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The J to begin $13 million Fox Building renovation
Brian Herstig has served as president and CEO of Jewish Federation of St. Louis since January 2020.
BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
A $13 million renovation of the Jewish Community Center’s Marilyn Fox Building in Chesterfield will begin in early April and touch all areas of the facility. The project will be funded through a cap-
ital campaign, supplemented by a $2 million infusion from the state of Missouri. J leaders said the project is consistent with the organization’s focus on serving greater community needs and delivering more impact. The 26-year-old, 65,000-square-foot building houses a fitness center, indoor
and outdoor pools, basketball and volleyball courts and an early childhood center. Those facilities will be updated during the renovation, with an estimated completion date of September 2025. One of the most significant elements of the 18-month See THE J on page 7
Musical ‘Passover Project’ at City Winery will benefit Jewish Light Brothers Lazaroff and a host of musicians will perform at “The Passover Project: A Musical Seder,” at City Winery on Thursday, April 18.
BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
About a year ago, on March 16 to be exact, Michael Dorf opened City Winery St. Louis, an entertainment venue, restaurant, winery and event space at the City Foundry in Midtown. When I interviewed him at the time of the opening, our conversation ended with me asking Dorf, who is Jewish and a Washington University graduate, about the annual Downtown Seder for Passover he has championed in New York City since 1991. The last line in my story, with regard to a possible seder at the new City Winery here, ended with the line: “Maybe next year in St. Louis.” Well, guess what? It’s happening St. Louis, no maybes about it. Tickets are on sale for “The Passover Project: A Musical Seder,” at City Winery on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6). More about the particulars of the event in a
FILE PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN
minute; first, a little background. The Downtown Seder began at the legendary Knitting Factory, an avant-garde nightspot in N.Y.’s East Village that Dorf owned before opening the first City
Winery, in New York City, in 2008. The seder typically takes place a week or so before Passover. As Dorf once explained See PASSOVER PROJECT on page 16
Federation leader plans to step down at end of June BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN & JORDAN PALMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER
After more than 4½ years, Brian Herstig, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of St. Louis, will resign his position at the end of June to move closer to his family in Minnesota. Herstig, who joined Federation in early 2020, said he was proud of what he has been able to accomplish at Federation, including managing the organization and community through the COVID pandemic; building a strong management and leadership team; and mobilizing fundraising support in response to global threats against Jewish people in Ukraine and Israel. “Honestly, the biggest thing that stands out to me was completing the fundraising for and launching and then spinning off the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum as an independent organization,” he said. “That’s something that doesn’t happen often.” Federation board Chairman Bob Newmark commended Herstig, saying, “Brian has provided tremendous leadership, guiding this vital organization through tumultuous times, and we are grateful for his contributions to Federation and the local See FEDERATION on page 15