Jewish Light Digital Edition: Aug. 23, 2023

The

Introducing the 2023 Unsung Heroes

Upcoming magazine, Nov. 28 event will spotlight these nine individuals, one couple

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nine individuals and one married couple will be recognized as the 2023 Jewish Light Unsung Heroes on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. This year’s 14th annual event will take place at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park.

Unsung Heroes, which began in 2010, shines a light on individuals of any background or faith who generously volunteer or go above and beyond to help the St. Louis Jewish community, and Jewish St. Louisans who volunteer, either within the local Jewish community and/or the community at large. This year, two of the 11 Unsung Heroes are not Jewish; both are teachers, one in Jefferson County, the other in Collinsville, and both are going above and beyond in their efforts to stop antisemitism in their classrooms and in their communities.

This year’s co-chairs for the event will be two former Unsung Heroes, Marilyn Ratkin and Stan Shanker. Ratkin was recognized in the first class of Heroes for her outstanding volunteerism at organizations such as the Jewish Community Relations

Council, the National Council of Jewish Women and Ready Readers, to name a few. Shanker was honored in 2017 for his passion and commitment in helping to settle new immigrants in St. Louis through the efforts of Congregation Shaare Emeth

and the International Institute of St. Louis.

Since its inception, more than 120 St. Louisans have been honored as Jewish Light Unsung Heroes.

Here are this year’s honorees:

• Elizabeth “Betty” Baumgartner, a

sixth-grade teacher at Dorris Intermediate School in Collinsville. She took determined action after hearing one of her students proclaim, “Hitler is cool,” as he

What’s the buzz around tzedakah?

Teen starts chapter of Jewish youth philanthropy group

BY MEGAN RUBENSTEIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Sari Gross, an incoming sophomore at Clayton High School, is bringing a new organization for Jewish teens to St. Louis: Honeycomb STL. Kicking off in September, the group will focus on tzedakah — charitable giving — and getting involved in the local Jewish community.

She learned about Honeycomb, a global Jewish youth philanthropy organization, when her parents returned home from a philanthropic trip to Israel where they found out about Honeycomb’s work. After hearing about what it was, Sari decided it

was something that she and her peers could really benefit from.

“Honeycomb is an organization that is working to teach Jewish teens, ‘What is philanthropy? What is the tzedakah?’ and why it’s an important part of our Judaism,” Sari said. “When my parents told me about it, I was like, wow, that sounds like something that would really interest me and that I can really see myself doing.”

The organization’s website, honeycomb.org, states: “Honeycomb is uniquely focused on Jewish youth philanthropy because of the incredible impact and promise on which it delivers: strengthening young people’s connections to Jewish life, identity, community and values while cultivating a lasting desire and skill set to change the world.”

Danielle Segal, executive director of Honeycomb (formerly the Jewish Teen Fund Network), which is based

in New York, said there are roughly 100 youth charitable giving programs across North America and internationally that engage about a thousand Jewish teens.

“These programs each run independently but look to us for guidance, curriculum, research, conferences and professional development around Jewish youth philanthropy,” she said.

Sari wants to bring Honeycomb’s mission to her peers and have them learn why tzedakah is important through doing. Throughout the year, the local cohort will participate in educational programming, raise money for an organization they will choose as a group and do volunteer work.

“If you look back on Jewish leaders throughout the last 100 years, a lot of them have focused on tzedakah.” Sari said “I feel that historically, Jews are

The 2023 Unsung Heroes are (top row, from left) Elizabeth “Betty” Baumgartner, Murray Bresler, Nancy Wasserman Giannisi, Amy Kuo Hammerman, Alan Kirby, (second row) Cathy Lander-Goldberg, Helene Meyer, Sue Picus, Beth Saltzman, Dr. Bruce Frank and Enid Weisberg Frank.

See UNSUNG HEROES on page 10

Sari Gross

Rep’s ‘Lehman Brothers Trilogy’ is both a Jewish and American

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OUR BOARD AND STAFF

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS

Bethe Growe, President

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Laurie Chod, Vice President

Beth Manlin, Vice President

Ben Weiss, Vice President

Justin Krachmalnick, Treasurer

Debra Klevens, Secretary

Joan Silber

TRUSTEES

Dan Bindler, Jerry Ehrlich, Richard Flom, Mark Gershenson, Caroline Goldenberg, Mia Kweskin, Debbie Lefton, Lauren Murov, Kara Newmark, Ryan Rich, Steve Rosenzweig, Bruce Sandweiss, Adam Schneider, Alan Spector, Todd Taylor, Dan Winograd

JEWISH LIGHT PAST PRESIDENTS

Milton I. Goldstein*, Morris Pearlmutter*

(founder), Morris Moscowitz*, Melvin

Newmark*, Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin*, Vivian

Zwick, Joseph Edlin*, Michael Newmark, Richard Stein, Yusef Hakimian*, Sanford

Weiss*, Philip Isserman*, Linda Kraus, Richard

Flom, Marvin Schneider, Barbara Langsam

Shuman, Terry Bloomberg, John Greenberg, David Grebler*, Milton Movitz*, Gianna

Jacobson, Jenny Wolkowitz, Gary Kodner, Jane

Tzinberg Rubin, Steve Gallant, Laura K. Silver

* Of Blessed Memory

The ST. LOUIS JEWISH LIGHT (ISSN 0036-2964) is published bimonthly by the St. Louis Jewish Light, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, 7201 Delmar Blvd. Suite 201, St. Louis, MO 63130. Periodical postage paid at St. Louis, MO. Copyright 2023.

Postmaster: Send address changes to the St. Louis Jewish Light: 7201 Delmar Blvd. #201, St. Louis, MO 63130.

STAFF

EXECUTIVE

Betsy Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content Officer

EDITORIAL

Robert A. Cohn, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

Mike Sherwin, Managing Editor

BUSINESS AND ENGAGEMENT

Stacy Wolff Smart, Director of Business

Development and Communications

Terri Green, Administrative Assistant

SALES

Angie Rosenberg, Senior Account Executive

Kelly Morris, Account Executive

Elaine Wernick, Account Executive

PRODUCTION

Grace Cohen, Graphic Designer

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Bill Motchan, Amy Fenster Brown, Eric Berger, Patricia Corrigan, Barry Gilbert, Margi Lenga Kahn, Nancy Kranzberg, Elise Krug, Cate Marquis, Eric Mink, Judith Newmark, Martin Rochester

PUBLICATION DATES FOR 2023

The Jewish Light will publish print editions twice a month in 2023, on the following upcoming dates:

• Sept. 6 and 20

• Oct. 4 and 18

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES

Friday, Aug. 25: 7:23 p.m.

Shabbat ends

Saturday, Aug. 26: 8:21 p.m.

Torah reading: Ki Teitzei

Shabbat begins

Friday, Sept. 1: 7:13 p.m.

Shabbat ends

Saturday, Sept. 2: 8:10 p.m.

Torah reading: Ki Tavo

• Nov. 8 and 22

• Dec. 6 and 20

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

The Jewish Light is a community partner of Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

The Jewish Light is a member of the American Jewish Press Association

This nana is a powerlifting, life-saving, super grandma

Jaime “Jai Jai” Lavine Goldstein got her first tattoo at the age of 48. It’s an image of a volleyball that now resides on her left leg.

She got her second tattoo four years ago, when she was 62. That tattoo is harder to describe, but it runs along the back of her right wrist and depicts a cardiac rhythmic wave pattern and small red heart sandwiched between a barbell.

“This tat is for my visual,” she explains. “When I hold it out to you, it means nothing, except you can see the barbell. There’s a heart, because I’m in the heart business, and the rhythm was my father’s cardiac rhythm (he died at age 44, when Goldstein was 16, from cardiac arrest). But if I hold it this way, (the wave pattern) spells Henry.”

That tattoo basically sums up Goldstein’s “three worlds” — powerlifting, her professional career and family. As for the latter, Henry is her 4-year-old grandson and shining light. She is his “nana badass” (as she jokingly calls herself) sporting cropped gray hair with bright purple tips, those tattoos and some pretty impressive powerlifting skills.

“I used to be able to bench press him when he was smaller, but he’s getting heavier now,” she says, noting that her son and daughter-in-law are expecting a second child in October, a girl. Goldstein expects another tattoo will be in order to honor that baby, though

she has no idea what it will be.

Truthfully, it could be many things — loving grandma, kind friend, consummate professional or even Mama Jai, the term of endearment given to her by fellow St. Louis powerlifters. At area powerlifting gyms, from The Center in Affton to The Lab in the city of St. Louis

to Broken Barbell in Weldon Springs, Goldstein, now 66, is considered a legend.

But powerlifting is only one of Goldstein’s superpowers. Perhaps her greatest strength is an ability to live in the moment, to be grateful for what she has rather than what she doesn’t, and to embrace people, even strangers, with her warmth and good humor.

And teaching others to save lives. That she is also passionate about.

I learned of Goldstein earlier this year, when a friend emailed me a terrific piece

about her in West Newsmagazine. In the article, writer Jeffry Greenberg chronicles her powerlifting career, which began after she and her niece, Allison Lavine-Lindberg, joined Club Fitness in Creve Coeur and met trainer Chris Glover, who eventually opened his own CrossFit and powerlifting gym called CrossFit Maryland Heights.

“Chris worked with Ali and I for years. One day he said, ‘How’d you like to get into powerlifting?’ ” Goldstein recalls as she tells me the story. “Ali and I looked at each other and thought, OK, we’ll try it.

“So Ali, Chris and I did our first meet together about 15 years ago. I took last place, but I was the oldest lifter, and Ali and Chris took first, and we were all hooked.” Goldstein stayed with powerlifting, and credits Glover for the success that eventually came her way. While she didn’t place in that first competition, she finished first in her weight class/age division in every meet she entered from March 2012 to December 2022 — 18 over that time span. Each USPA

Email

Above, Goldstein plays with her “favorite human” grandson Henry, who recently turned 4.

At left, Jai Jai Goldstein does a squat at an USPA powerlifting meet last year at The Center in Affton. PHOTO: ADAM RIVERA

Holocaust Museum names new executive director

Earlier this month, the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum announced the appointment of Myron Freedman as the institution’s new executive director. Freedman currently serves as Administrator of Nevada’s Division of Museums and History, a position he was appointed to while directing the Nevada State Museum in Carson City, one of the seven museums overseen by the Division. Since the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum’s grand opening in November 2022, Frances Levine has led the museum through several successful months of operation as interim executive director.

“After a lengthy and comprehensive nationwide search, we are proud to have selected Myron Freedman as the next executive director for the museum,” said Holocaust Museum Board Chair Carol Staenberg in a statement. “We thank Dr. Levine for her tireless work for this museum — there is no doubt that we wouldn’t be where we are without her. The future of the museum looks bright. We look forward to introducing Myron to the community officially later this fall.”

In a statement, Freedman said, “It is a tremendous honor and I look forward to joining the team at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman St. Louis Holocaust Museum. The volunteers, board members and staff have built an important resource for the region and our country. Holocaust Survivors who made St. Louis their home have bravely shared their experiences, ensuring their stories are not lost, but rather put to the critically important use of fulfilling the museum’s mission to reject

hatred, promote understanding and inspire change. As the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.’ In my view, Holocaust museums bring this light, and their efforts today have never been more relevant as they work to actively connect their audiences and communities to this message during a time when hatred, its rhetoric, and its deadly activities, surge once again.”

Freedman’s museum career began with the Chicago History Museum as an exhibit designer and media producer where his video productions won recognition from the American Alliance of Museums, and

Kranzbergs and family to be honored at AJC event Oct. 12

Nancy and Ken Kranberg, along with their children and their spouses, Lily and David Dulan, and Mary Ann and Andrew Srenco, will be honored at the 2023 Netzach Award Dinner, hosted by the American Jewish Committee St. Louis.

The Netzach Award Dinner honors Jewish families whose philanthropy and activities have improved the lives of those around us. Nancy and Ken Kranzberg exemplify the Jewish principle of passing the value of charity and repairing the

world from generation to generation. Together with their daughters, Lily and Mary Ann, they have gifted the St. Louis region and the Los Angeles area with innumerable projects in the arts and community services that will be their legacy for years to come.

The event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12, starting at 6:30 p.m., at the Four Seasons St. Louis. For more information, or to inquire about tickets, go to stlouis@ ajc.org or call 314-721-8866.

where he was eventually promoted to Director of Exhibit Design. The expansion plans of the Missouri History Museum brought him to St. Louis in 1995, where he oversaw the development of all new exhibitions for the museum’s reopening in 2000. In 2002, he took over as Exhibits Curator at the Gateway Arch National Park. While there, he produced an exhibit on the life and work of Eero Saarinen for the Arch’s 40th anniversary that garnered the National Park Service’s Freeman Tilden Award for excellence in interpretation. From St. Louis, he and his wife, Susan, and their two daughters moved west to be close to family. In California, he

Frances Levine has served as the interim executive director of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum.

served as executive director for several history museums before heading up the Nevada State Museum.

