their] work into one magazine and sharing it with the community.”

Advising the Machshava gives Boyko an occasion to interact with her students in a non-classroom setting.

“With this being my first year [as principal] of Kadimah, it’s another opportunity for me to get involved with [students] outside of the classroom,” Boyko said.

Devorah Haspel, a sophomore at Kadimah, is the head of design for the Machshava

“I love being able to put my thoughts into my work and be creative while still working towards a goal,” Haspel said. “People are separated, especially between schools. [The Machshava] brings the whole community together, instead of remaining apart.”

As a community-wide publication, the Machshava aims to connect students throughout the St. Louis Jewish community.

“There are a million things that we do within our own walls, so why not do something outside of our walls?” Boyko said. “[It’s important] to recognize that our community isn’t just one school or one bubble that we live in.”

For Haspel, it is very special that the Machshava is a uniting force in St. Louis.

“[We get] to create a magazine full of works of art and literature for the Jewish community—[and] bring everyone togeth-

er,” Haspel said.

When readers flip through their free copy of the Machshava, they will see the work of fellow community Jews from all affiliations, side by side.

The students at Kadimah know how significant that is to the community.

“We have a really great group of kids who understand the importance of what

they’re doing and are dedicated to ulti mately putting together a great piece,” Boyko said. “They are willing to work for it.”

The Machshava is open for submissions to all Jewish students in St. Louis, from preschool through 12th grade. Submissions are due by Feb. 10, and written pieces should be no more than 1,500

words. Submissions must include name, grade, school and mailing address and should be sent as a Google Doc to litmag@eha.org. To request a free copy of Machshava, go to eha.org/ machshava.

JEWISH LITE

JEWISH CROSSWORD PUZZLE

By Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com

21. Famous Geller (not from “Friends”)

22. Tapuach partner in Tishrei

24. Flim-___

28. Words after “Let” in a Disney hit song

31. Hamisrad

34. Gan Eden resident

36. Regret

37. Awarder of America’s oldest pro-sports trophy

38. Fish that can be electric

39. “L’chaim!”

42. Gaming cube

43. Major sports league Down Under, for short

44. Abbreviation for Potter on 1-Across

45. Steak selection

47. Zemanim Tovim

51. 37 and 43- Across, e.g.

52. Former Montreal athlete

53. Many men wear them on Shabbat

Follow us on social media & stay up to date on STL Jewish news!

55. Can. neighbor

58. Antelope that doesn’t sound old?

59. Thin battery

62. Banot HaZahav

67. Senator Klobuchar

68. Reade’s pharmacy partner

69. Many men wear them on Shabbat

70. He wrote “The Raven”

71. Color of maple syrup

72. “Monit!”

Down

1. The Passover sacrifice, e.g.

2. “___ Well That Ends Well”

3. Product of some worms

4. “Bali ___” (“South Pacific” song)

5. Big shot with the bucks

6. Bring up again, as an issue

7. Jerusalem to Mumbai dir.

8. Some fake meat

9. Box with 10. Sab. starts on it

11. Chanukah liquid

12. Gentile

17. 11 of 12: Abbr.

18. Annoy or vex

22. Ber of Mezeritch preceder

23. A Great Miracle Happened

25. Francisco of the Mets 26. Quite sore 27. Scuffles

SUBMIT YOUR SIMCHA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FREE!

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT: ASHER MILES SOLARZ SHULTZ-WAECKERLE WEDDING

Jane Tzinberg Rubin and Ken Rubin of Frontenac announce the birth of a grandson, Asher Miles Solarz, in September 2022 at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Asher’s parents are Jessica Rubin and Ben Solarz of San Francisco. Other grandparents are Julie and Al Solarz of Ryebrook N.Y. He is the great-grandson of Shirley and the late Marvin Tzinberg, and the late Maurine and Mahlon Rubin, all of St. Louis.

Asher has one sibling, Ella Rose Solarz, who is 3 years old.

Melissa Shultz, daughter of William and Florence Shultz of Chesterfield, and Brian Waeckerle, son of William and Lisa Waeckerle of Chesterfield, were married Oct. 29, 2022 at The Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. Rabbi Daniel Bogard officiated.

Melissa is the granddaughter of the late Irving and Irma Shultz of Leawood, Kan., and the late Frank and Carolyn LaPlaca of Chicago.

Brian is the grandson of the late William and Ann Waeckerle of St. Louis, and the late Robert and Betty Lee Hickok of St. Charles.

Brian and Melissa both grew up in Chesterfield no further than a 10-minute drive from each other’s houses. Attending different Parkway schools, it wasn’t until they both attended the University of Missouri that their paths would cross for the first time.

Melissa caught Brian’s eye the first time they met their junior year of college as Melissa’s red Mitsubishi Outlander slid helplessly down a hill in front of her

apartment during a snowstorm. He and his friends leaped into action and stopped her from crashing into another car. Not knowing this would be the first encounter with the person they would spend the rest of their lives with, the two continued on with their pursuits in a Bachelor of Civil Engineering, and a Bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Flash forward seven years and both have graduated from Mizzou, Brian continues his career at L. Keeley Construction and Melissa has graduated with a doctorate and is a CRNA for Metro-West Anesthesia. They bought a house in St. Louis, and Brian bought a dog without really speaking to Melissa about it first (She now calls this her dog).

In March of 2021, Brian brought Melissa to Forest Park and asked her to spend the rest her life with him.

After their wedding, Melissa and Brian honeymooned in Antigua. The couple resides in St. Louis.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT: CHARLOTTE NORA PORTMAN

Stuart and Rachel Portman of Washington, D.C. would like to announce the birth of their daughter, Charlotte Nora Portman, on Dec. 25, 2022, weighing 7 pounds and ½ ounce.

TRIBUTES

JULIE FRANKEL

“Congratulations

- Michael Askuvich & Margie Gold -

Charlotte is the granddaughter of Ron and the late Marsha Portman of St. Louis, and Steven and Michal Soclof of Cleveland.

“My

condolences

- Craig MaerJOHN WEISS “In memory of John Weiss.”

CASSELL-LEWIS WEDDING

Haleah Cassell and Tyler Lewis were married Nov. 5, 2022 at the 9th Street Abbey in Soulard, where Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg of United Hebrew Congregation officiated.

Haleah is the daughter of Stacy Safron and Robbie Cassell of St. Louis. Tyler is the son of Debbie and Randy Lewis of Tampa, Fla.

The couple resides in Alexandria, Va.

- Bethe & Gary Growe -

PHOTO: TANYA KANO/LUNU PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLEY PIEPER PHOTOGRAPHY

Live You Have to Hear It

Lawsuit: 13 Missouri faith leaders sue to overturn abortion ban

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

unconstitutional.”

Abortion is banned in Missouri except in cases of medical emergencies. Missouri law makes performing an abortion a felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison. Medical professionals who perform abortions could lose their licenses.

The lawsuit points to several examples where religious beliefs were mentioned by legislators in discussing abortion bans.

Former Rep. Nick Schroer, a Republican from St. Charles County who sponsored House Bill 126, stated that “as a Catholic, I do believe life begins at conception, and that is built into our legislative findings.” Schroer is now a member of the Missouri Senate.

Bill co-sponsor Ben Baker, R-Newton County in southwest Missouri, said, “From the one-cell stage at the moment of conception, you were already there. … And what makes you valuable is that you equally share the image of our Creator. You are His work of art. And the masterpiece of your life will only happen if you allow it to develop.”

And then-Rep. Holly Thompson Rehder, a Republican from Sikeston who is now a state senator, asserted: “(God) is the creator of life. And I, being made in his image and likeness, don’t get to choose to take that away, no matter how that child came to be. To me, life begins at conception, and my God doesn’t give that option.”