“It has been such a powerful experience for me to lead the St Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum in the opening year. I have learned so much from the Board, the volunteers, the staff, and most importantly, the survivors and descendants, who have bravely shared their stories with us and future generations” said Levine. “The work we have done has already had a profound impact in the St. Louis region and beyond. We have reached far beyond the borders of Missouri to share the history and lessons of the Holocaust, and the story of how survivors were welcomed in St. Louis. I look forward to remaining a part of this community and supporting the museum as it continues to grow.”

Freedman is expected to start in mid-October. More information on the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum can be found at STLHolocaustMuseum. org.

On Oct. 12, the American Jewish Committee will honor Nancy and Ken Kranberg, along with their children and their spouses, Lily and David Dulan, and Mary Ann and Andrew Srenco.

Myron Freedman will be the new executive director of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. PHOTO: THE NEVADA DIVISION OF MUSEUMS AND HISTORY

PHOTO: DANIEL QUAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Light to install Staenberg as board president

which led to a substantial decrease in media advertising — yet under her stewardship, the Jewish Light significantly increased the circulation of its digital weekday newsletter, Morning Light; added several new newsletters, including a bi-monthly one focused on Israel; and championed a strategic plan to help guide the non-profit Light into the future.

The St. Louis Jewish Light is pleased to announce that businessman and philanthropist Michael Staenberg will become the next President of the Board of Trustees, effective Aug. 30, for a two-year term. He succeeds Bethe Growe, who will remain on the Executive Board for the next year as immediate Past President.

With a deep and enduring commitment to the St. Louis Jewish community and keen business acumen, Staenberg is poised to lead the Jewish Light into a new era of growth, innovation and financial sustainability. He brings decades of experience to the role, having served in various leadership capacities at the Jewish Community Center (past chairman), Regional Business Council, Barnes Jewish Hospital, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Forest Park Forever (fundraising chair), St. Louis Variety Club, the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and Epstein Hebrew Academy, among others.

“I believe there are three vital components to building and maintaining a vibrant local Jewish community,” said

Staenberg. “You need a strong Jewish Federation, you need a strong Jewish Community Center and you need a strong Jewish news operation, both print and digitally, to connect the community and to promote it.”

Staenberg will work closely with Light CEO Betsy Schmidt and the rest of its dedicated staff and board members to ensure the print publication and digital newsletters remain a robust source of informa-

tion, inspiration and connection for the St. Louis Jewish community and beyond.

“We are very grateful that Michael volunteered to be President of our Board,” said Schmidt. “His vision and leadership are particularly needed during this difficult time in our industry.”

Schmidt also expressed gratitude to outgoing President Bethe Growe for her dedicated service and leadership the past two years. She took the helm during COVID –

In addition to Staenberg and Growe, other members of the Light’s Executive Board are Kara Newmark (vice president), Ryan Rich (vice president), Justin Krachmalnick (treasurer) and Todd Taylor (secretary). Remaining board members are: Carolyn Goldenberg, Mia Kweskin, Debbie Lefton, Steve Rosenzweig, Adam Schneider and Alan Spector.

The Light also thanks outgoing Trustees for their guidance and counsel. They are: Dan Bindler, Laurie Chod, Jerry Ehrlich, Richard Flom, Mark Gershenson, Debra Klevens, Beth Manlin, Lauren Murov, Bruce Sandweiss, Joan Silber, Laura Silver (past president), Ben Weiss and Dan Winograd. To make a tribute to these dedicated volunteers for their service go to https://stljewishlight.org/tribute/ Staenberg will be officially installed as Board President at the Light’s annual meeting Wednesday, Aug. 30, at the Gallery at the District in Chesterfield from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to this free event, but RSVPs are requested at tgreen@stljewishlight.org or by calling Terri Green at 314-743-3600.

Michael Staenberg (left) will be installed as the next President of the Jewish Light Board of Trustees during the Light’s upcoming annual meeting on Aug. 30. He succeeds outgoing Jewish Light Board President Bethe Growe.

Jewish Light’s Aug. 30 annual meeting will welcome new board, recognize outgoing president, trustees

Here’s a who’s who of authors headlining the 2023 St. Louis Jewish Book Festival

The 2023 St. Louis Jewish Book Festival is changing it up this year – instead of one keynote speaker, it is offering four major authors as headliners for the 45th annual book festival, Nov. 5-19.

The Jewish Community Center will host Andrew Rhe, Rebecca Minkoff, Martin Fletcher and Mitch Albom throughout the two-week-long event.

On Nov. 7 at the festival’s cookbook panel, YouTube star Andrew Rea, from the show “Basics with Babish,” will show off his latest cookbook, written to help troubleshoot anything from broken butter to burnt bread to bony branzino. “Basics with Babish” is said to be a kitchen Bible for the new generation of trial-and-error home chefs.

On Nov. 9, fashion mogul and social activist Rebecca Minkoff will kick off Women’s Night with her latest book, “Fearless: The New Rules For Unlocking Creativity, Courage, And Success.”

“Rebecca Minkoff is not only an icon in the fashion dimension as a world-renowned designer, but she is also a business maven whose efforts to recognize the unique struggles of women and mothers in the workplace are reflected in her podcast and in her book,” said Hannah Dinkel, director of literary arts at the J. “We are thrilled to welcome Rebecca for Women’s Night. Her uplifting character and wisdom pay tribute to the spirit of the evening as we come together to amplify powerful female, Jewish voices.”

NBC news correspondent and National Jewish Book Award–winner, Martin Fletcher, will be presenting his latest book, “Teachers: The Ones I Can’t Forget” on Nov. 14. This book features photographic montages paired with stories of resilience collected from Fletcher’s memories in international news coverage. “Teachers” is

a reminder of the integrity, devotion and empathy that still goes into news reporting.

Mitch Albom, author of the No. 1 Bestseller “The Stranger in the Lifeboat,” will close out the festival on Nov. 19 discussing his latest novel, “The Little Liar.” It tells the story of three Holocaust survivors, focusing on the consequences of what they said, did, and endured as children to survive such a devastating moment in history.

In addition to these four headliners, the festival will offer a diverse lineup of bestselling authors, investigative journalists, historians and more. Highlights include:

Acclaimed intuitive self-improvement advisor and psychic medium Rebecca Rosen, who will take the stage to discuss her book, “What’s Your Heaven? 7 Lessons

to Heal the Past and Live Fully Now.” This book is a guide to overcoming harmful intergenerational patterns and tapping into your own divine guidance to start living the life you were born to lead.

Historian and specialist for Holocaust and German-Jewish history, Wolf Gruner, who will speak on his newest book, “Resisters: How Ordinary Jews Fought Persecution in Hitler’s Germany.” This account tells the tales of individual Jews who resisted Nazi persecution, challenging the traditional portrayal of Jewish passivity during the Holocaust.

Rosanne M. Leipzig, a top doctor with more than 35 years of experience caring for older people, who will discuss “Honest Aging,” a guide to the second half of life, describing what to expect physically, psy-

chologically, functionally and emotionally as you age.

Participants can also expect names like Andrew Mellen, Andrew Meier, Diana Fersko, Aaron Hamburger, Weina Dai Randel and Michael Strassfeld to present their latest books throughout the festival. See the full lineup of authors, prepare your calendars for the schedule of events, or purchase tickets at jccstl.com/JBFauthors-events.

Those who want the full St. Louis Jewish Book Festival experience can purchase Premiere Pass Tickets, which provide entrance to more than 18 author programs year-round. These tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www. showpass.com/jewish-book-festival-all-access-pass-3/.

very big into donating. So I think it’s important that we learn how to do tzedakah and continue the path that the people before us have paved.”

The first meeting is set for Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis building, 2 Millstone Campus

Drive, near Creve Coeur. All Jewish high schoolers are welcome to attend.

“For the first meeting, the plan is to talk about the what and the why of tzedakah and discuss what is next for the program,” Sari said. “We will start by learning how to fundraise, and we’ll come up with a goal and mission statement.”

The plan is to meet monthly, alternating

between meetings and site visits. The site visits will be both educational and philanthropic in nature, with some examples including the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry.

“The goal is to meet with whoever’s in charge of donations and fundraising at the site and have them tell us, ‘This is why we

need donations, this is what we use donations for,’ because I think that’s part of inspiring people,” Sari said. “I think the site visits are to help spark interest in being like, oh, this is why we’re raising money, this is what we’re doing it for.”

Ben Panet, senior associate of Israel and teen engagement at Federation, will be the group’s adviser. Sari reached out to him to help her lead the group because he was formerly her BBYO adviser. While he will provide assistance, Sari is spearheading the organization.

“It’s really being superdriven by Sari,” Panet said. “She’s taken a huge amount of effort not only to come up with this idea but to pursue it and follow through. She did all the groundwork to look into the organization and the curriculum and is recruiting participants to start in our first cohort in September.”

Sari is excited to grow the group and hopes that like-minded teens also will be excited about the opportunity. While she already has people on board from school, camp and the greater Jewish community, she says “the more the merrier” for the first meeting where teens can decide if it is something they are passionate about.

“It’s giving back to your community and meeting other Jewish teens,” she said. “If that’s something that’s interesting to you, give it a shot. It’s two hours. The worst that can happen is you don’t like it and you never have to come back. But it could end up changing your life.”

If you are a high-school-aged teen or know one interested in getting involved, contact Ben Panet at 314-442-3881 or through the contact form at jfedstl.org/ staff/ben-panet/. For more information about Honeycomb, go to honeycomb.org/

From left, Andrew Rhe, Rebecca Minkoff, Martin Fletcher and Mitch Albom will be among the authors at this year’s St. Louis Jewish Book Festival.

Q&A 5 questions for YPD’s Daniel Hearst about being young and Jewish in STL

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Daniel Hearst joined Jewish Federation of St. Louis earlier this year as Development Officer of its Young Professionals Division. The 26-year-old is a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona.

Can you explain your job in a few sentences?

My job is to engage young adults and help create spaces where young Jewish professionals can develop their leadership skills while also making positive impacts in the Jewish community through philanthropy. Additionally, it’s my job to assist in the creation of programming that enriches our Jewish identity.

What does YPD offer young Jewish professionals?

YPD offers young Jewish professionals the opportunity to network, volunteer and develop leadership skills while creating new relationships with peers. It also serves as a resource for young Jewish professionals who are new to St. Louis and seeking a Jewish connection to the community.

What kinds of activities are planned that young Jewish professionals might want to get involved with this fall?

We have a lot of fun events planned for the fall. We are currently ironing out the details, but we’d like people to look forward to a collaborative Camp Sabra retreat with the J, Shabbat dinners, volunteer events, a speaker event with two guest speakers and our end-of-

the-year event. Be on the lookout for more details via email and our website (jfedstl.org/ community-engagement/ypd).

We hear twentysomethings complaining that St. Louis isn’t as good a city for them in terms of job opportunities and their social lives compared to Chicago, Denver and Boston, to name a few other cities. How would you rank/evaluate St. Louis as a city for young Jewish professionals?

When comparing St. Louis to Denver, Boston or Chicago, most people are quick to put us at the bottom of the list.

I completely disagree with this. I think there is still a lot of opportunity in St. Louis for professional development in law, engineering, various medical fields, business and more.

\Socially, I think St. Louis is unique because it has features of both a large city and small town. We get the opportunity to meet new people at sports events, bars or various community events while also easily maintaining the relationships we’ve already created.

I give it 4/5 stars (5/5 is we had an NFL team).

What do you personally like to do to chill/ relax in your free time?

In my free time you can find me lounging on patios throughout St. Louis either reading the news or enjoying a cold beer. I love supporting St. Louis City SC on gamedays, hiking/camping and spending time with my family.

WHAT DOES THE GATESWORTH MEAN TO YOU? community

The Gatesworth is like a self-contained city – whatever you want or need, they’ll get it for you. No matter what your question is, their answer is always ‘yes.’ I love it! — CAROL MAX

”

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We invite you to discover The Gatesworth and experience exceptional senior living today. Call 314-993-0111.

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At right, Daniel Hearst joined Jewish Federation of St. Louis earlier this year as Development Officer of its Young Professionals Division.

The

located

Shaare Emeth plans silver anniversary celebration for Rabbi Goldstein

Congregation Shaare Emeth will hold an anniversary celebration for Rabbi Andrea Goldstein’s 25 years in the rabbinate (and at Congregation Shaare Emeth) as well as her completion of a Doctor of Ministry program and receiving an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

The celebration takes place Friday, Sept. 8, starting with a nosh at 5:15 p.m., followed by Kabbalat Shabbat service at 6, and a celebratory oneg afterward. Shaare Emeth is located at 11645 Ladue Road in Creve Coeur.

To RSVP or to make a tribute in Goldstein’s honor to the Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis, visit https://sestl.co/43PssbH.

The congregation also invites messages of gratitude and congratulations, and submissions of pictures from favorite moments with Goldstein by Friday, Aug. 28 (use link above).