The religious leaders are asking the court to issue a permanent injunction striking down Missouri’s abortion ban. The lawsuit argues that HB 126 and earlier statutes and regulations restricting abortion violate provisions of the Missouri Constitution that prohibit state officials from compelling people to support or participate in any religious activities or beliefs, favoring any particular religion or using public money to support religion.

“I was honored to be able to join this case because I have profound concerns about the way religious views have been enacted into law, particularly in Missouri,”

said Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council and one of the plaintiffs. “I think it is critical for all people, but especially state leaders, to speak out and say not all of our religious views are being represented and that none of our religious views should be the law of the land for an entire group of people.”

Along with Picker Neiss, the other Jewish clergy plaintiffs are Rabbis Jim Bennett and Andrea Goldstein of Congregation Shaare Emeth, Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation and Rabbi Doug Alpert of Congregation Kol Ami in Kansas City. Other religious faiths represented by the plaintiffs include Episcopalian, United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalism and United Methodist. One plaintiff is also a state legislator.

Laser said that since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in June, her organization has wanted to challenge the decision under religious freedom protections.

“The question was where to start, what state would demonstrate such a clear violation and had very strong religious freedom protections,” she said. “And with Missouri, we hit the jackpot.”

However, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, vowed “to defend the right to life with every tool at my disposal,” adding, “I want Missouri to be the safest state in the nation for children, and that includes unborn children.”

While other states, including Indiana and Kentucky, have filed religious freedom lawsuits challenging abortion restrictions, Laser said the Missouri lawsuit is different because it violates the state constitution and should be nullified.

Denise Lieberman, a local lawyer in the case, said: “A lot of people don’t realize that Missouri’s constitutional protections are stronger and more protective of individual freedoms than the U.S. Constitution and protects the separation of church and state more strongly. And that is critical protection for Missouri citizens.”

Listening: Diaspora minister gives first public comments in US

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

Israelis living in America, are expected to attend the IAC’s summit in Austin this week. Chikli’s comments came during the opening day, when Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke to the summit via video message and acknowledged concerns around the new administration.

“It’s no secret that, since Israel’s most recent election, questions were raised by many of our friends around the world and in the United States,” Herzog said. “Our friends want to know that Israel will continue to carry the rich, ethical heritage on which our country was founded, that it will continue to stand for those values of democracy, liberty and equality, which are the animating force behind the United States and Israel alliance. So allow me to reassure you that Israeli democracy is strong.”

Many of the events during the conference’s first day did not address the monthold government, its turmoil or the concern ricocheting across the world, including among many of Israel’s allies.

Ofer Krichman, an Israeli expat who works in finance and lives in New Jersey, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he had expected the new Israeli administration to be a bigger topic of conversation.

Instead, he said, he had conversations about “ideology, but based not on politics, based on Jews all around the world, antisemitism, how to cope with that, which is not business, but that’s a valid topic to

discuss, and it’s a concerning topic.”

One of Chikli’s first acts was to extend his title to include a mandate to fight antisemitism. He says the movement to boycott Israel, known as BDS, is of particular concern to him. Noa Tishby, Israel’s first special envoy for combating antisemitism and delegitimization of Israel, also spoke during the summit’s first day.

The turmoil was on the minds of some attendees. Grinstein, the founder of the Reut Group, a nonpartisan Israeli policy think tank, told JTA that the relationship between Israel and world Jewry is at a pivotal moment.

“The new government represents a massive challenge to world Jewry on a number of counts,” Grinstein said. “First of all, the government handed responsibility over key touchpoints to world Jewry in Israel to the most radical factions of the government. … These things really make it structurally challenging for world Jewry to be as involved in Israel as they used to be.”

Those concerns offered an undercurrent during the first day of the conference. But the dominant vibe was simply on making business connections and meeting people.

Shani Gil, who works in real estate in the Los Angeles area, said she spent her first day at the conference going through the booths, mingling and handing out business cards.

“It’s an electric vibe in the air,” she said. “Everyone’s very excited.”

NJT mounts superb production of Neil Simon’s ‘Broadway Bound’

BY GERRY KOWARSKY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

The New Jewish Theatre has begun its season with a superb staging of Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound.”

The play is the third installment of Simon’s autobiographical Eugene Trilogy. In 2019, NJT presented the trilogy’s first play, “Brighton Beach Memoirs.” It received St. Louis Theater Circle awards for outstanding production of a comedy and set design.

NTJ’s “Broadway Bound” reunites the director, three actors and three designers from “Brighton Beach Memoirs.”

Simon’s trilogy is based on the playwright’s adolescence and early adulthood. His alter ego, Eugene Morris Jerome, is a teenager in “Brighton Beach Memoirs.” “Biloxi Blues” covers his basic training during World War II. No one else in Eugene’s family appears in “Biloxi Blues,” so NJT’s decision to omit this part of the trilogy is understandable.

“Broadway Bound” takes place in 1949.

3 ways local arts groups are making changes for the better

BY NANCY KRANZBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

There are many special and unique art programs in our city. I’d like to highlight three that I believe are making positive changes. Things don’t happen overnight, but I’ve been around long enough to see some wonderful change coming from the work of a few great people and institutions.

The three programs are the Romare Bearden Graduate Museum Fellowship at the St. Louis Art Museum, Jazz St. Louis’s hiring of Keyon Harrold as its creative advisor, and St. Louis Story Stitchers founded and run by Susan Colangelo.

Past Director of the St. Louis Art Museum Brent Benjamin says, “Nearly 30 years ago, donors Adelaide and Daniel Schlafly had the foresight to establish, and later partially endow, the Romare Bearden Graduate Museum Fellowship. The Schlaflys wanted to ensure that early career professionals who were underrepresented in the art museum field had an opportunity to gain work experience that would position them to pursue professional positions in art museums nationally. The graduates of this program went on to work in museums, the arts, and academia.”

Renee Franklin, chief diversity officer at the St. Louis Art Museum, says the fellows work across the entire museum and can actually see curators and other professionals at work and can begin to plan their career paths.

The Bearden Fellowship provides a comprehensive salary and benefits package, comparable to that of an entry level museum position in the St. Louis region, as well as financial support for professional development and travel. Because SLAM recruits from a national pool of applicants, the fellowship also provides financial support for relocation to St. Louis.

Eugene is back at his family’s Brooklyn home, which he shares with his parents, older brother and grandfather.

‘Broadway Bound’

WHEN: Through Feb. 5

WHERE: New Jewish Theatre’s Wool Studio Theater in the Jewish Community Center’s Arts & Education Building, 2 Millstone Campus Drive

HOW MUCH: $49–$54

MORE INFO: Call 314-442-3283 or visit newjewishtheatre.org

Eugene and his brother Stan are aspiring comedy writers. They spend much of the first act trying to write a sketch as an audition piece for a job at CBS. At one point, Stan asks, “What’s the essential ingredient in every good sketch we’ve ever seen?” He answers his own question: “Conflict.” It is an essential ingredient in “Broadway Bound,” too.

The sketch Eugene and Stan are writing is a huge source of conflict between them. The writing process is agonizing for the brothers but fun for the audience to watch. In the second act, Eugene and Stan discov-

Susan Colangelo considers herself a social justice artist. As founder and executive director of the Story Stitchers Artist Collective, she has brought very positive attention to our city. The charitable organization is known for its high quality and innovative practices in creative youth development and gun violence prevention.

Collective artists work alongside 20 African American young adults (ages 16 to 20) living in urban economically disadvantaged areas to collect stories, reframe and retell them using the arts and storytelling to promote a

See ARTS on page 9B

For more of Nancy Kranzberg’s commentary, listen to KWMU (90.7) St. Louis on the Air the first Friday of each month at approximately 12:50 p.m.