U.City High Class of 1953 members sought

Organizers are looking for members of the University City High School Class of 1953 in advance of a 70th reunion in the first week of October 2023. An email announcement has been sent to more than 30 classmates, but additional class members are sought. Contact Gerry Mandel at 503spidermandel@gmail.com.

New Jewish Theatre event will celebrate 25 years of productions

The New Jewish Theatre invites the community to celebrate its 25th season of telling universal stories through the lens of the Jewish experience. On Sept. 10 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., the public is invited to join NJT leaders and actors at the Jewish Community Center’s Performing Arts Building to celebrate, reminisce and raise money for the future of live theater at the J.

Emceed by long-time NJT performer Will Bonfiglio, the event will feature a retrospective video and performances from some of the theater’s favorite past productions starring their original actors. Following the shows, participants will have the opportunity to socialize with the stars, including notable figures like Johanna Elkana from “The Last of the Red Hot Mamas,” Sharon Hunter and Tim Schall from “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah,” Jennifer Theby Quinn from “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding,” and many others. The evening will close with the 2024 season line-up announcement from Artistic Director Rebekah Scallet.

NJT was officially founded in 1997 by Kathleen Sitzer. Originally hired to be the theater coordinator, overseeing a community theater called “The Shalom Players,” Sitzer had the idea to establish a professional theater company at the J. She increased the company’s focus on Jewish themes, stories and authors, and put a greater emphasis on new and thought-provoking work. Thus the “New Jewish Theatre,” was born.

That first year there were three performances: “A Body of Water” by Jenna Zark, “Another Antigone” by A.R. Gurney, and “Jest A Second” by James Sherman. Through the years, the theater grew to a five-play season and developed

a reputation as one of the best small professional theaters in St. Louis evidenced by its 142 nominations and 30 wins from the St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards.

Some notable productions through the years include:

• “Way to Heaven” (2012) by Juan

Mayorga, directed by Doug Finlayson, featuring then 11-year-old Elizabeth Teeter, who recently appeared in “Beetlejuice” on Broadway.

• “Old Jews Telling Jokes” (2014) by Peter Gethers and Daniel Okrent, directed by Eddie Coffield. This was one of NJT’s biggest hits — non-stop laughs from start to finish.

• “District Merchants” (2019) by Aaron Posner, directed by Jacqueline Thompson. This reimagining of “The Merchant of Venice” was nominated for five St. Louis Theatre Circle awards, winning three.

Tickets to the 25th Anniversary Celebration start at $72 for individuals or $360 for a group of six. Ticket price includes heavy appetizers, cake and beverages, which will be served before the performances. Individuals can buy tickets or donate at give.jccstl.org/NJT25 or learn more about the New Jewish Theatre at newjewishtheatre.org.

Rabbi Andrea Goldstein

At left, Gary Wayne Barker and J. Samuel Davis in The New Jewish Theatre’s 2019 production of ‘District Merchants.’ PHOTO: ERIC WOOLSEY

Below, a scene from NJT’s 2014 production of ‘Old Jews Telling Jokes.’

A file photo of the New Jewish Theatre’s 2010 production of ‘The Last of the Red Hot Mamas.’

Lynnie’s Light for Life fundraiser to illuminate lives and help support J’s new Hamsa Wellness Community

The Jewish Community Center wants the community to come together to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients, educate those at risk for developing hereditary cancer, and empower Jewish women.

“Lynnie’s Light for Life” will take place on Sept. 6 at the J near Creve Coeur, aimed at providing essential support to the J’s new Hamsa Wellness Community, a community partner of the national Sharsheret organization and Nishmah, the St. Louis Jewish Women’s Project at the J. Cancer can be a challenging journey, not just for the patients but also for their families and loved ones. The Hamsa Wellness Community strives to create a nurturing and empowering space for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. The funds raised from this event will enable the Hamsa Wellness Community to expand its educational and support services for both men and women dealing with many types of cancer, especially hereditary cancers, and reach beyond the current focus on breast and ovarian cancers. The Hamsa Wellness

Community plans to offer more free programs, therapeutic activities and educational resources to those affected by cancer or at risk for developing hereditary cancer.

This new wellness community is founded on five pillars: connection, hope, education, strength, and support. These pillars focus on the care of the whole person and provide those dealing with a cancer diagnosis a community during what is often an extremely challenging time. Programming includes a cancer support group, wellness activities such as Yoga for Cancer, education about the risks of hereditary cancer and much more.

Research shows that having a heredity mutation, like a BRCA gene mutation, not only increases your chance of developing breast and ovarian cancer, especially among Jewish families, but increases your chances of developing prostate, pancreatic, colon, melanoma, and male breast cancer. One in 40 men and women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent carries a BRCA gene mutation, compared to nearly 1 in

400 in the general population. We are learning more each day about other hereditary cancer gene mutations.

“The Hamsa Wellness Community will continue to educate all individuals on the increased genetic risks facing our community and the importance of knowing one’s family history,” says Director Debbi Braunstein. “Knowledge is power knowing your family history can help determine options to prevent a cancer diagnosis or assist in early detection.”

Nishmah, a Jewish women’s program, has served the Jewish community with dedication and compassion for several years. The organization provides a variety of spiritual programs, all aimed at fostering personal growth and empowerment among Jewish women of different denom-

inations. Through Lynnie’s Light for Life, Nishmah will receive the necessary financial backing to continue its vital work and reach even more women in need. This annual event honors the legacy of Lynnie Palan who lost her battle to cancer. Lynnie’s passion and drive will forever remain through the work of The Hamsa Wellness Community.

The evening promises to be a beacon of hope and solidarity, featuring a heartfelt story from a cancer survivor, inspirational speakers and spiritual music from Lucy Greenbaum.

The event will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at the Staenberg Family Complex Outdoor Pool, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. Admission to the fundraiser is free, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and community members, but donations supporting this important work are welcome.

For more information about Lynnie’s Light for Life and the event details, please visit the Lynnie’s Light for Life webpage or contact Chelsea Leon at 314-442-3111

Schmooze: Meet Jai Jai Goldstein, a powerlifting super grandma

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

(United States Powerlifting Association) and USAPL (USA Powerlifting) meet requires participants to execute squats, bench presses and dead lifts.

Goldstein also is certified to serve as a referee and as a judge at USPA and USAPL competitions. And last year she finished the requirements to become an international judge for USPA.

She moved to St. Louis from Trenton, N.J. when she was 14. It was around this time that she started playing competitive volleyball, first at Parkway North Junior High and then at Parkway North High, where she graduated in 1975. Growing up, she and her family attended United Hebrew Congregation.

“Volleyball is my first love. I played for nearly 45 years,” she says, explaining that in her 20s, she played on the Jewish Community Center women’s state volleyball team that won nationals for three consecutive years.

When I met Goldstein in late July, she was still recovering from knee replacement surgery at the end of March, followed in June by a knee manipulation under anesthesia to help restore her range of movement. We met at the Mid-Rivers Mall in St. Peters, where the Ability Gym is located. As Goldstein explained, the gym falls under the auspices of DASA –Disabled Athlete Sports Association — which through adaptive sports and fitness, empowers individuals with physical disabilities “to find their inner athlete.”

Goldstein was there to lead a two-hour CPR training for instructors who work with DASA athletes as well as other DASA employees. With a solid background in healthcare and 13 different licenses in CPR instruction, she now is the sole owner of CPR-N-MOR, which offers training classes in CPR, first aid, wilderness training and, well, more.

She had her DASA charges sit on the floor in a circle and joined them. “I can get down with this knee, but I might not be able to get up,” she jokes. She leads them through the paces of training, injecting various real-life scenarios that would require CPR assistance, and instructs them in the best way to administer life-saving help.

Meghan Morgan, a social worker and program director at DASA, has known Goldstein for eight years, after she had been recommended as a CPR instructor.

“She’s incredibly professional and relatable. We call her back every couple of years to run our CPR certification. She

cares so much about our athletes, and she remembers them,” says Morgan.

“About three or four years ago, we started exploring bringing the sport of Paralympic powerlifting to DASA. We reached out to Jai Jai because of her connections in the powerlifting world,” Morgan continues. “We started doing a (powerlifting) competition here every May, and she’s been helping us out with that since we started. This past summer she became a certified official for Paralympic powerlifting. She took that extra step and now donates her time, so we don’t have to pay for an official.”

Goldstein plans to return to competitive powerlifting in October, at the Missouri River Open, as a judge. She hopes to compete again in early 2024. In the meantime, she’s doing her best to stay active by swimming, kayaking and keeping up with Henry. She’s also an avid tent camper — “I camp, not glamp,” she says matter-of-factly, before breaking into a big smile.

Though powerlifting might not be for everyone, Goldstein encourages anyone curious to try. However, she cautions newbies to train with someone who is a true powerlifting coach, otherwise they could

be setting themselves up for injury.

“The sport itself is absolutely amazing in so many ways. The camaraderie is fabulous,” says Goldstein. “The good thing about powerlifting is that it doesn’t care

how old you are or how much you weigh. You can do the sport forever. The oldest I competed against was 84, and I hope to get there one day.”

Jai Jai Goldstein (left) leads a CPR training class for staff of the Disabled Athlete Sports Association at the Ability Gym in Mid-Rivers Mall in St. Peters on July 31.

PHOTO: MIKE SHERWIN

Jewish Women’s Circle plans lunch and learn series

The Jewish Women’s Circle is planning a monthly lunch and learn for women, from noon to 1 p.m. the first Thursday of every month in Chabad of Chesterfield’s temporary space in Chesterfield Mall.

The monthly classes are led by Chanala Rubenfeld who shares inspirational, meaningful and practical life messages based on Torah thoughts and Kabbalistic insights. All women are invited to attend to learn, enjoy a delicious lunch and kibitz with new and old friends.

This program is hosted in memory of Rashi Minkowitz, a Chabad Rebbitzen in Atlanta, Ga., who died suddenly at the age of 37 in March of 2014.

There is no cost for this program, but a donation is appreciated. For more information and to register please visit: bit.ly/ ladieslunchandlearn or call 636-7784000.

The Jewish Women’s Circle, a project of Chabad of Chesterfield, works to create opportunities for Jewish women to engage Jewishly and socially while encouraging relationships to form across the spectrum of backgrounds, affiliations, whether transplants or locals.

Staenberg Group sponsors traveling art exhibit at The District in Chesterfield

The Staenberg Group (TSG Properties) is sponsoring the traveling art exhibition “Americans Who Tell the Truth” through August at The District, 17081 N. Outer 40 Road, in Space 210. The art exhibit, hosted by Missouri Coalition for the Environment (MCE), is a community engagement opportunity that displays portraits of change makers who are focused on improving communities throughout the United States.

“By providing this space, we’re giving people the opportunity to care for a nonprofit,” said Michael Staenberg, president of The Staenberg Group. “We want people to be able to utilize the space at The District in a positive way for the entire region, and we want to give back to the community.”

Artist Robert Shetterly has been painting this series of portraits for more than 20 years. A new portrait for the collection celebrates Debbie Njai, the founder of Black People Who Hike, and their mission is to empower, educate, and reengage Black people to the outdoors through wellness campaigns, health advocacy and activities such as hiking, rock climbing and yoga.

Hours of operation to view the exhibition are Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to 6 p.m. For more information about the exhibit, visit https://amer-

icanswhotellthetruth.org/.To learn more about the nonprofit organization, visit https://moenvironment.org/.

Unsung Heroes: Magazine, event will spotlight 2023 honorees

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

instructed two other boys to give the Nazi salute. With the support of administrators at her school, Baumgartner, who is Catholic, showed a YouTube interview with a Holocaust survivor to her class, but her lessons to combat antisemitism did not stop there.

• Murray Bresler. His acts of chesed, while monumental and lifesaving, are done quietly and in private. Bresler, who owns Murray’s Travel Centre in Overland and is a member of Young Israel, has helped countless numbers of people, families, schools and organizations, insisting on no credit or kudos for his actions, and only accepted this honor after friends encouraged him to do so.

• Nancy Wasserman Giannisi, a retired occupational therapist volunteering at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital to help children with disabilities who cannot live at home because of their illness. Giannisi and her dog Gigi also completed the 12-week Duo Dogs Touch Therapy Training Program so Gigi can now make the rounds at Ranken Jordan, cheering up patients and their families.

• Amy Kuo Hammerman, a full-time feminist homemaker, community organizer and activist spends countless hours vol-

unteering with social justice organizations such as the National Council of Jewish Women, where she serves on its board and has chaired or headed many of the organization’s social justice and health rights efforts. She is a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

• For 22 years, Alan Kirby, a German teacher at Seckman High School in Imperial, Mo., has been bringing Jewish students, through the Student to Student program, to his classroom to talk with his German students. In addition to showing the connections between the German language and Yiddish and Hebrew, the most powerful reason Kirby has these students returning each year is because his own family was part of the Nazi regime. He wants his students to be part of a positive future, and to ensure genocides like the Holocaust never happen again.