She also hosts a weekly Arts Interview podcast for KDHX (88.1), available at artsinterview.kdhxtra.org.

Spencer Kruse and Jacob Flekier in the New Jewish Theatre production of ‘Broadway Bound,’ which runs through Feb. 5. PHOTOS: JON GITCHOFF

Jenni Ryan and Chuck Brinkley(abo ve) and Chistina Rios (below) in ‘Broadway Bound.’

CAMP MICAH

shirleegreenpreschool.org

Camp Micah is a Jewish day camp for children aged four and younger. Located on the campus of Congregation Shaare Emeth and designed just for young children, Camp Micah is the place for messy artists, burgeoning physicists, outdoor trekkers, young explorers, and for best friends to meet. Our campers are invited to innovate, create, and turn imaginings into stuff they can hold, all within a Jewish context. Build-a-Thon 2023 is dedicated to the art of imagination and invention! It all leads up to The Big Reveal on the final day of camp where campers get to share their creations. Contact Brandi Cartwright for more information.

SESSION DATES: JUNE 12 - AUGUST 10

11645 Ladue Road, St. Louis, MO 63141 bcartwright@sestl.org

314 · 569 · 0048

CAMP + EDUCATION SUMMER PROGRAM GUIDE

SUMMER AT WHITFIELD

whitfieldschool.org/about/summer-programs

Summer at Whitfield offers a variety of engaging and enriching camp options, including Camp Whitfield, Sports Camps, and Summer Session (for middle school-aged campers). Be it on the court, in the art studio, or in the science lab, campers are guided by Whitfield’s fabulous faculty and coaches through new challenges, team building, and fun! Visit our website to find details and updates about all of our camps!

REGISTRATION WILL OPEN MARCH 1

175 South Mason Road, St. Louis, MO 63141 314 · 434 · 5141

FIT LEARNING ACADEMIC SUMMER CAMP

fitlearningstl.com/academic-summer-camp-st-louis/

Fit Learning’s academic summer camp can get your child the accelerated learning help they need to be ready to start their new grade in the fall. Fit’s unique (and fun!) method works for children of ALL ages and abilities, including those with diagnoses such as dyslexia, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Learners gain an average of 1-2 grade levels in just 40 hours. Fit offers 1:1 instruction in reading, expressive writing, math, logic, and kindergarten readiness. Contact Janice, Director of Fit Learning St. Louis, and learn more about Fit’s academic summer camp.

314 · 246 · 0540 janice@fitlearningstl.com

CAMP BEN FRANKEL campbenfrankel.org

Camp Ben Frankel is a small camp that welcomes campers from all Jewish backgrounds. We have a reputation for high quality: programming with 100+ activities, experienced counselors (avg age 21), and award-winning leadership. CBF is located less than two hours from St. Louis in the picturesque Shawnee National Forest near Carbondale, IL. We value being welcoming and inclusive while creating a warm Jewish environment full of fun. Ask us about grants of up to $1000 for first time campers!

618 · 235 · 1614

info@campbenfrankel.org

CAMP + EDUCATION

SUMMER AT SLU

slu.edu/summer-and-extended-studies

What kind of summer do you want your family to have? Whatever your answer is, you’ll find it at Saint Louis University. SLU offers camps and academies for Pre-K through high school students. From diving into creative arts to immersive experiences in our STEM programs, there is bound to be something that sparks your family’s interest and leads to their best summer yet.

summer@slu.edu

314 · 977 · 3534

COCA SUMMER ARTS CAMP

cocastl.org/summer-arts-camps/

Ignite your creativity at COCA Summer Arts Camps! Campers have the opportunity to learn and experience new things, build their skills, and—most importantly—have fun. Choose from camps in singing, dancing, acting, visual art, cooking, circus, filmmaking, fashion, and more, taught by our talented teaching artists who also work professionally as exhibiting artists or performers. At COCA, we pride ourselves on offering some of the most creative Summer Arts Camps for kids and teens.

6880 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63130

314 · 725 · 6555

J DAY CAMP jccstl.com/daycamps

Make new friends and learn new skills! J Day Camps gives campers options on their activities –sports, arts, gymnastics and more. Plus, ON-SITE SWIMMING! 78% of campers improved swim skills. We’re at two convenient locations – Creve Coeur and Chesterfield. ELEVEN weeks of camps and programs for kids ages 3-8th grade. 84% of campers rated our staff as excellent or very good. Lunch option available. Early Bird registration through February 28. ACA accredited.

314 · 442 · 3432

SLAD

stlouisdance.com

We are thrilled to present our 2023 Summer Intensive! SLAD’s Summer Intensive is open to all dancers ages 8 and up and offers a wide variety of techniques and styles taught by teachers from across the country! For 3-6 year olds, take a look at our pre dance classes, which consist of a combination of basic ballet and tap, incorporating creative movement, gross motor skills, rhythm, and musicality training, culminating with fun dance games!

9310 Olive Blvd, Olivette, MO 63132

314 · 991 · 1663

CAMP SABRA campsabra.com

Camp Sabra is the perfect place for a joyous, Jewish summer camp. Our campers spend their days wakeboarding, ziplining, tubing and more. Now more than ever, our children need a place where they can connect with their friends. Whether it is singing around a campfire or getting out of their comfort zone on the ropes course, our campers make memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. For questions, contact our director, Kim Holtzman Sloan.

314-442-3151

Band • Chamber Music • Composition

Flute • Kindermusik• Songwriting String Orchestra

2023 Summer Camps

Chess Summer Camps are the perfect way to introduce the game of chess to new students, deepen understanding of the game for established players, or offer intensive instruction for aspiring chess masters. Grandmaster instructors provide daily lessons, puzzles, and play to help guide students through each session. Full and half-day camps are available for ages 6-14. Camps will be held weekly from May - July 2023 at various locations throughout Saint Louis.

COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL OF WEBSTER UNIVERSTIY webster.edu/cms

Make music this summer! Little ones 6 months – 5 years can play and sing at our weekly Kindermusik® family camp. Older children can choose from flute camp, string orchestra camp, chamber music encounter, band camp, popular songwriting, summer composition intensive, and the Clazz String Intensive. The Community Music School also offers a 6-week summer session of individual lessons for all ages - a great way to start a new instrument!

314 · 968 · 5939 cms@webster.edu

CAMP + EDUCATION

GRAND CENTER ARTS ACADEMY grandcenterartsacademy.org

Okay, I like it Picasso! Grand Center Arts Academy’s summer arts camp is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students to explore their creativity in the heart of Grand Center Arts District. Industry professionals teach interactive courses in instrumental and vocal music, theater, dance and visual arts. Choose between one- or two-week camps. ALL students entering grades 5 - 12. $40 materials fee.

SESSION DATES: JULY 10 - 21

711 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103 314 · 533 · 1791

SHOCK CITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

shockcityschool.com

Shock City School of Music provides a superior level of music instruction that is personalized, engaging, and fun. We empower students of all ages and abilities to create, explore, develop, play, and record by providing a safe, inspiring, and welcoming environment. With PRIVATE AND GROUP LESSONS and KINDERMUSIK CLASSES, there is a music program for everyone! Shock City offers lessons in piano, guitar, bass guitar, organ, ukulele, voice, saxophone, trumpet, drums, and more! Enroll today and enhance your love of music for a lifetime.

7401 Hazel Ave, Maplewood, MO 63143 314 · 750 · 9395

ST. LOUIS CHESS CLUB SUMMER CAMPS

stlchessclub.org/chesscamps

Chess Summer Camps are the perfect way to introduce the game of chess to new students, deepen understanding of the game for established players, or offer intensive instruction for aspiring chess masters. Grandmaster instructors provide daily lessons, puzzles, and play to help guide students through each session. Full and half-day camps available for ages 6-14 and will be held at various locations in Saint Louis.

WEEKLY

COMMUNITY SCHOOL SUMMER CAMPS

communityschool.com/camp

Play, learn, and create on Community School’s beautiful 18-acre campus this summer. Camps are available for children aged 3 through eighth grade and include full- and half-day options. Choose from dozens of activities led by experienced faculty and partners from STAGES, COCA, Hi-NRG Gymnastics, Mad Science of St. Louis, and more. Programming also includes Community’s signature FUNdamentals camp to help children fight the summer slump in August. Camps have limited enrollment, so register today!

900 Lay Road, St. Louis, MO 63124 314 · 991 · 0005

CAMP REP repstl.org/camp

Experience all the magic of theatre at Camp Rep this summer! Camp Rep is unlike any other theatre camp in town. Our campers will experience a two-week artistic immersion which culminates in a creative showcase for families to see. With instruction from some of the region’s leading teaching artists, campers will take classes on Broadway dance, acting, music, creative storytelling, and more. Camp Rep is an excellent opportunity to introduce youth to the benefits of arts education and performance. Each camper will have the opportunity to perform, be celebrated and thrive.

2 SESSIONS: JULY 10-21 + JULY 24 – AUG 4

130 Edgar Road St. Louis, Missouri 63119 314 · 968 · 7340

LOOKING FOR SUMMER FUN?

Summer at Whitfield offers a variety of ENGAGING and ENRICHING camp options, including Camp Whitfield, Sports Camps, and Summer Session (for middle school-aged campers).

Be it on the COURT , in the ART STUDIO , or in the SCIENCE LAB , campers are guided by Whitfield’s fabulous faculty and coaches through NEW CHALLENGES , TEAM-BUILDING and FUN !

CAMP EMETH campemeth.org

Camp Emeth is an eight-week Jewish day camp located on the grounds of Congregation Shaare Emeth for campers entering grades K-8. Our campers have summers that last a lifetime, participating in swimming, arts and crafts, Israel programming, music, shiur (Jewish lessons), chuggim (electives), field trips, spirit days, and so much more. They learn new skills, make new friends, and enjoy traditional and innovative camp activities. Our goal is to provide a safe, nurturing camp environment where children can learn about their world, discover their strengths, and feel connected to our community in the context of Reform Judaism. Contact Laura Horton for more information.

S e SS ion D ate S :

J une 12 - a ugu S t 4

11645 Ladue Road St. Louis, MO 63141

LHorton@sestl.org

314 · 692 · 5362

CAMP + EDUCATION

STAGES PREFORMING ARTS ACADEMY stagesstlouis.org

STAGES Performing Arts Academy offers an exciting variety of Musical Theatre camps, workshops, and productions for students of all ages and abilities. Act, dance, and sing all Summer long while learning new skills and techniques. Classes include Musical Minis, STAGES Stars, Act It Out, Improv: On the Spot, Ace Your Audition, and more! And don’t miss out on the Broadway Performance Workshops of Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS, The Spongebob Musical: Youth Edition, Dreamland, and Head Over Heels. It’s all at STAGES Performing Arts Academy this Summer. Call or visit our website to register today!

1023 Chesterfield Pkwy E, Chesterfield, MO 63017 636 · 449 · 5775

Fit Learning Summer Camp

Unique approach works for learners of ALL ages and abilities (gifted/talented, average, ADHD, dyslexia, learning disabilities, autism)

• Programs in reading, math, critical thinking, expressive writing, and kindergarten readiness

Average growth of 1-2 grade levels after 40 hours

• Fun, engaging 1:1 method boosts self-confidence (and there are prizes!)

Attend up to 10 hours per week

fitlearningstl.com

(314) 246-0540

10425 Old Olive St Rd, LL4, Creve Coeur, 63141 janice@fitlearningstl.com

"I WISH HE COULD SPEND THE "I WISH HE COULD SPEND THE WHOLE SUMMER WITH WHOLE SUMMER WITH YOU...BECAUSE I KNOW HE IS YOU BECAUSE I KNOW HE IS TTHRIVING" HRIVING"

-SARA EVANSTON -SARA EVANSTON

"CAMP MADE MY DAUGHTER "CAMP MADE MY DAUGHTER FEEL RESPECTED AND FEEL RESPECTED AND INCLUDED...CAMP BEN INCLUDED...CAMP BEN FRANKEL HAS GIVEN HER A FRANKEL HAS GIVEN HER A SENSE OF BELONGING" SENSE OF BELONGING"

--ANONYMOUS ANONYMOUS

"HE MADE GREAT FRIENDS "HE MADE GREAT FRIENDS AND WAS IMMEDIATELY AND WAS IMMEDIATELY ASKING IF HE COULD GO ASKING IF HE COULD GO BACK NEXT SUMMER" BACK NEXT SUMMER"

ALL 2023 CAMPS AND PROGRAMS FEATURED IN THIS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION WILL ALSO BE HIGHLIGHTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND IN OUR DAILY DIGITAL NEWSLETTER . DON’T GET THE MORNING LIGHT?

"THE BEST THING TO HAVE "THE BEST THING TO HAVE HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILY" HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILY"

LEAH

"THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY "THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY BUILD WITH OUR CHILDREN BUILD WITH OUR CHILDREN MAKE A LASTING MAKE A LASTING IIMPRESSION." MPRESSION "

"MY CHILD TRIED NEW "MY CHILD TRIED NEW ACTIVITIES THAT HE WOULD ACTIVITIES THAT HE WOULD NEVER TRY AT HOME" NEVER TRY AT HOME"

--ANONYMOUS ANONYMOUS

Ages 7-17

Makanda, IL campbenfrankel.org

HOUSTON LEAH, HOUSTON

OBITUARIES

MORTON DAVID BARON, January 22, 2023

Beloved husband of Norma Baron; dear father of Mimi Baron Jankovits (Rabbi Yossi), Rabbi Yehoshua Baron (Tovi), and Michael Baron; dear grandfather of Sophie, Dooli, Huvi, Mollie, Diti, Batshevi, and Yaakov; dear brother of the late Charles Baron (late Betty) and the late Harold Baron (Paula); dear uncle, cousin, and friend to many.

A graveside service was held January 23, 2023 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Road. Memorial contributions preferred to the charity of your choice. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

NONA RAE OKSNER BARTH passed away on January 20, 2023.

She was the loving wife of the late Manuel Barth, and devoted mother of Alan (Nan), Bob (Lynn) and Elliot (Rona). A wonderful grandmother to Cari ( Denny) Sheahan and Kylie (Mike) Sklander; Becky (Mark) Garfinkle and Ben (Shlomit) Barth. Nona was blessed with great grandchildren: Abram and Nora Garfinkle; Ella, Manny and Eitan Barth, and Brody Sklander. Beloved daughter of the late Dr. Harry and the late Rosabelle Oksner; sister of the late Dr. Lionel Oksner. Our aunt, cousin and friend. Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m., followed by a service at 10:00 am on January 26th at Berger Memorial Chapel, 9430 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132. Masks are requested. Interment will follow at the New Mt. Sinai Cemetery, 8430 Gravois Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123.

Contributions in Nona’s memory can be made to: The Jeffrey Stiffman Lecture Series Fund, Temple Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Rd., 63141 or a charity of your choice. Visit www. bergermemorialchapel.com for more information.

Berger Memorial Service

OBITUARIES INDEX

Baron, Morton David Barth, Nona Bohm, Robert D. Cook, James Keddie  Cummins, Frances Cupples, Alan Ivan Deutsch, Geraldine

Emas, Ferne Claire Kaskowitz, Edwin Rosenberg, Sandra Sparks, Robert S. Tash, Lisa Weinstein, Daniel Weiss, Steven

ROBERT D. BOHM passed away on January 10, 2023 after an almost 3 year battle.