• Cathy Lander-Goldberg. She founded

the Resilient Souls Project, an exhibit of portraits and writing celebrating a diverse group of young women, including many at risk. She also began a photography education program for adolescent girls at Edgewood Children’s Center to build self-awareness and self-esteem. Recently, through photos and storytelling, she focused on a diverse group of St. Louis older women to provide inspiration for viewers of all ages.

• Helene Meyer, the founder of Slaying Dragons, a non-profit organization dedicated to stamping out the stigma of mental illness. Topics addressed through these productions have included depression, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s.

• Sue Picus, who is another example of an uber volunteer, having long associations with non-profits such as the Jewish Fund for Human Needs, Shaare Emeth and St. Louis Oasis. While her volunteer efforts are

extensive, one example: During COVID, she helped create and implement chesed calls to every senior at Shaare Emeth.

• Beth Saltzman, who is one of the most active volunteers and “Mitzvah Makers” at Congregation B’nai Amoona. After the COVID shut down, when it became clear that “business as usual” was not going to be reality anymore, she developed and organized a Mitzvah Corps program where volunteers would fulfill many roles in the congregation once held by professionals.

• Dr. Bruce Frank and Enid Weisberg Frank. Bruce volunteers as a chaplain at Missouri Baptist Hospital, helps out at NCJW’s Back to School! Store as an eye doctor doing screenings, has been president of B’nai Amoona’s Men’s Club and is a dedicated member of its Minyan Corps and Social Action Committee. Enid also volunteers at the Back to School! Store, has been president of the Women’s Club at B’nai Amoona, tutors young students in preparations for their b’nai mitzvah and also serves on the board of Nishmah.

For more information, go to stljewishlight.org/unsung. Tickets to the event will be available for purchase online starting in early October. To make a tribute in honor of an Unsung Hero, visit stljewishlight.org/ unsung-tribute.

The Staenberg Group (TSG Properties) is sponsoring the traveling art exhibition “Americans Who Tell the Truth” through August at The District.

PHOTO: JAELIN COLLIER MCGULL

NEWSMAKERS

Former St. Louisan Mark Givarz received the Midwest Region Ma’asim Tovim Award from the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs; the highest recognition a region can give to one of its members. He was honored for his many years of service both in St. Louis and now Palm Coast, Fla., where he currently lives.

Ashley Nash and Sabrina Gornish have joined the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Nash is a marketing project coordinator with the communications team. She assists with brand management and the implementation of marketing, advertising and promotional strategy for Federation’s events and programs. Gornish is the development officer for Women’s Philanthropy. She helps to plan events and build relationships with the Jewish women of St. Louis. Gornish, a member of Young Israel, is also the owner of Sweet Tooth STL, which offers custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies and confections for all occasions.

Congregation B’nai Amoona welcomes Zufan Hailemariam and Samantha Zucker to its staff. Hailemariam is the new controller and is responsible for the congregation’s financial goals. Zucker, the new graphic design and communications coordinator, is responsible for creating graphics for print and social media as well as all congregation social media accounts. Zucker is a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth and Congregation B’nai Amoona.

Fourteen years after retiring, Dr. Arlene Stiffman’s research work in social sciences and humanities is still being cited.

Stiffman, the Barbara A. Bailey Professor Emeritus of Social Work at Washington University, is one of 13 Brown School scholars named to the Research.com list of top social and humnities scientists in the world. She attends Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Cheryl Maayan was named the Director of the Day School Leadership Training Institute (DSLTI), a fellowship for new and aspiring heads of Jewish day schools. She is an alumna of the fellowship and served as a DSLTI mentor for the past eight years. Maayan was instrumental in forging a partnership between the Jewish Theological Seminary, (where DSLTI has been a field program for 25 years) and

Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools during this past year, resulting in these institutions jointly sponsoring DSLTI. Mayaan is an employee of Prizmah and belongs to Shaare Emeth.

Rick Eisen recently received the 2022 Outstanding Faculty Award from the National Business Institute. This award is given as a result of the training he conducted for attorneys seeking to fulfill their continuing legal education hours.

Allison Cherner Bender started Bender College Consulting. Her company helps students and their parents navigate the college application process by discussing college

options, reviewing college essays, interview preparation and so much more. Bender is a counselor at North Technical High School.

Dr. George Hruza was elected to the International League of Dermatologic Societies board of directors at the World Congress of Dermatology in Singapore. The ILDS is a worldwide organization of 202 dermatologic organizations focusing on bringing access to dermatologic care to underserved communities across the world. Hruza is also running for election to Missouri State House District 89 in Central St. Louis County (Des Peres, Frontenac, Huntleigh, Town and Country and Eastern Chesterfield).

Top row, from left: Mark Givarz, Ashley Nash, Sabrina Gornish, Zufan Hailemariam and Samantha Zucker. Second row: Dr. Arlene Stiffman, Cheryl Maayan, Rick Eisen, Allison Cherner Bender and Dr. George Hruza.

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. Newsmakers is compiled by Elise Krug.

ABOUT

THE OPINIONS SECTION

D’VAR TORAH — PARASHAT KI TEITZEI

Longing for yesterday, grateful for today

BY RABBI NOAH ARNOW

When you think about earlier eras in American history, are you nostalgic, or are you relieved to be living today? It’s a generally conservative impulse to feel like life was better in some imagined or remembered past. And it’s a generally progressive attitude to feel like this is the best time to be alive yet.

Who you are will likely affect your perspective. If you’re someone who has survived serious medical issues, you may be very glad to be living now. LGBTQ people, people of color, and women, among others, may feel like they have, on balance, more freedom, more rights, more safety, than they would have had in a previous era (although with the Dobbs decision, the rise of anti-trans legislation, and the end of affirmative action, feelings might be changing).

If you’re a rabbi, priest or minister of anything but a megachurch, you may long for the 1950s, when sanctuaries were full. While our kids might be puzzled by it, we

might long for a time without smartphones. We might long for a time before the anxiety of climate change.

As I read the numerous laws of Parashat Ki Tetzei, I feel torn between these conservative nostalgia and progressive relief. On the one hand, it sounds pretty great!

Deuteronomy here creates a world where people are commanded to care for stray animals they find, both for the benefit of the animal and for their neighbor, whose animal it probably is. We are to be responsible for all kinds of lost objects. If someone’s donkey or ox falls down we have to help them up. There are building codes premised on safety, and rules about ethical hunting and harvesting. We can eat the produce in someone else’s field if we’re hungry, but we can’t take more than we can eat. Poor or foreign workers are not to be taken advantage of. We are to leave the corners and forgotten sheaves of our fields for the poor, and we are to have honest weights and measures.

Doesn’t this sound like a just, warm, supportive community to be a part of, and

Life is a treasure

Pamela R. Winnick told a fascinating story about her father’s illness in the Wall Street Journal on July 21, 2006. Medical residents had repeatedly asked the family to agree to disconnect his life supports. They claimed that the patient would have wanted this. The family disagreed strongly. They thought that he wanted to live.

So in an attempt to relieve the pressure, Winnick told the residents that the family were Orthodox Jews, even though this was not the case. The pressure from the residents immediately stopped. The results of this strategy were incredible. Her father was still dying of lung cancer, but given this additional time, he was able to recover from his unconscious state. To the great joy of the family, he woke up, recovered his sense of humor, and read the New York Times Judaism values every moment of life. One who is dying is regarded as a living person in all respects, and every moment of his life is of infinite value, regardless of his condition.

The value of a single moment of life in modern society is underappreciated. Right-to-die activists have invented something they called “physician-assisted suicide” and are working hard to convince Americans that physicians ought to be writing lethal prescriptions for those who want to die, be they diagnosed with a terminal illness, or even those chronically ill. They have passed legislation in multiple states to legalize what they now euphemistically call “aid in dying,” “death with dignity” and “medical assistance at the end of life.” Judaism calls it murder.

Since God created man in His image, if someone shortens a life, he is destroying something holy. Even if someone wants to die, it is forbidden for him to take his own life or for any-

one to help him do so. As it is said in the well-known verse from the Book of Job, “The Lord has given, the Lord has taken, blessed is the Name of the Lord.” Only God has the authority to take life, as well as to bestow it.

Jews who accept the Torah’s guidance are not alone in opposing physician-assisted suicide. Opponents of this practice are working hard to prevent its broader legalization. They publicize multiple problems with assisted suicide; for example, individuals sometimes die slowly and painfully from the death-inducing medicine. Additionally, there is a tendency over time to loosen the so-called safeguards in the legislation. However, details aside, many Americans oppose physician-assisted suicide because they intuitively understand that there is no such thing as a life not worthy to be lived.

A vital component to this discussion must be added: Judaism has an important mitzvah called Bikur Cholim, visiting the sick. When we visit those who are ill, we pray for them. We should also thoughtfully assess the situation to tactfully provide them with their needs. In America, one who is ill may feel dispirited, and even crushed. Beyond the physical aspects of their ailment, the seriously ill patient may suffer acute psychological pain because of our society’s emphasis on youth, beauty and productivity.

However, Bikur Cholim, visiting the sick, is literally restorative. Encouragement and support from family, friends and caring medical professionals gives the seriously ill patient strength and resolve to live despite their formidable challenges.

And remarkably, the Talmud says that one who visits the sick takes away one-sixtieth of their illness.

We once heard a rabbi speak about a hospital visit he made. The critically ill woman was seemingly comatose and was given a very short time to live. The rabbi said he prayed a bit in her pres-

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.

the kind of community that doesn’t really exist anymore?

On the other hand, amidst these great rules for living are other laws that I’m relieved are not normative in my community. I’m glad we don’t do corporal punishment anymore, and that we don’t stone rebellious children. I don’t long for the days of levirate marriage. I’m glad we welcome sincere converts from all backgrounds, and don’t exclude people from certain places or ethnicities. I’m very glad we don’t stone engaged women

Rabbi Ze’ev Smason is Chairman of the Coalition for Jewish Values Missouri. Barbara A. Olevitch is an author and psychologist who resides in St. Louis.

ence (a chapter of psalms), and as he left he said ‘Good Shabbos’ — not expecting that she would even hear what he said. As he was leaving the room, he was astounded to hear the woman faintly say in response, “Good Shabbos.”

The rabbi said, “Do you know what that means? Despite her illness, and despite the fact that someone might have said that her life was meaningless, she said ‘Good Shabbos,’ which was the fulfillment of the 4th commandment — Honor the Sabbath day. Who knows what value that had in Heaven for her, and to those who supported her?”

Every moment of life is of infinite value. In the secular world they say, “Time is money.” From the Torah perspective we say, “Time is life.” The clock for every one of us keeps running. The days, the hours, the minutes – and yes, even the seconds quickly move at their unstoppable pace. But we can change the course of our lives in even as small a fraction of time as a second.

Perhaps that’s why it’s called a “second” — because it gives us a second chance to rectify our mistakes, redirect our goals, redefine our values, and become better versions of who we are from the perspective of who we could be.

You are richer than 93% of people.

Not in money, but in time. Throughout history, 108 billion people have lived — 93% of them are dead.

You have what every king and queen, every pharaoh and ruler, every CEO and celebrity of the past would give all their wealth for: Today.

Why? Because life, every moment of life, is an invaluable treasure.

who are sexually assaulted but don’t cry out. And I’m relieved that a single woman who is sexually assaulted doesn’t have to marry her assailant. I’m glad we don’t think it is ok for women to be treated as spoils of war. And I’m proud that in my community, people can wear the clothing they want, and aren’t restricted to the clothing of the gender they were assigned at birth.

Some of these problematic laws have been narrowed to become impossible to implement (i.e. the rebellious child). Others have changed simply through the passage of time (not excluding Ammonites and Moabites from conversion). And some (gender-based clothing norms) are still in force in some Jewish communities.

There are ways we’re all conservatives. And there are ways we’re all progressives. Can’t we be both? What possibilities for empathy might exist for people whose political leanings are different from ours?

A critical, loving reading of Torah helps us to appreciate the past, love the present, and dream for the future.

I was surprised to see that the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum is hosting a program called “The American Dream Deferred: One Family’s Incarceration During WWII + Holocaust Museum Tour,” which is sponsored by the Jewish Asian American Dialogue Group, a program of the Newmark Institute at the Jewish Community Relations Council. My initial reaction upon seeing the advertisement for this program was that the museum was suggesting an equivalence between the experience of Japanese nationals and Japanese-Americans who were incarcerated in the U.S. during WWII and the Jews who suffered under Nazi occupation.

I understand that the museum strives to offer “education programs and initiatives that promote justice and equality” (per the museum’s website). Clearly, it is important to recognize suffering and hardships experienced by other ethnic groups. However, it is disingenuous to compare the imprisonment of JapaneseAmericans in camps during WWII with the horrors of the Holocaust. Approximately 120,000 Japanese were interned in 10 camps in several states. But they were allowed to work, were paid small sums for their work, and were set free after the war ended. Less than 2% of them died during the camp experience, all from natural causes. It is horrible that the U.S. government did this to them in response to fears that Japanese spies in the U.S. had helped in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Yet it is worse for anyone to suggest that their story resembles the worst crimes in the history of the world.

The Holocaust was unique in that the Nazis developed a genocidal plan to exterminate all of the Jewish people worldwide, called “The Final Solution,” and were successful in murdering 6 million Jews, two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population and almost half of the world’s Jewish population. To imply that the experiences of Japanese who were interned in the U.S. in WWII were similar is to dishonor the memory of those who were murdered during the Holocaust.

Galit Lev-Harir Wildwood

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No historical equivalent

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Students pursue ‘justice through truth’ in Israel

RABBI JORDAN GERSON

I recently returned from leading a delegation of 19 students from Washington University to Israel to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This fact-finding mission, called the Campus Leaders Israel Experience, travels through Israel and the West Bank. We hear from many people on both sides of the Green Line, each with their own narrative and perspective. Politicians, journalists, settlers, peace activists, kibbutz members and those who work toward coexistence have the opportunity to share their experiences and insights with our group.

We try to provide a wide variety of speakers from different political standings because we know how important it is for students to have all of the information before they can make a judgment for themselves. With the goal of combating anti-Israel sentiment and preventing the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement on campus, we work for months to coordinate and schedule speakers that represent the breadth of the political spectrum, confident that students will develop a better understanding of the complexity of the situation.

In last week’s Torah portion, Shoftim, we read about the installation of judges and law enforcement officials in the cities of the ancient Israelites. Tasked not only with keeping the peace, these individuals had a higher task of ensuring that justice prevailed among the Jewish people.

In Shoftim we receive the commandment, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” “Justice, justice you shall pursue!” The repetition of the word, tzedek/justice is curious. After all, our Torah uses an economy of language and will not use two words when one will suffice. Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa, a biblical commentator, questioned this seeming redundancy and put forth the following explanation: The pursuit of justice must be done through just means.

This same principle still applies today. Our legal system is built upon adherence to the proper procedure to try to ensure that a

judge’s ruling is unimpeachable and that justice is served. Accuser and defendant are able to present evidence for the purpose of backing up their claims, and time must be provided to accumulate that evidence. Once delivered to the jury and/or judge, they must weigh that which has been presented to them before declaring their ruling. Ensuring that all the facts are uncovered is critical to realizing justice.

During our fact-finding mission in Israel, we see that the more information our students are provided, the more apparent the reality of the situation in Israel and the West Bank comes into focus. I am sometimes questioned as to the logic of taking students to hear from high-ranking officials in the Palestinian Authority or viewing the refugee camp in Bethlehem. Wouldn’t our purposes be better served by showing only the challenges kibbutz mem-

bers face living in the Gaza envelope under the haphazard rocket fire of Hamas militants or hearing from members of Knesset?

In my experience, as difficult as these perspectives are to hear, our students need exposure to them to ensure that each side has an opportunity to make its case. The process of exploring this conflict must be just or the findings we come away with lose validity in the eyes of our students. Our tradition and our people have never shied away from delving into the complexity of any subject or looking only at one side of a given issue, and this is no exception. I am proud of the work WashU Hillel has done through our Campus Leaders Israel Experience and the relationships we have built with non-Jewish student leaders as a result of this fact-finding mission.

Non-Jewish students have come away

from this trip and taken on executive board positions in our pro-Israel student groups, and others have been strong allies in our fight against isolated instances of antisemitism that other Hillel student groups have encountered.

Shabbat 10a of the Babylonian Talmud teaches: “A judge who judges with absolute truth becomes a partner with God in creation.”

I am proud of the holy work this delegation of campus leaders did while in Israel, exploring and learning about the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. Their commitment to uncovering the truth of the conflict through hearing various narratives from people on the ground is inspiring and, through this work, they have created relationships that extend beyond the walls of our Hillel and across the campus community.

Through my experiences leading this program, I am filled with hope for our future, for greater understanding between peoples, for partnerships between communities and for peace.

Book bans: Both sides do it, and both should be opposed

BY MARTY ROCHESTER

On Nov. 18, a headline in Education Week read: “Nearly 300 Books Removed from Schools Under Missouri’s ‘Sexually Explicit Materials’ Law.”

School boards throughout Missouri have removed from school libraries books thought to violate the new law (enacted from Senate Bill 775) that bans sexually explicit content from being made available to students in grades K-12.

The Wentzville School District has led the way, but many districts not only around the St. Louis region and the state but across the nation have followed suit. Included are widely taught graphic novels such as “Maus,” about the Holocaust. The Education Week article reported that the ban is “mostly books about LGBTQ people and people of color.”

That is, books that have been added to the curriculum by liberal-minded educators and that have drawn the fire of right-wingers.

Liberal groups such as PEN America and the American Civil Liberties Union have protested and attempted to counter the bans by filing lawsuits.

I am against this sort of book-banning except in the most egregious cases of exposing children to excessive sexuality in school. We should be promoting as much freedom of inquiry and expression as possible.

That said, I am also bothered by the double standard I see on this issue, where

PEN, the ACLU and liberal groups tend to criticize book banning only when it comes from the right, despite the fact that it often comes also from the left.

Let me give a specific example of my concern.

My temple, Congregation Shaare Emeth, recently started a new “Banned Book Club” that brings congregants together to discuss these issues. I attended a meeting of the club in June. We discussed Toni Morrison’s first novel, “The Bluest Eye,” which is among the books banned in Wentzville and elsewhere.

The book tells the story of three Black girls in 1940s America, depicting violent child sexual abuse relating particularly to Black and female oppression. Even those in the audience who supported teaching the book, which seemed to be a majority of the participants, confessed that the book contained very disturbing language and a difficult theme even for mature readers.

Supporters of the book included the moderator of the meeting, professor Michael Sherberg of Washington University, who shared the expansive view of literary freedom promoted by PEN and the ACLU.

During the Q&A session, I said: “I am guessing that most of the people in this room and who organized this event see the book-banning phenomenon coming from the right, from conservative groups concerned about explicit sexual content and critical race theory taught to kids in K-12. I wonder if you are equally concerned about book-banning from the left,

coming from liberals. For example, at many high schools (e.g., Clayton High School), in the name of diversity and inclusion, no longer is Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” being taught due to the use of the N-word, even though it was once a staple of the English curriculum and Ernest Hemingway himself said ‘all modern American literature comes from “Huckleberry Finn.” ’ The book is that important a part of American literature.”

Sherberg said in response that he did not fully support the teaching of “Huckleberry Finn” and could understand the opposition to it because one “must be sensitive to one’s audience.” Yet he seemed to be sympathetic to teaching “The Bluest Eye,” never mind that Morrison’s novel also contained repeated references to the N-word as well as other coarse language.

Why is it OK to teach Toni Morrison but not Mark Twain? Is this not a double standard?

The fact is that we are seeing an attack

on books and free speech generally from both the right and the left. Clearly, the right is part of the problem. But liberals must acknowledge that so is the left. I am not aware that PEN or the ACLU have protested the elimination of Mark Twain and Huck Finn from the high school canon.

Indeed, liberals have led the way in “cancel culture,” demanding elimination of wording and traditional elements of our culture that offend “woke” sensibilities, even going so far as to demand the removal of George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s names from school buildings, as well as instituting speech codes that ban “microaggressions” such as phrases like “the most qualified person should get the job.”

Professor Jonathan Turley of the George Washington University Law School, writing in The Messenger online (July 5), says that “the left was once the target of censorship and blacklisting during the Red Scare. Today, they have literally adopted the arguments used to target liberals and socialists.” He writes that the President Joe Biden’s administration has been accused of colluding with social media tech companies to restrict opponents’ speech, with a recent court case finding that “the censorship … almost exclusively targeted conservative speech.”

To the extent democracy is threatened today, we need all sides of the political spectrum to stand up for free speech and open debate. Don’t just get your back up against “the far right.”

J. 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.

Rabbi Jordan Gerson (at far right) of WashU Hillel led a delegation of students from Washington University taking part in the Campus Leaders Israel Experience.

Rabbi Jordan Gerson is the Silk Foundation Campus Rabbi and chief experience officer at Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis.

Ambitious ‘Lehman Brothers’ play is both a Jewish and American story

BY JUDITH NEWMARK SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Earlier this summer in Boston, Carey Perloff directed the first “homegrown” production of “The Lehman Trilogy,” a British import that won the 2022 Tony Award for best play.

Now she’s directing that production here, where it will open the 2023-24 season at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

“It is our story,” she says. “And it’s thorny.”

Written by the Italian playwright and novelist Stefano Massini, adapted and translated by Ben Power of England’s National Theatre and directed by Sam Mendes, the “Trilogy” story of the rise and fall of a powerful banking family debuted on the London stage. It has been widely acclaimed as stunning theater and as a critique of capitalism.

It’s also one of the most complicated plays

you’ve ever heard of.

That’s another reason why Perloff, an esteemed director who headed San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater for about 25 years, claims it as her own.

She is American, yes. She is Jewish, yes. And she is a lover of complex theater, of big bold drama that addresses serious issues in strikingly and uniquely theatrical terms.

This play seems made to her measure.

The trilogy traces the course of a family over 150 years, from the arrival of three penniless Jewish brothers from Bavaria in Montgomery, Ala., on through their New York triumphs in banking and up to the 2008 collapse of the Lehman Brothers firm. That was the climax of the subprime mortgage crisis and the end of the line for the bank. Its $600 billion bankruptcy filing remains the largest in U.S. history.

Intellectually serious and theatrically dazzling, “The Lehman Trilogy” involves only three actors. They play all the roles — the immigrant Lehman brothers, their descendants, their wives and children, more than 50 characters in total — without so much as a change of costume.

All this plays out on a stage that must be as versatile as the performers. In London and New York, it was dominated by a big, revolving glass box. In St. Louis as in Boston, the set is made up of wood crates, the kind of crates used in the cotton trade.

Henry, Emanuel and Mayer Lehman began their American business with a fabric store in Mobile, Ala., which they turned into a new business, brokering cotton.

“You can’t help but root for the brothers,”

‘The Lehman Brothers Trilogy’

WHEN: Sept. 5-24

WHERE: Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, 130 Edgar Road

HOW MUCH: $30-$90

MORE INFO: repstl.org or 314-968-4925

It’s crying time again … and again … and again

BY AMY FENSTER BROWN

For many students in our area, school is back in session. My older son is now a senior in high school. A senior! I’m going to die. I’m going to cry, then throw up, then die, then cry some more, then run to the bathroom, then die again, and then cry. It’s a very busy schedule and I have no idea how I’m going to fit anything else in, what with so much crying and dying and all.

Have you ever played the drinking game where you take a sip every time someone says a specific word? Poughkeepsie — drink! We’re going to change it up just a bit from drinking to crying and play “The Crying Game.”

Instead of getting stinking drunk, I’m going to cry so much I get dehydrated.

That’s because every time someone says a specific word, I’m going to burst into tears.

Well, there are a lot of specific words: senior, graduation, college, university, trade school, high school, school, campus, cap, gown, finals, dorm, roommate, tuition, scholarship, any city other than St. Louis, and Davis.

I don’t remember crying when my kids were born. I don’t remember much, maybe because they were both born via C-section and I was flat on my back, drugged out of my mind, waiting for it to be over. It was just like conception.

Now, I do sometimes well up with tears at random kid things. A play they make at soccer or baseball games.

An award at school. A compliment someone gives us about them, particularly if it has to do with manners as “home” offspring can be wildly different than “away” offspring. It might

embarrass them a bit (Seriously, Mom, you’re crying over catching a pop fly?) but if they want a robot for a mother they will have to move to Mars.

Davis (cry) works very hard and does an excellent job in high school (cry). His

grades are stellar, which clearly has nothing do with me genetically. It’s all Jeff. Davis (cry) even does well in science, which to me was just a class where we put

AMY FENSTER BROWN

Columnist Amy Fenster Brown is married to Jeff and has two teenage sons, Davis and Leo. She volunteers for several Jewish not-forprofit groups. Fenster Brown is an Emmy Award-winning TV news writer and counts time with family and friends, talking and eating peanut butter among her hobbies.

Amy Fenster Brown and her sons, Davis and Leo, created their own take on firstday-of-school photos.

‘Golda’ brings Israeli hero to life in wartime

BY CATE MARQUIS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

In the new film “Golda,” Helen Mirren portrays Golda Meir, Israel’s first female prime minister, who faced difficult decisions in 1973 when Israel fought Arab armies in both the Sinai and Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War.

Meir, known as the Iron Lady of Israel, is an admired figure internationally but is a more controversial figure in Israel. Israel born director Guy Nattiv, now based in America, aims to put this remarkable person in a new light by focusing on her during the Yom Kippur War.