Loving husband of Sue Wasson Bohm; dear father of Joshua (Ellen) and Justin Bohm; dear brother and brother-in-law of David Bohm (Joan), Miriam Margulies and the late Vicki Norberg-Bohm (Craig); dear uncle, cousin and friend.

Rob graduated from the University of Missouri in 1981 with a business degree and obtained his MBA from Washington University in 1990. He was the owner of USA Baby for more than 10 years. He retired to spend time with his family and to volunteer in the Jewish community. He was a former president of Covenant Place, was a former board member of Congregation Shaare Emeth and he was involved in the American Israel Chamber of Commerce.

A funeral service was held Sunday, January 15th at Congregation Shaare Emeth, followed by interment at Chesed Shel Emeth CemeteryWhite Road. Visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Memorial contributions preferred to the Covenant Place Foundation, #8 Millstone Campus Drive, 63146. Berger Memorial Service

JAMES

Families may submit an obituary for a loved one through the funeral home they work with or by using a form on the Jewish Light’s website: stljewishlight.org/submit-obituary

KEDDIE COOK, January 19, 2023

Born May 1, 1926 in St. Louis to Dorothy (Levy) and Jerome I. Cook; Jim was married to Jean Cook for 60 years; They raised 3 amazing children:  Daniel Cook, Rosalind Cook (TJ Begush) and Nancy Fox (Paul). Jim got to spend a great deal of time with grandchildren Annika Fox and Alex Begush, and his nieces and nephews. His sister, Rosalind Schuchat Salniker predeceased him.

Jim was a founding partner at Schuchat, Cook & Werner, a labor law firm in St. Louis.  He was elected to the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and to the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. He is remembered for being a wonderful mentor and teacher to younger lawyers in the practice.

Jim was an avid tennis player, classic music lover, with a serious sweet tooth, and a passion for history books.

He was a graduate of the Taylor School, Oberlin College, and St. Louis University Law School.

Jim was a World War II veteran of the ArmyAir Force.

His body will be donated to the Washington University Medical School. There will be no service or visitation.

Donations can be made to World Bird Sanctuary, the Southern Poverty Law Center or a charity of your choice.

Berger Memorial Service

FRANCES CUMMINS, January 8, 2023

Beloved wife of the late Eugene Cummins; dear mother of Michael Cummins (Julie) and the late Andy Cummins; dear grandmother of Andrew, Ashley, and Nicole Cummins; dear sister of Morty Mitchell (late Betty) and the late Mayer Mitchell (Adele (Stanley) Zerman); dear aunt, cousin and friend to many.

A funeral service was held Friday, January 20 at New Mt. Sinai Cemetery in the Mausoleum. Burial followed afterward in the cemetery.

Memorial contributions preferred to Stray Rescue of St. Louis, 2320 Pine Street, Saint Louis, Missouri 63103. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information.

Berger Memorial Service

ALAN IVAN CUPPLES of Pleasant Hill, California, passed away at home on January 2, 2023, at the age of 83.

Born September 27, 1939 in St. Louis, Missouri, Alan was the son of Jack and Hazel Cupples. Alan graduated from University City High School and then attended Washington University.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Ronald “Bob” Cupples of St. Louis. Alan is

survived by his former wife Lynne Cupples of Pleasant Hill and their three daughters, Kate Cupples, Nicole (Patrick) Mullins and Jessica (Sekai) Greer, his sister Elaine Gelber, dear friend and partner, Fifi Goodfellow, as well as 6 grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great grandnieces and great grandnephews. He was a loving, dedicated father and even more devoted grandfather.

Aside from being an avid fan of his favorite professional baseball (A’s) and basketball (Warriors) teams, Alan was an accomplished diver, baseball and football player. His love of sports continued well into his late 70’s where he helped organize and played on the Lamorinda Lasers, a competitive, slow-pitch senior men’s softball team. Alan also made it a point to attend almost each of every one of his kids’ soccer games and grandkids basketball, baseball and football games.

Although Alan moved away from the St. Louis area in the mid-70’s to pursue a successful career in running a major formalwear company based in the San Francisco Bay area, he maintained close ties with his lifelong St. Louis friends many of whom he truly considered to be like family.

Alan will be forever remembered by his many family members and friends with whom he always managed to share a copy (or two) of his favorite printed out jokes or humorous stories.

In keeping with Alan’s request, there will be no formal funeral or memorial service and his cremains will be interred later this year in a private ceremony in St. Louis, to be near his parents and other family members. The family welcomes donations in Alan’s name to East Bay SPCA (Gift Processing Center, Dept 35164, P.O. Box 39000, San Francisco, CA 94139-0001) or your favorite charity as an expression of sympathy.

GERALDINE DEUTSCH, December 28, 2022.

Loving Mother and Mother in law of...Charles and Naomi Ruth Deutsch, Ya’acov and Patty/ Esther Ginsburg, Richard and Denise Deutsch, loving Grandmother and Great Grandmother of many.

What people will remember most about Geraldine z”l was her zest for life. She was beautiful, inside and out, a passionate, generous woman who knew how to give a genuine compliment - which she did often. Geraldine loved G-d and Israel.

She loved and cherished her children, and they knew it well!

As the matriarch of the family, she exhibited great strength and courage after her husband, Marvin Deutsch z”l, was killed at the age of 49 in a tragic boating accident; leaving her to raise her three children on her own. Geraldine continued on for over an additional fifty years with dignity, gratitude and love, teaching us all, her children and grandchildren, how to do the same. She will be so very missed.

A graveside service was held on December 28th at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 7500 Olive Blvd. Visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information.

Berger

Memorial Service

FERNE CLAIRE EMAS (nee Molasky) passed away peacefully on Friday, January 20, 2023, from complications of kidney disease. She was lovingly surrounded by her children: Marshall (Janet) Emas, Lynda (John) Wilson, Kevin (Marilyn) Emas, and Ginger Emas Schlanger. Ferne was preceded in death by the love of her life and husband of 62 years, Stanley Lee Emas. In addition to her children and their spouses, Ferne had eight wonderful grandchildren: Sarah Wilson Rode (Brian); Angela Wilson Riggs (Josh); Meryl Emas Kaufman (Aaron); David Emas (Stacy Mateu Emas); Rachel Emas (Domonic Bearfield); Erica Emas Fuentes (Lionel); Sam Emas; and Jacob Schlanger. She was the loving and devoted great-grandmother of Aubrey Rode, Mia Rode, Isabella Fuentes, Liana Fuentes and Ella Emas.

The daughter of Jack and Betty Molasky, Ferne was born in St. Louis, Missouri in September, 1934. She married Stanley Emas in August, 1953 and so began a remarkable journey of love. Ferne had a beautiful voice and a flair for the dramatic, and put both to good use in local theater, with leading roles in such musicals as Annie Get Your Gun, Pajama Game, A Thousand Clowns, and South Pacific, just to name a few. Ferne was also a distinguished member of the International Society of Poets, winning awards for her original creations and winning the hearts of her family and friends with decades of birthday and holiday poetry.

In 1970 she and her family moved to Hollywood, Florida and adored living in the Sunshine State. Ferne and Stan were inseparable, and throughout their 62-year marriage, they always called each other “Honey.” In the 80s, Ferne and Stan moved to Boca West, where they made lifelong friends and lived a life they could only have dreamed of in their youth. In a typical, single Boca West day, Ferne somehow managed to play a round of golf, a game of tennis, host a family dinner, and sing in the Boca West Chorus. She was ever the gracious hostess, gathering her family and friends together for every occasion. She is laid to rest, adorned in one of her favorite sparkly and colorful outfits. Now she is with Dad/Grandpa – her Honey – and the two of them are singing and dancing together to their favorite show tunes. Mom, just remember: We love you more! Donations can be made to: The Pap Corps Boca West (www.thepapcorps.org/boca-west)

EDWIN KASKOWITZ, January 19, 2023

Beloved father and father-in-law of Joy Germeroth (Tom), Naomi Green (Michael) and Sara Kaskowitz; dear Saba of Justin, Julia and Aaron Germeroth, Rachel and Lauren Green; dear son of the late Nathan Kaskowitz and the late Fannie Kaskowitz Lampert; dear brother and brother-in-law of the late Sharon Weinstein (late Sam); dear uncle, cousin and friend.

A graveside service was held Sunday, January 22nd at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery-White Road. Memorial contributions of your choice preferred. Visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information.

Berger Memorial Service

SANDRA ROSENBERG, January 21, 2023, age 85

Beloved wife of the late Mendel Rosenberg for 63 years. Dear mother of Renee (Sam) Silverstein and Stuart (Kathi) Rosenberg. Loving grandmother of Geoffrey (Allyson), Sara (Jeremy), Jaclyn (Kevin), Jamie (Joey), Allison, Laura (Ben), and Corey. Beloved greatgrandmother of Sophy, Ruben, Simon, Sydney, Naomi, Mason, Maren and Heidi. Our dear aunt, great-aunt, cousin and friend.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, January 24 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road. For livestream information please visit  www.rindskopfroth.com Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146 or to Kol Rinah Congregation, 7701 Maryland Avenue, Clayton, MO, 63105.

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

ROBERT S. SPARKS, April 14, 1949 – January 12, 2023

Beloved husband of Zelda Sparks. Son of the late Perry and Shirley Sparks. Father of Martha Sparks and Aaron (Natalie Blackman) Sparks. Grandfather of Dahlia and Vanessa McWhorter. Brother of Harry (Laurie) Sparks and Joseph (Carol) Sparks. Cherished uncle, cousin, and friend.

Bob’s optimism and trademark sense of humor made an indelible impression on friends and strangers alike. A lifelong lover of theater, Bob enjoyed traveling to New York to see Broadway shows and, later, with even more joy, to visit his granddaughters. An exuberant piano player, he loved to accompany singers, especially at his family’s annual Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve parties. Bob never forgot a good meal. He always said yes to crusty bread, fruit pie, and a nice glass of red wine.

A native of St. Louis, Bob graduated from Ladue High School, Amherst College and Brown University. He became a history teacher in Cranston, RI, where he befriended his future brother-in-law, Bert Silverberg. Bob became a fixture with the Silverberg family before he even met Zelda. When Bob and Zelda married in 1975, the Sparks and Silverberg families became one.

In 1977, Bob and Zelda returned to St. Louis, where he joined Lumberyard Supply Co., the family business founded by his grandfather. He and his father and cousin worked together there for almost 40 years. Although he was the St. Louis native, Bob quickly became known in JCC circles by his formal title, Mr. Zelda Sparks.

Bob’s service to the community began as a board member of B’nai El. In recent years, he became an active member and officer of Shaare Emeth, where he attended Torah study every week with his dad, Perry. In addition, he was a board member of New Mount Sinai Cemetery.

As his final illness progressed, Bob wrote to his family and friends, “I hope it is obvious that I have loved the life I lived, the family I was born with and the one I found, and all my many friends and colleagues. And, if worse comes to worse, I hope you all allow me to continue to live on earth by thinking about me from time to time.” We will remember him always. May his memory be a blessing.

A funeral service was held Monday, January 16 at Congregation Shaare Emeth, followed by interment at New Mt. Sinai Cemetery. Live stream available at https://sestl.co/bob_sparks. Contributions in his memory may be made to Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road, St. Louis, MO, 63141; The Cultural Arts Department at the JCC, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146; or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

HANNAH GAIL “LISA” MIDDLEMAN TASH passed away on January 17, 2023.

Lisa is the beloved wife of Rick Tash; dear mother of Andrew Tash (Katelyn) and Alexander Tash; dear daughter of the late Frank and the late Faye Middleman; dear sister of Lynn Middleman Lehr (Larry) and Ronnie Middleman Cooper; dear aunt of Joshua Lehr and Zachary Cooper; dear sister-in-law of Howard Tash, the late Ellen Matrangos, and Liz Kauffman; dear aunt, cousin, and friend to many.

A funeral service was held Thursday, January 19 at Congregation Shaare Emeth, followed by interment at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road. Memorial contributions preferred to the Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110; the National Kidney Foundation, 1001 Craig Road, Ste. 480, St. Louis, MO 63146; or the American Cancer Society, 1001 Craig Rd Ste. 350, St. Louis, MO 63146. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for Live Stream and Shiva details. Berger Memorial Service

DANIEL SCOTT WEINSTEIN, January 17, 2023

Beloved husband of Rachel, nee Heiligman. Loving father of Ari and Joshua. Adored son of Gail Gordon and Sheldon Weinstein. Cherished brother of Mindy Weinstein and the late Jonathan Weinstein.

Daniel earned his masters of education from DePaul University and was a middle school math teacher for Chicago Public Schools for over two decades. He was beloved by his students and faculty for not only his gifted teaching skills but for his warmth, genuineness and tremendous sense of humor.

He was a devoted father and a caring, loving husband, son, brother and friend to many. He also had a passion for sports and enjoyed playing competitive tennis, running and swimming. He was full of life and taken way too soon. He will be forever missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for camper scholarships, https://ramahwisconsin. com/donate/

STEVEN LYN WEISS, 76, of Alpharetta, Georgia, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2023, with his family lovingly by his side after battling cancer.

Steven was born on April 27, 1946, in St. Louis, Missouri. After growing up in St. Louis, and enlisting in the United States Coast Guard, Steven returned and started his first job at the 7-Up Company beginning a long career in advertising. It was at this time he met his wife, Linda whom he was married to for over fifty years.

Steven had a love for basketball, Broadway and Motown. He was a prolific writer and known for his sense of humor. Generous to a fault, he bestowed his collected wristwatches to family and friends who admired them. A selfprofessed “magician,” he entertained his grandchildren with magic tricks. Steven loved to travel. Whether it was working on international campaigns for the Coca Cola Company, from Europe to Japan or being on the water in the Gulf of Mexico, he experienced the world; Linda often by his side.

Whatever he set his mind to he was determined to get done; that included writing memorable advertising campaigns with unforgettable taglines, starting a consulting company that serviced Fortune 500 companies or publishing several books.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. His infectious smile and laugh will live on forever.

He leaves behind his wife, Linda; son, Cory; daughter, Heather (Rob); grandchildren, Sophie and Robby; brother, John (Jane); nephew, Ben (Britta); and niece, Rachel (Matt). He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Calvin Weiss; his mother, Shirley; and his brother, Michael whom he held close to his heart.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association www.act.alz.org.are

Arts: 3 ways arts groups are making positive changes

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

better educated, more peaceful and caring society.

Colangelo was one of four leaders chosen for the prestigious 2021 Accelerator Award for the Lewis Prize for Music. This prize was selected from a nationwide pool and the organization received $500,000 to make positive changes to our community.

St. Louis Story Stitchers run a storefront studio in the historic Loop at 616 North Skinker Blvd. The collective performs for the public in parks, community centers, schools and cultural institutions throughout the region.

Story Stitchers work captures a very important piece of African American history and archives it through printed word, performances, art and recordings while training the next generation to become actively engaged citizens.

Jazz St. Louis hired Ferguson native Keyon Harrold to be its creative advisor. Harrold blends jazz and other music genres to bring the audience bold, new sounds. He is an activist who sees music as a microcosm of democracy as well as a trumpeter, song writer and vocalist.