Casting Mirren in this production has led to controversy because she is not Jewish, but it was Meir’s grandson Gideon Meir who suggested the casting. And Mirren’s carefully researched and restrained performance creates little room for criticism. Her physical transformation, with heavy makeup and prosthetics, is impressive enough to draw gasps.

After a brief montage of archival material to recap some Israeli history, “Golda” opens with Prime Minister Meir being questioned by the postwar Agranat Commission, which is investigating controversial decisions made during the war. why Israel was unprepared for attacks by Egyptian and Syrian forces. The commission is used as a framing device for Golda to tell her story of the war.

That retelling begins with Meir getting a report from Zvi Zamir (Israeli actor Rotem Keinan), the head of Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service, about a source warning of an imminent attack by Egypt and Syria, Israel’s neighbors to the south and north. The warning comes in October, just as Yom Kippur is approaching.

Unfortunately, this same Mossad source warned of an attack earlier in the year that never took place. Meir knows Defense Minister Moshe Dayan (Israeli actor Rami Heuberger) will be skeptical of the new report. When she meets with her all-male military advisers, they show her little respect, barely remembering to stand for her as they would for any prime minister.

Overconfident after the success of the Six Day War, the generals mostly dismiss the idea of an attack during the High Holy Days, even though Meir warns that it is a perfect time for one. Military intelligence head Eli Zeira (Israeli actor Dvir Benedek) assures her that their secret listening system will warn them of any attack well in advance. He is wrong.

The film is packed with famous figures of Israeli history. The cast includes Israeli stars Lior Ashkenazi as Gen. David “Dado” Elazar, Ohad Knoller as a young Ariel Sharon and Liev Schreiber plays U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

While billed as a political thriller, “Golda” lacks the pulse-pounding pace of a thriller. It is more a tense, involving

drama as we follow Meir as she copes with a war on two fronts, a team of overconfident generals who are shocked when their forces are at first overwhelmed, and her own anguish over war casualties. Meir had a remarkable life by any standard, but “Golda” is neither a true biopic nor a battlefield epic, and people expecting either will be disappointed.

Mirren gives a taut portrayal of Meir during a critical moment in Israeli history. Among the film’s best moments are when Meir charms and cajoles Kissinger into providing aid for Israel, despite the Watergate scandal unfolding at the same time. They talk by phone, and then Kissinger visits Israel to talk in person. Meir feeds Kissinger borscht and then gets to work.

Schreiber’s Kissinger cautions her, “Madame Prime Minister, in terms of our work together, I think it is important to remember I am first an American, second I am Secretary of State, and third I am a Jew.”

Meir replies: “You forget that in Israel, we read from right to left.”

It provides a rare moment of lightness and humor in the drama.

Mirren’s Golda is a chain-smoking, flinty character with a sharp political mind and cunning skill in manipulating the men who surround her and anticipating the plans of her enemies.

At the time, Meir was 76 years old and suffering from cancer, which is depicted in a few scenes. She was in poor physical shape, so travel to the war zone was diffi-

cult, which means this wartime story takes place mostly in Meir’s office, as well as in the hallways and bunkers where Meir and her generals discuss military actions and listen to radio reports from the two fronts.

Watching this grandmotherly figure navigate Israeli and international politics while making decisive, smart strategic military decisions is inspiring and one of the highlights of Mirren’s performance. Away from war meetings, we also see the more haunted and personal side of Meir.

“Golda” takes great pains to re-create the period’s look. Nattiv captures the horror of the war with archival footage and works hard to accurately portray Meir’s clothing, appearance and smoking, as well as the look of her office and other spaces where the story unfolds, with the help of Meir’s grandson as a consultant.

Some of the archival footage shows the real Golda Meir, and in other clips Mirren is digitally inserted into the archival image.

The personal side of Meir comes out mostly in her scenes with her personal assistant and friend Lou Kaddar (French actress Camille Cottin), which are warm and sometimes depict her defiance or moments of doubt.

The soundtrack is tense, often with a percussive character and metallic, strident bells. The film concludes with the perfect choice of Leonard Cohen’s “Who by Fire,” which he wrote after visiting Israeli troops during this war.

“Golda,” in English and Hebrew with English subtitles, opens Friday, Aug. 25, at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema.

At left, Helen Mirren as Golda Meir in the new film ‘Golda.’

Below, Mirren and Lior Ashkenazi.

PHOTOS: SEAN GLEASON, COURTESY OF BLEECKER STREET/SHIVHANS PICTURES

Joshua David Robinson & Firdous Bamji, The Lehman Trilogy, The Huntington 2023

Photo Credit: T Charles Erickson Photo

HEALTHWATCH

Healthwatch is a monthly feature focusing on a health- or fitness-related topic with a Jewish angle. The feature is published the second edition of each month. Have a suggestion for a potential Healthwatch subject? Email news@stljewishlight.org.

Here are seven ways to offer support and Jewish strength to friends or loved ones facing cancer

BY SUZANNE KURTZ SLOAN JTA NATIVE CONTENT

When Shoshana Polakoff, 40, received an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis three years ago, the mother of three young children needed extra support. Her friends, family and Jewish community in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan immediately stepped up.

They organized help with after-school childcare, packed school lunches for her kids and sent her little notes of encouragement while Polakoff endured trying cancer treatments.

“I felt pounds lighter and overwhelmed by the chesed that mobilized so quickly,” said Polakoff, using the Hebrew term for kindness. “And the practical help was such

an incredible gift.”

Too often, however, friends and loved ones of cancer patients are at a loss for how to respond when someone close to them is diagnosed with cancer.

“Often they feel just as thrown into this new reality as the woman herself and are not sure what to do next,” said Adina Fleischmann, chief services officer for Sharsheret, the national Jewish breast cancer and ovarian cancer organization.

This is especially the case for young people who might never have had a family

This

This article was produced by JTA’s native content team.

member or friend diagnosed with cancer before.

Fleischmann — whose organization offers extensive resources for cancer patients, ranging from emotional support, mental health counseling and education to financial subsidies for women and their families facing breast and ovarian cancer — has some guidance for what to say, how to reach out and what kind of help might be appropriate to provide in the face of a friend or family member’s cancer diagnosis.

It’s all about providing chizuk – Hebrew for strength – to the person facing cancer.

1. Establish the “Kvetching Order”

The “Kvetching Order,” based on a concept called the Ring Theory developed by clinical psychologist Susan Silk, dictates that those close to someone struggling

with a cancer diagnosis offer only support to the cancer patient, and any kvetching about their own stress outward.

Thus, the person with cancer is at the center of a circle surrounded by a ring of her or his most intimate friends and loved ones. More distant concentric rings include other friends, acquaintances, more distant family and community members.

Colloquially known as “comfort in, dump out,” the Kvetching Order establishes a flow of support directed toward the person facing cancer.

2. Be clear and specific with offers of help

Support can look and feel different to different people facing cancer; each person’s needs and life circumstances are unique. When younger women are diagnosed with cancer — as often is the case with ovarian or breast cancers, where 50% of new diagnoses are in women under age 63 — patients often need extra help managing their responsibilities as parents and/ or career professionals.

“Let the woman guide the journey,” Fleischmann says of the cancer patient. “Follow her lead.”

Sharsheret suggests offering concrete, practical assistance, such as offering to take the patient’s child to after-school activities or helping with homework. Maybe offer to come over to help clean the house, do laundry, or pick up groceries and make dinner for the family.

“But give the woman the feeling of control,” Fleischmann said. “Let her be in control of your support.”

Thus, a concrete suggestion like, “Can I bring you pizza for dinner on Wednesday?” is better than a vague offer of “What can I do to help?”

3. Check in often but don’t expect a response By all means reach out to the person facing cancer. But if they don’t respond to your phone calls, emails or texts, don’t be put off.

“Sometimes the woman may not have the time or energy to respond,” Fleischmann said. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue reaching out. “She will appreciate knowing that you’re thinking of her.”

Polakoff found small gestures particularly meaningful.

“Little things meant a lot,” she said. “Like just a note that said, ‘I’m thinking of you. Have a good Shabbos.’ ”

At St. Luke’s Heart and Vascular Institute, you’ll find a full range of state-of-the-art procedures, treatments and services to keep your heart strong and healthy. Whether you’re dealing with a history of heart disease, need follow-up care, or are simply seeking a second opinion, our diagnostic tools and surgical expertise are second to none.

4. Leave cancer out of it sometimes and just be with them

Kristen Harvey, who at 23 was faced with an ovarian cancer diagnosis for the second time, said it was important to have friends around her with whom she could talk about the future.

See HEALTHWATCH on page 22

article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with Sharsheret (sharsheret.org), the national Jewish breast cancer and ovarian cancer organization.

Amy Fenster Brown: It’s crying time again…and again…and again

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

drops of things on other things to see what all goes on with it. I’m not saying Davis (cry) is a genius, but I am saying that I know exactly how Albert Einstein’s mother must have felt.

This looks like bragging, but it is not bragging. It is factual information delivered from a mom’s perspective … that happens to be extremely accurate and slightly biased. Look, you guys, I’ve literally never exaggerated in my entire life. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times.

I have an entire year before Davis (cry) leaves for college (cry). If I just change my mindset a little, I can be excited for all the incredible things waiting in his future. It will be amazing for him to live in a dorm (cry) with a roommate (cry), make his way around campus (cry) every day, do his own laundry (getting better), have freedom and independence beyond the (ridiculously generous) amount he has now.

Next year when Davis (cry) is in college (cry) he will have to fill out his own forms.

When it comes to emergency contacts, he should just put 9-1-1 because really, what is his mom going to do?

I can’t believe it is here, his final year of high school (cry). This is the last time I will

take a picture of him holding a ridiculous mom-made sign. Going for the joke has been fun but, this year, fate is going for the jugular. Actually, I don’t know if I’m about to

burst into tears or burst into flames. My tune will change drastically when college (cry) graduation (cry) comes around, because then the boys are off the Mom and Dad payroll (CHEER)!

The Rep: ‘Lehman Brothers’ is both a Jewish and American story

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

Perloff said. “For thousands of years in Europe, Jews were strangers everywhere. Careers were restricted, ownership of property was restricted. Then you come here and you are a citizen with rights. For the first time.”

This is the happiest aspect of the many immigrant stories, and Perloff’s production acknowledges that and more with a new score by the Jewish American composer Michael Bennett. His music, Perloff says, “brings the play a Jewish heart.”

Nevertheless, as those crates remind us, any story about the cotton trade in the 1840s is implicitly a story about enslavement. Some of the Lehmans owned slaves. The play has attracted criticism for not addressing that more explicitly or more strongly.

Does the play, caught up in 20th century economics, pay insufficient attention to racism? Perhaps. Other critics perceive a different problem roiling under the surface: antisemitism.

In an opinion piece in the Guardian, British writer Dave Rich (“The Left’s Jewish Problem,” “Everyday Hate”) suggests that antisemitic tropes about Jews and money are so baked into Western thought that “Trilogy” does not so much address them as take them for granted.

Reviewers, too, generally ignored the possibility that the “Trilogy” traffics in antisemitism, he writes. But “it’s Jews, money and power, over and over again. … This ought to ring alarm bells.”

Rich emphasizes that he does not want

to “cancel” anything and that he is not accusing anyone of being an antisemite. But he does think we ought to be able to talk about it.

Perloff is inclined to a similar view — a big, complicated view that looks for theater on a similar scale. It’s easy to imagine that she has endeavored to live on that scale herself.

At 64, Perloff’s wide-ranging resume includes a host of American premieres that she directed, helming the ACT through post-earthquake rebuilding and initiating assorted international theater arts projects. (Along the way, she and her

husband, lawyer Anthony Giles, also raised two children.)

When she left ACT, Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty hailed her as “an artistic leader with integrity of vision, discriminating literary taste and the executive muscle to make big projects happen.”

She’s also done a lot of writing: a memoir, plays and several books on theater. Her latest, “Pinter and Stoppard: A Director’s View,” draws on her decades of working with both playwrights.

Stoppard received the 2023 Tony Award for best play for “Leopoldstadt,” his semi-

autobiographical drama about a Jewish family from the end of the 19th century into the Holocaust. The fact that two Jewish family stories, both ending in disaster, won the award back-to-back is a curious coincidence but, Perloff suspects, not altogether surprising.

“A lot of incredible Jewish theater is happening right now,” she says. “And working on a play [like the ‘Trilogy’] is fascinating. It’s epic, it’s fluid, and it doesn’t point fingers.

“But it’s an American story, for better or for worse. It’s ours. And we have to be able to talk about it all.”

Leo and Davis Brown and mom Amy Fenster Brown in more first-day-of-school photos through the years.

From left, Firdouss Bamji, Joshua David Robinson and Scott Wentworth in The Rep’s production of ‘The Lehman Brothers Trilogy,’ which runs Sept. 5-24.

PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON/THE REP

Hidden for 35 years, a St. Louis family secret revealed in podcast

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

Imagine keeping a secret for 35 years. Now imagine, through a twist of fate and modern science, that secret is revealed to the persons you most feared knowing it. Imagine what happens to your life – and to the lives of those around you – in the wake of that truth being uncovered. A truth buried so deeply it was like it never really happened—that is until the day phone rang, and nothing was ever the same.

That is the premise of a new podcast mini-series that debuted recently, focusing on a powerful and personal story of a young Jewish woman that began in St. Louis.

“Held: A Podcast Mini-Series” features the story of Angie Mestman Offstein. In early 1986, as a student at Ladue Horton Watkins High School, she found herself pregnant. For her own reasons, Angie made the decision to not share this information with anyone -- not her parents, not her friends and not her boyfriend, the father of the baby.

As her pregnancy progressed, Angie eventually told her parents the secret. They helped guide her through the end of the pregnancy, allowing her to deliver a healthy baby boy, which she placed for adoption. Soon, Angie returned to her senior year of high school and her life, her secret seemingly secure.

The podcast picks up the story 35 years later. The baby, named Zac by his adoptive family, has grown up and begins searching for information about his birth parents. Through a direct-to-consumer genetic testing service he finds a half-sibling and his birthfather, Michael.

Zac’s journey eventually leads him to Angie. About a year later, the story has now become “Held.”

The podcast series is hosted by Angie’s long-time friend and sister-in-law Karri Offstein Rosenthal. Over the course of the six episodes, Karri leads listeners through every event that unfolded, through the voices of all involved.

But why share the secret?

“About a year ago, it finally occurred to me how incredibly proud I am of this man – Zac,” said Angie. “I wanted to share him with those I know and love, but it didn’t feel right to just announce, ‘It was a boy,’ after 35 years of keeping it all in. It was time to let it all out.”

Angie reached out to Karri, who had experience producing podcasts, to see if she could help put the story together more as documentation for all of the family members involved. But Angie and her family soon discovered there were lessons from their experience that might be helpful to others and decided to put the podcast out publicly.

“I do things very differently in life now. I am choosing to face my fears and secrets head-on,” said Angie. “Getting this out there publicly was one of the scariest decisions I have made to date. But in the last two years, I have learned that opening yourself up and being vulnerable with others can bring great gifts right back to you.”

More than 30 hours of raw interviews were recorded by Karri. Within the episodes, the listener not only learns the narrative of the story from the actual people involved but also the powerful effects of how the story affected them both then and now. Much of this information is provided in the form of bonus episodes.

“One of the bonus episodes is a really remarkable discussion with Angie and her therapist Deb Silver from Boulder, Colorado,” said Karri. “In it, they talk about how one deals with this type of trauma. I think the listeners will learn so much from these discussions.

As for the title of the podcast. Angie and Karri said they went through hundreds of titles over several months before Karri called to suggest “Held.”

“This word has many applicable meanings with all of its variations,” said Angie. “I ‘held’ a secret, I was ‘holding a baby inside of m.’, Abbe and Jonathan (the adoptive parents) were ‘holding’ onto hope for a baby, and then eventually ‘held’ a baby in their arms. It just worked.”

“Held: A Podcast Mini-Series” is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Clockwise from top left: Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Scott Berzon, Lucy Greenbaum and Dani Glassman (not pictured) will lead sessions of a new Jewish Mindfulness Center series.

Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis offers new series for Elul

Heading into the High Holidays, the Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis will hold a three-part Mind, Body and Spirit Series for Elul. Sessions are at 7 p.m., held at the Jewish Mindfulness Center, located at Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road. The series started Tuesday, Aug. 22 and continues with the following events:

• Monday, Aug. 28: Tending to Our Bodies –Mindful Movement with Dani Glassman. Experience the spiritual themes of the High Holy Days in the body (compassion, hope, renewal and more) in this gentle movement class open to all.

• Tuesday, Sept. 5: Tending to Our Spirits –Soul Reflections with Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Scott Berzon and Lucy Greenbaum. Cheshbon hanefesh, reflecting on one’s soul, is a spiritual practice connected to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This workshop will incorporate reflective writing, music, and prayer to help soften our hearts before the High Holy Days.

To register, contact Stacy Jespersen at 314569-0010 or sjespersen@sestl.org.

BY: DR BETH TEMPLIN PT DPT GCS GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST

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CHAI LIGHTS

YOUR CALENDAR OF ST. LOUIS JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

STARTING | AUG. 27

The J’s Used Book Sale returns

The St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s biannual Used Book Sale returns to the Staenberg Family Complex Arts & Education Building from Sunday, Aug. 27 to Thursday, Aug. 31. Patrons can stock up on reading materials of every genre—including mysteries, general fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and much more—while benefiting the Cultural Arts Department of the J. The dates and admission prices for the Used Book Sale are as follows: Preview Day –Sunday, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ($10 at the door); General Admission – Monday, Aug. 28 -Wednesday, Aug. 30 from 10 a.m.7 p.m., Free; Bag Day – Thursday, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. (fill a bag for $5). For updated and complete information visit jccstl.com/programs/used-book-sale/.

STARTING | AUG. 28

Jewish Mindfulness Center offers Mind, Body and Spirit Series for

Elul

Heading into the High Holidays, the Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis will hold a three-part Mind, Body and Spirit Series for Elul. Sessions are at 7 p.m., held at the Jewish Mindfulness Center, located at Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road. The series includes:

• Monday, Aug. 28: Tending to Our Bodies

– Mindful Movement with Dani Glassman. Experience the spiritual themes of the High Holy Days in the body (compassion, hope, renewal and more) in this gentle movement class open to all.

• Tuesday, Sept. 5: Tending to Our Spirits

– Soul Reflections with Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Scott Berzon and Lucy Greenbaum. \ This workshop will incorporate reflective writing, music, and prayer to help soften our hearts before the High Holy Days.

To register, contact Stacy Jespersen at 314-569-0010 or sjespersen@sestl.org.

TUESDAY | AUG. 29

Second acts: Reinventing & reimagining with music

From 3 to 4 p.m., enjoy music from 52-yearold guitarist Aaron Perlut and 69-year-old bassist Clay Crain, who are embracing music in the second half of their lives. Both are members of the local Atomic Junkshot band, known for its honky-tonk fusion of rock, country and blues, and their off-beat humor. To register for this free, in-person Mirowitz Center program, visit http://bit.ly/Mirowitz-registration, call 314-733-9813 or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

THURSDAY | AUG. 31

Living in the Present: Mindfulness

From 3 to 4 p.m., Jessie Brown of NAMI St. Louis will lead a presentation at the Mirowitz Center on mindfulness – paying attention to the present moment and being aware of one’s thoughts and feelings without judgment. Explore how mindfulness can benefit one’s mental wellness, including reducing depression and anxiety, improving memory, increasing emotional regulation and strengthening relationships. The Mental Wellness Initiative is supported by a grant from the Women’s Auxiliary Foundation for Jewish Aged. To register for this free, in-person Mirowitz Center program, visit bit.ly/ Mirowitz-registration, call 314-733-9813 or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

THURSDAY | SEPT. 7

Mirowitz Center presents art museum tour focused on preparing for Jewish New Year

From 1 to 2:30 p.m. St. Louis Art Museum docent Bill Sitzer will lead a tour exploring Jewish teachings through masterpieces in the museum’s permanent collection, including the recently acquired painting, “Daniel Interpreting to Belshazzar the Writing on the Wall,” by Benjamin West. The group will examine the story of Adam and Eve created in Marc Chagall’s “Temptation,” and Jewish mysticism as depicted in Anselm Kiefer’s “Breaking of the Vessels.” Community participants need to arrange their own transportation to the museum. Free and open to the community, but RSVPs are required; visit http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or call 314-733-9813.

FRIDAY | SEPT. 8

Rabbi Andrea Goldstein’s silver anniversary celebration

See related news brief on page 5.

SUNDAY | SEPT. 10

Jewish War Veterans Meeting

Jewish War Veterans Post 644 will meet in the Kaplan-Feldman Holocaust Museum meeting room at 10 a.m. (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). Meetings are typically held on the third Sunday each month, but September’s date was changed due to Rosh Hashanah.

STARTING | SEPT. 13

Chabad of Chesterfield offers a bat mitzvah course for adults

Starting in September, as part of the Jewish Women’s Circle, Chabad of Chesterfield will offer a yearlong bat mitzvah milestone course for adults. Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings, meeting monthly, through May. The course will culminate with a special ceremony to celebrate this milestone and accomplishment together with family and friends.

The course will be led and instructed by Chanala Rubenfeld, co-director of Chabad of Chesterfield.

The cost for the yearly course is $360. Spaces will be limited, on a first come, first served basis. For more information and to register, visit: bit.ly/batmitzvahmilestone.

ONGOING

New time for weekly mindfulness mediation sits

Join Rabbi Andrea Goldstein at 9 a.m. on Tuesday mornings on Zoom for weekly Mindfulness Meditation sits incorporating teachings and stories from the weekly Torah portions, Jewish prayer and tradition. No meditation experience necessary and all are welcome. For information about how to join, call Stacy Jespersen at 314-569-0010 or email sjespersen@sestl.org.

Classes with Rabbi Neal Rose at Mirowitz Center

Join Rabbi Neal Rose for several ongoing programs through the Mirowitz Center. Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or call 314-733-9813. The free, online classes are:

• Yiddish Class – 2 to 3 p.m. on the first and second Tuesday of every month Tuesday (Sept. 5 and 12 this month).

Local Jewish organizations and congregations can submit calendar items to news@ stljewishlight.org. All items received by 5 p.m. Friday will be considered for the following week’s edition.

• The Rabbi is IN – 3 to 4 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month (Sept. 13 this month)

• What We’re Reading – 3 to 4 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of every month (Sept. 27 this month).

NHBZ youth programs now on Shabbat mornings

NHBZ invites kids of all ages to join the fun every Saturday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Children enjoy age-appropriate learning and games that are divided into the following age groups: ages 3-6; ages 7-12; and ages 13 and older. Babysitting is always available for children ages 3 and under. These programs are free of charge and NHBZ membership is not necessary for families to participate. RSVPs are not needed. For more information, call 314-991-2100.

Movies at the Mirowitz Center

On Fridays at 1 p.m., enjoy movies on the Mirowitz Center’s 14-foot screen. Call the Movies at Mirowitz Hotline (314-733-9812) for the film title and description each week. Free and open to the community. Upcoming films include “Letters to Juliet” (2010) on Aug. 25 and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” (2022) on Sept. 1.

Mirowitz Center exercise classes

Join the Mirowitz Center for a variety of exercise classes, ($5 fee/class and in person) Mondays through Fridays, from 11:15 a.m. to noon. All techniques and combinations will be demonstrated both sitting and standing. Mondays: Fitness with an Edge with instructor Lucy Fox; Tuesdays: Music, Movement and Dance with instructor Rachel Gross, RPI; Wednesdays: Strength and Conditioning with instructor Rachel Gross, RPI; Thursdays: Tai Chi with instructor Scott Uselmann, RPI; Fridays: Chair Yoga with instructor Maxine Mirowitz. Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or call 314-733-9813.

Mirowitz Center Community Singers

Professional musician Robert Denison will lead Mirowitz Center Community Singers from 2 to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays. No experience is necessary. Learn from CDs (no printed music). Performance opportunities will be offered. Free and open to the community; register online at http://bit.ly/Register_ MirowitzCenter or call 314-733-9813.

Get your game on at the Mirowitz Center

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Mirowitz Center welcomes guests to play Mahjong, bridge, poker or Mexican Train dominoes – whatever games you like. The Mirowitz Center will provide complimentary coffee, tea and water (guests can bring their own snacks to enjoy and share). No RSVPs are necessary for these weekly games, held in the multipurpose room, but plan to coordinate your group’s schedule and any needed substitutions. Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813, or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

Tech Tutor at Mirowitz Center

For those looking for one-on-one assistance with their technology devices and those who are wanting to acquire new skills, free, in-person 30-minute appointments are available at the Mirowitz Center. Tech Tutor’s in-person classes will be led by an extraordinarily qualified instructor, Larry Edison. Tech Tutor is supported through a grant from the Women’s Auxiliary Foundation for Jewish Aged. Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter, call 314-733-9813 or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

The J’s Used Book Sale runs Aug. 27-31.

St. Louis Art Museum docent Bill Sitzer will lead a tour of the museum organized by the Mirowitz Center on Sept. 7.

Chanala Rubenfeld of Chabad of Chesterfield will lead a yearlong adult bat mitzvah course starting Sept. 13.

OBITUARIES

JUDI H. CYTRON, died on August 8th, 2023.

Judi was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised and nurtured by her grandparents, Rachel and Alex Silverstein. She attended the University of Missouri and was the owner and operator of The Elephant Trunk, a children’s gift and party store in her hometown.

She was predeceased by her beloved uncle, Joe Silverstein, and her younger sister, Susie Borden, both of St. Louis.