Harrold uses these talents to communicate and has worked with such greats as Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg and others. He played in a Miles Davis biopic starring Don Cheadle. He also played with regular jazz greats such as Christian McBride and Roy Hargrove.

According to Bob Bennett, artistic director of Jazz St. Louis, Harrold is working with Jazz St. Louis’ educational programs. He is coming in soon for a residency and to curate some more performances. He also hosts radio show, “The Next Set,” which airs live from Jazz St. Louis. I’ve noticed that Harrold’s presence has brought more diversity to our jazz club, and I don’t mean just the racial mix. The age group in the audience has grown broader and more exciting.

St. Louisans are really in tune with the arts, making waves and showing the world that we are an art filled city heading in the right direction.

American Flag symbol denotes a United States military veteran.

The oldest Jewish Funeral Home west of the Mississippi

CHAI LIGHTS

FRI.-SAT. | JAN. 27-28

Shabbaton at Shaare Emeth

See related news brief on page 7A.

Rabbi Sandra Lawson to kick off Shir Hadash Speaker series

See related news brief on page 6A.

SUNDAY | JAN. 29

A Jewish case for vegetarianism

Does the Torah talk about vegetarianism? What do Talmudic and modern-day Jewish scholars have to say? Join Temple Israel’s Rabbis Amy Feder and Michael Alper to dig in. Their talk is from 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. at Temple Israel. Visit www.ti-stl.org/AdultEducation for more information.

NHBZ All-You-Can Eat Pizza Night

From 5 to 7 p.m., Nusach Hari B’nai Zion will offer a dine-in all-you-can-eat buffet of delicious kosher pizza, pasta, salad and garlic bread plus a dessert and beverage. There are even movies for your kids. Prices are $15 for adults, $7 for kids ages 4-10, and free for kids ages 3 and under. The pizza cheese is Cholov Yisroel and pareve crusts are available upon request. Charge cards are accepted. For more information, call 314-991-2100.

Holocaust Museum plans antisemitism lecture

See related news brief on page 6A.

STARTING | JAN. 29

The J plans used book sale

See related news brief on page 4A.

WEDNESDAY | FEB. 1

Lincoln’s legacy

Historian Christian McWhirter of Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will lead a free, online Mirowitz Center discussion from 10 to 11 a.m. about competing points of view on emancipation and will consider Lincoln’s actions in the broader context of the American Civil War and the anti-slavery movement. Register at http://bit.ly/Register_ MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813, or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

Challah Club with Mimi David

At 7 p.m. the Jewish Women’s Society (for women only) will hold its monthly challah baking club (meets the first Wednesday of each month, September through May). The annual fee is prorated for those joining late. The club meets at the Aish Firehouse, 457 N. Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield. For more information or to register, call 314-862-2474 or email mimidavid@aish.com.

FRIDAY | FEB. 3

Jewish Senior Connection holds

Friday night Shabbat dinner

Jewish Senior Connection will hold a Friday night Shabbat dinner at B’nai Amoona, 324 S. Mason Road in Creve Coeur, with services at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:45. The traditional dinner will include matzah ball soup, brisket and more. Guests will be encouraged to share a favorite family holiday memory and are encouraged to bring a memento or picture that represents that memory. The cost is $15 (cost is subsidized by a JCA Foundation grant).

FRI. & SAT. | FEB. 3

Spiritual Enrichment Shabbat

Weekend at CRC

See related news brief on page 7A.

SATURDAY | FEB. 4

NHBZ Tu B’Shevat Lunch & Learn

Rabbi Avi Feigenbaum will present “Happy Birthday Trees; Seeing G-d’s Beauty in Nature” at a Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Lunch and Learn. He will discuss the underlying meaning of Tu B’Shevat, the power of the seven species of the land of Israel and why all of this is relevant to our daily lives. Services begin at 9 a.m. and lunch is approximately at noon. Open to the community. For more information, call 314-991-2100.

SUNDAY | FEB. 5

A tree of life Tu B’Shevat seder

Congregation Shaare Emeth will hold a Tu B’Shevat seder “Celebrating the Interconnectedness of Our Lives, Our Actions and Our Earth” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Director of Lifelong Learning Debbie Bram and Musician-in-Residence Lucy Greenbaum will lead the seder, which will include music, readings and prayers as well as a chance to sample delicious wines and juices, fruits and nuts. Free, but RSVPs are required to Stacy at sjespersen@sestl.org.

Tu B’Shevat book talk

B’nai Amoona will host author Diane Bleyer for a Tu B’Shevat event and book talk. Bleyer’s novel, “The Second Chance,” centers on a future where climate change has wreaked havoc worldwide and the human race is taking desperate measures to survive. The novel brings to light the importance of tikkun olam (repairing our world). Minyan is at 6:15 p.m. and the program and snacks start at 6:30 p.m. A limited number of books will be on hand at this event. No registration required.

TUESDAY | FEB. 7

Lunch & Learn for Women: Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers)

The Jewish Women’s Society will hold a lunch and learn (for women only) on Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers). Mimi David leads this monthly class where participants can discover the Torah’s views on ethics and interpersonal relationships — timeless wisdom for living. The class is free but there is a charge for lunch if you want to order from the café. The class meets at the Circle@Crown Café, 8350 Delcrest Drive in University City. For more information, contact the Jewish Women’s Society of St. Louis at 314-862-2474 or email mimidavid@aish.com.

WEDNESDAY | FEB. 8

Boosting brain health

From 1 to 2 p.m. Dr. David Carr of Washington University will lead a free, online discussion about getting the very best of your brain. Register for this Mirowitz Center program online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813, or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

STARTING | FEB. 8

Six-part class: ‘Reform Jews

Encounter the New Testament’

See related news brief on page 6A.

THURSDAY | FEB. 9

Hear from STLPR reporter

Rachel Lippmann, a reporter with St. Louis Public Radio, will lead a free, in-person discussion from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Mirowitz Center, looking at issues STLPR covered this past year and what stories listeners can look forward to in 2023. Register for this Mirowitz Center program online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813, or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

FRIDAY | FEB. 10

‘On the Record’ with Bob Cohn

From 11 a.m. to noon, the Jewish Light Editor-in-Chief Emeritus will lead the latest session in his “On The Record” series, which offers an online discussion of films, plays, articles and books on issues of concern to our community, held the second Friday of every other month. This program is provided in conjunction with FEL (Friends Enjoying Life), an organization supported by Mirowitz Center. Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_ MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813, or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

SATURDAY | FEB. 11

B’sha’ah Tovah: A Class for Expecting Parents

See related news brief on page 6A.

MONDAY | FEB. 13

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Love is in the air

From 3 to 4 p.m. enjoy a Mirowitz Center performance by musicians with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra — highlighting classics that speak of romance, love and passion. Seating is limited; RSVPs are required. Register for this Mirowitz Center program online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813, or email skemppainen@ mirowitzcenter.org.

TUESDAY | FEB. 14

The ABCs of Judaism

From noon to 1 p.m. Rabbi Ze’ev Smason will continue his ABCs of Judaism series at the Mirowitz Center, offering teachings to guide your life. On the second Tuesday of each month, join the rabbi for different topic each month with a Jewish theme. February’s topic is “Good Conversation: Is Anyone Really Listening?” Register for this Mirowitz Center program online at http://bit.ly/Register_ MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813, or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

Local Jewish organizations and congregations can submit calendar items to news@ stljewishlight.org. All items received by 5 p.m. the Friday before the publication date will be considered for that edition.

WEDNESDAY | FEB. 15

NHBZ Ladies Coffee & Learning

The NHBZ Chesed Committee invites the community to an afternoon of schmoozing and learning at its Ladies Coffee & Learning event from 2-3:30 p.m. Special guest speaker Rebbetzin Chani Wasser will discuss “Don’t Just Survive, Thrive: Navigating Life Challenges with Strength.” Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the community. For more information, call 314-991-2100, ext. 2 or email: office@nhbz.org

Sharsheret’s Breast and Ovarian Cancer Support Group

This monthly group provides support, connection and education to women in the St. Louis Jewish community who have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer and are anywhere along their treatment path–before, during, or post-treatment. Facilitated by a licensed clinical social worker, this group meets from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday via Zoom. Newcomers are welcome along with female family and friends. Sharsheret Supports STL is a program of the J’s Nishmah and a partner of the national, not for profit Sharsheret organization. Free, but RSVPs requested to Debbi Braunstein at 314442-3266 or dbraunstein@jccstl.org.

FRI.-SAT. | FEB. 17-18

Shabbat with Hazzan Dulkin

See related news brief on page 5A.

SATURDAY | FEB. 18

NCJWSTL to host Trivia Night

See related news brief on page 7A.

SUNDAY | FEB. 19

A Taste of Soup! at Traditional

After a three-year hiatus, A Taste of Soup is back! Meat & Vegetarian soup buffet, bread for dunking and sweet treats. The cost is $14/person in advance ($16 walk-ins); no charge for kids under 5. Register by Feb. 8 at: https://wix.123formbuilder.com/form6332873/a-taste-of-soup-2023, or mail payment with names to Traditional Congregation, 12437 Ladue Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63141 or call 314-576-5230.

Jews in Science series continues Kol Rinah’s Jews in Science series continues with a focus on Selman Waksman, the researcher responsible for streptomycin. RSVP online at https://www.kolrinahstl.org/ form/jewish-antibiotics.html. All previous sessions were recorded and available here: https://www.kolrinahstl.org/videos. For more information, contact Richard Gavatin at richardjrgavatin@gmail.com.

Noah Weinberg Memorial Lecture

At 7:30 p.m. Aish welcomes Rabbi Gavriel Friedman (aka Rav Gav) for a discussion of “The Power of Speech: What goes on behind the scenes when we talk,” held at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd. The talk is dedicated by the Axelbaum family in loving memory of Jerry Axelbaum, a”h. For more information, contact the Aish office at 314-862-2474 or cwolff@aish.com. A $10 donation is suggested.

Jewish War Veterans meeting

Jewish War Veterans Post 644 will meet in the Kaplan-Feldman Holocaust Museum meeting room at 10 a.m. on the third Sunday each month (please ask for directions at the desk). A Zoom option will be available for those who are unable to be at the meeting. For more information and the Zoom link contact Post 644 Commander Ellis Frohman at 636-519-7512 (leave a message if no one

answers).

FEB

Lucy Greenbaum (far left), Rabbi Andrea Goldstein (at left) and Debbie Bram (below) will lead a Tu B’Shevat seder at Shaare Emeth on Feb. 5.

temple israel

Monroe Elementary Holiday Gift Store

Temple Israel volunteers organized a collection drive for a Holiday Gift store at Monroe Elementary school in south St. Louis. The holiday store, co-chaired by Jenny Abeles, Susan K. Goldberg, Karen Smoller and Amy Weiss was open during school hours on Tuesday, December 13. Volunteers helped more than 90 parents/ caregivers choose gifts for students in preschool through 5th grade. Gifts were beautifully wrapped for the holidays by volunteers.

SP TLIGHT

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

VIEW MORE ONLINE: stljewishlight.org/multimedia

bbyo

Global Shabbat

In December, BBYO communities celebrated Global Shabbat with this year’s theme, “Everyone. Everywhere,” bringing together more than 10,000 Jewish teens across six continents for a global celebration of the joy of Shabbat. In St. Louis, BBYO teens welcomed Shabbat during an event at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. The participating teens also toured the museum, which had its grand reopening in November.

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to news@stljewishlight.org.

Volunteers: Diane Baer, Linda Britt, Brooke Culler, Liz Buchman, Caitlyn Dorion, Mark Feldman, Susan Feldman, Susie Fliesher, Jennifer Goldberg, Marsha Helms, Amy Lampert, Betsy Mehlman, Ann Quigley, Erica Steen Brasken, Michele Steinberg, Kate Stewart, Jane Tucker, Mark Tucker and Emily Ziaee

NJT: Season starts strong with production of Neil Simon classic

er how hurtful their writing can be when they base comic characters on members of their family.

Jacob Flekier deftly handles his double role as narrator and central character. His Eugene is instantly likable. Spencer Kruse finds the humor in Stan’s obsessive worrying.

Conflict breaks out between Eugene’s mother, Kate, and his father, Jack, when she confronts him about his relationship with another woman. Simon portrays the marital rift without demonizing either spouse. Jenni Ryan as Kate and Chuck Brinkley as Jack make their characters decent, sympathetic people who cannot do what is required to save their marriage.

Another major conflict arises when Kate’s father, Ben Epstein, receives a visit from his younger daughter Blanche. She and her husband have opened their Park Avenue apartment to Ben’s wife. Ben still lives with Kate because he is a committed socialist and refuses accept luxuries that are not available to ordinary people.

Now Ben’s wife has been told to move to Florida for her health. Blanche has come to her father with another offer of help, but he still refuses to benefit from society’s unequal distribution of wealth. Bob Harvey plays Ben with unrelenting commitment to his political ideals. Christina Rios’ heartrending portrayal of Blanche captures the anguish she must endure because her husband’s success has driven a wedge between Blanche and her father.

Margery and Peter Spack’s scenic design is the same one they created for “Brighton Beach Memoirs.” The astonishingly realistic, two-level set has two doors at opposite ends of the house. After making their entrances, the actors must walk a long way in front of the set to reach one of the doors. These strolls have a purpose. The excellent actors use them to establish

their characters’ state of mind. This telling use of silence is one of many astute touches in Alan Knoll’s masterly direction. It is ideally attuned to both the drama and the comedy in Simon’s script.

Michele Friedman Siler’s costumes and Katie Orr’s props are well suited to the play’s period. Kimberly Klearman Petersen’s effective lighting is based on Michael Sullivan’s design for “Brighton Beach Memoirs.” Kareem Deanes’ sound design features engaging radio broadcasts. One of them cleverly uses an old-time radio format to enliven the usual preshow announcements.

In the play’s most memorable episode, Kate tells Eugene about the night she danced with actor George Raft. Ryan, Flekier and choreographer Ellen Isom make the most of this wonderful scene.

STAY STEADY ON YOUR FEET WITH TIPS FROM OUR EXPERTS

BY: DR. BETH TEMPLIN, PT, DPT, GCS GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST

ed you aren't as et as you used to to think that it s rt of aging You may think that because "everyone" your age seems to be having the same trouble as you that it's something you will have to learn to live with You may not know when it was that you started to lose your confidence and when you started to worry about every step you take, but now it's starting to limit what you're able to do If this is happening to you, you're not alone We hear these types of things all the time In fact, Balance Issues are the most common problem we see at HouseFit

Most people realize that their balance won t magically get better on its own, but they still don't take action It might be because they don't know what steps to take to make their balance better OR they don't truly believe balance can be improved "at their age" Fortunately, there are several options to get you back on your feet again

Over the last 17 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients who’ve had a fall (or several), and I’ve been able to help them get their lives back In working with so many clients I’ve been able to put together a very helpful Guide How To Decrease Falls: Helpful Tips To Keep You Steady On Your Feet”

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Above, from left, Bob Harvey, Spencer Kruse, Jenni Ryan and Jacob Flekier perform in the New Jewish Theatre production of ‘Broadway Bound,’ which runs through Feb. 5.

At left, Jacob Flekier.

PHOTOS: JON GITCHOFF