Judi is survived by her husband of 61 years Ashley L. Cytron; two sons, Andrew and wife Pam, and Todd and wife, Amy; niece Terri and husband Shane Shadrach; grandchildren Hanah, Dara, Samantha, Mia and Max; and many caring family members, including grandnieces Olivia and Norah.

Judi was a dedicated volunteer at CHDK hospital of Norfolk, Virginia, creating many hundreds of scarves and caps for patients and infants. She had been a member of Norfolk’s Congregation Beth El, and a life member of Hadassah. Judi cultivated a caring group of knitting circle friends, and together with Ashley were embraced by many neighbors in both their Virginia Beach homes, before recently relocating to Minnesota.

The family thanks Dr. Alberico and all at the Brock Cancer Center of Norfolk, Va. Contributions to a cancer research center or to a charity of the donor’s choice would be deeply appreciated.

Condolences may be shared with the family.

A graveside service was held on Wednesday, August 9th, 2023.

MARLENE V. EISENSTEIN, June 9, 1938 - August 17, 2023

Marlene, 85, died peacefully, August 17, 2023. Beloved stepmother of Michael Eisenstein and Alec McGuyver. Dear sister of Lillian (the late Al) Goldman and the late Estelle (Fred) Handler and the late Cyrine (Leon) Feldman. Beloved daughter of the late Henry and Lena Voda. Former spouse of the late Irving Eisenstein. Dear aunt, cousin and friend.

Marlene grew up in St. Louis, attended Fontbonne University, worked as a copy editor and served in the Naval Reserves. She was an active member of Central Reform Congregation, loved animals and supported the work of the Humane Society of Missouri.

A graveside service was planned for Wednesday, August 23, 9:30am at United Hebrew Cemetery, 7855 Canton Avenue. Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Missouri (hsmo.org), 1201 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110 or to Central Reform Congregation (centralreform. org), 5020 Waterman Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63108.

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

JUDGE ARTHUR LITZ, August 19, 2023

Born January 9, 1923 in New York, NY to Ben and Sophie (Madrick) Litz. After moving to St. Louis in 1939, he graduated from University City High School in 1941 and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Washington University in 1944 and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1947.

He practiced law in St. Louis until 1975 when he was appointed as a Circuit Judge in St. Louis County. He served with distinction until his retirement from the bench in 1993. During his time on the bench, he served as Presiding Judge, as well as President of the State Trial Judges Association.

Thereafter, he served as a mediator and arbitrator with U.S. Arbitration & Mediation and

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

other organizations until 2013. He wrote the book review column for the St. Louis Bar Association for 57 years from 1966 until earlier this year and was honored by the Bar Association this past May with the President’s Award for his 76 years of membership and service.

He celebrated his 100th birthday in January with 100 friends and family members. He was widely recognized by his bow ties and sense of humor and storytelling, starting most conversations with the phrase, “Have I told you the one about…” He was a subscriber to the St. Louis Symphony for 75 years.

He was widowed last year following the passing of the love of his life Adele, whom he married in 1953. Judge Litz is survived by their children Howard (Melanie) Litz of K’far Saba, Israel, Rob (Nancy) Litz of St. Louis and Gwen Litz of Minneapolis, his grandchildren Nathan (Caitlin) Litz of St. Louis, Shira Litz Philipsborn (Eran) of Rosh Ha’Ayin, Israel, and Oren Litz (Ma’ayan) of Haifa, Israel and his great grandchildren Peleg Philipsborn, Raz Philipsborn, Eitan Litz and Noga Litz, Rosa Naomi Guter, as well as step grandchildren Mandi Rice (David Waters), Katie Rice Guter (Lev) and Rob Rice.

A private family service will be held. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 8th, 1:00 PM at Congregation Temple Israel, #1 Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Drive (Ladue and Spoede Roads).

Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Memorial contributions preferred to Congregation Temple Israel, NCJW or a charity of your choice.

Berger Memorial Service

SARUTH MERRIMS, August 5, 2023

Saruth (nee Baker) Merrims passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones at the age of 90. Devoted wife of the late Theodore Merrims, MD, for 56 years. Loving mother of Lori, Gail (Craig Phillips), Judy (late Michael Quinn), and Kathy; Grandmother to Ashley, Alexa (Ian Sachs), Danielle (Ari Reich), and Quinn; Great Grandmother of Jacob, Teddy, Avery, Shia, Emma, Ava, Eli, Maya, and Noa. Daughter of the late Gertrude and Abraham “Abe” Baker. Sister to the late Marshal (Evelyn) Baker.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, August 8 at B’nai Amoona Cemetery, 930 North and South Rd. 63130. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

MICHAEL “MICKEY” PARKUS passed away peacefully at the age of 98 on August 13, 2023

Beloved husband for over 60 years to the late Sylvia Parkus.  Loving father of Barrie duBois and Ellen Parkus. Dear uncle, great uncle and friend of many.

Mickey was born in London, England and as a professional musician he lived a life filled with remarkable experiences, travel and adventure including living on three different continents. His sense of humor endeared him to everyone he met.

In lieu of flowers, Mickey’s family kindly requests that donations may be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, PO Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061; or to Evelyn’s House, C/O The BJC Foundation for Hospice, P.O. Box 790369, St. Louis, Missouri

63179.   The family is most grateful for the loving and supportive care by the staff at Evelyn’s House during Mickey’s final days.

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

JODIE SUE RICH, August 20, 2023

Beloved daughter of the late Harold and the late Sylvia Rich; dear sister of Sue Rich; cousin of Dr. William Birenbaum (Jane) and their children Kristen Balch (Dr. Fred), David Birenbaum (Sophie Errante), Kim Larkin (Dr. Andy), Dr. Mark Birenbaum and Sharon Birenbaum. Beloved cousin and friend to many. Funeral services were held Monday, August 21, at Congregation B’nai Amoona, 324 S. Mason Rd. Interment at Chevra Kadisha Cemetery.  Memorial contributions preferred to Congregation B’nai Amoona or to the Muny. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

PATTY SCHVEY (née Cohn), a woman who epitomized a zest for life, generosity of spirit, and boundless creativity, passed away peacefully on August 2nd at the age of 76, surrounded by her loving family.

Patty was the daughter of Max and Edna Cohn, the wife of Henry I. Schvey for nearly 54 years, sister to Racey Cohn (Jerry Feldman), aunt to Gareth Mandel (Elena Lyrintzis), mother to Aram (Deborah Fleischaker), Jerusha, and Natasha (Garrett Conway), and beloved Mima to her five grandchildren: Evan, Julian, Livia, Gavi, and Noa.

Patty was born and raised in St. Louis, graduating from University City High School in 1965. She earned her BS in Education from the University of Wisconsin and her MA in English Literature from Indiana University. She and Henry lived in the Netherlands from 1973 to 1987, after which they returned to St. Louis for the next 35 years. During this time, Patty dedicated her time and energy to multiple causes including the Stix International House, the AIDS Foundation, and the Miriam Shop. In 2022, Patty and Henry moved to Bethesda, MD to be close to their children and grandchildren.

Patty wore many hats- poet, writer, mother, teacher, advocate, muse, doll collector, patron of the arts, protector of stray animals, and so many more. She lived with gusto, and relished all that life had to offer with equal measure: a doodle from her grandchild was as awe-inspiring as a visit to a museum, a piece of homemade banana bread was as memorable as a five-star meal. Patty possessed a boisterous laugh and the magical gift of making those she was with feel safe, special, and seen. She was welcoming and accepting to all, never hesitating to pull an extra seat up to the table, both literally as well as figuratively. She was the very best storyteller, gave the biggest hugs, and could make up a song on the spot for any occasion. She enveloped those in her life with warmth, playfulness, and genuine care and compassion. Her capacity for love was truly boundless, and, lucky for us all, she never missed an opportunity to express itwhether through homecooked meals, care packages, long phone calls, surprise parties, letters sent in the mail, or simply an emoji-filled text message expressing her gratitude and affection.

We miss her beyond measure, but will strive to honor her legacy by keeping our arms, hearts, and tables always and unconditionally open to others. If you are inclined to donate in her memory, we suggest the following charities near and dear to her: The Cat Network of St. Louis and the National Council of Jewish Women.

Obituaries continue on opposite page

proud to serve the friends and families of our Jewish community with personal, compassionate care.

can rely on us to help you create a meaningful memorial that truly honors the life it represents.

DR HOWARD B. SCHWADRON, D.M.D., August 9, 2023

Beloved husband of Katharine Preczewski Schwadron (Katie) and the late Karen Stack Schwadron; dear father and father-in-law of Stuart Schwadron (Robin) of Chicago, Emily Hoffman (David) of Mequon, WI, Brian Schwadron of Ashland, OR, Luke Preczewski (Kelly) and Paul Preczewski; dear grandfather of Gedaliah, Levi, Tuvia, and Chaya Hoffman and Joseph and Alan Preczewski; dear son of the late Lester and Muriel Entin Schwadron; dear brother of the late Stuart Schwadron; dear brother-in-law of Lois Romano (Ralph), Robert Stack, Susan Fisher (Don) and H. Andrew Saller (Dee); dear uncle, cousin, and friend to many.

Howard dedicated his life to serving others. As a small-town dentist, he also used his dental skills to help people in other countries, prisons, hospitals, and many other places underserved by the dental field. An active community leader, he served on the school board and as president of a synagogue, among other positions. As a 41-year member of Rotary, he was actively involved in hundreds of projects. He traveled with his wife Katie, providing humanitarian aid: polio immunizations, mosquito netting in orphanages, peace-building education, and water wells in several African countries.

He was most proud of his role as husband to Karen and then Katie, and as father to his three children and two stepsons.  He was both proud and in awe of their accomplishments. His greatest joy was his six grandchildren. Howard was an avid 60-year fan of the NY Yankees, and he enjoyed bike riding locally and all over the world. He is regarded by many to be the kindest person they have ever met.

A graveside service was held Sunday, August 13 at Valley of Peace Cemetery, Quincy, IL. Memorial contributions preferred to The Rotary Foundation (https://www.rotary.org/en/donate). Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for Live Stream information. Berger Memorial Service

MARILYN JOAN SHAPIRO, July 20, 1931 - July 28, 2023. A life of love, kindness, giving and devotion.

Wife (40 years) of the late Kenneth Shapiro; mother of Dr Jeff Shapiro (the late Maria), Madelyn Mara (Dan), Randy Shapiro and the late Jann Wagner (Eric); grandmother of Lauren Gonzalez (Rodrigo), Kamrin Mara (Martin Gonzalez), Cole and Carson Wagner; greatgrandmother of Liam and Ella Gonzalez; partner of Earl Essman (15 years).

As Washington University students, Ken and Marilyn fell in love and married after Ken returned from fighting in the WWII Battle of the Bulge. In addition to being partners in their own real estate brokerage, Ken and Marilyn focused on family boating, camping, fishing and travel adventures teaching “do your best instead of winning or losing.”

Marilyn’s passions included art, music, dance, opera (favoriting Phantom of the Opera), charities and women’s rights. As a witty and charming writer, Marilyn entertained family with poems and speeches.

By inviting a child with a deformity taunted at school over to play, Marilyn taught kindness and acceptance. After teaching volunteering to Jeff at age 10 at a home for the disabled, Marilyn volunteered (25 years) for the Organs R Us (Golden Gate Relay) charity founded by Jeff and was “Relay mom” to runners, walkers and children with organ failure waiting for a donor.

As a strong, humble leader, Marilyn dropped frequent pearls of wisdom from her mouth. Marilyn devoted her life to helping family, friends and strangers, making deep connections and bringing people together.

Sung by family at memorial service:

Remember when we were young, so were you

Life stood still fun was all we knew

You were the best we were blessed remember when

Remember when we grew up moved away

You told us save time for play

We won’t be sad we’ll be glad

OBITUARIES INDEX

Cytron, Judi H. Eisenstein, Marlene Litz, Judge Arthur Merrims, Saruth Parkus, Michael ‘Mickey’ Rich, Jodie Sue Schvey, Patty Schwadron, Dr. Howard B.

Shapiro, Marilyn Joan Shyken, Charlene Katz

Wallach, Alan S. ‘Al’ Weber, David Stewart Wernick, Stacey Zimmerman, Stanford L.

For all your love we’ve had And we’ll remember when…

A Funeral Service was held on August 8, 2023. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

CHARLENE KATZ SHYKEN, August 12, 2023

Beloved wife of the late Herman Shyken, M.D.; dear mother and mother-in-law of Jaye Shyken, M.D. (Stanley Vriezelaar, M.D.), Howard Shyken and Mark Shyken (Shelley Zimmerman Shyken); dear grandmother of Noah (Amelia), Seth (Danielle) and Shaina Vriezelaar, Emily, Alyssa and Stephanie Shyken and Samantha Shyken; great-grandmother of Holly and Colette “Coco” Vriezelaar; dear sister-in-law of Sylvia Kirshner (the late Jacob, M.D.) and the late Norman Shyken (the late Ayela); our dear aunt, cousin and friend.

Entrepreneur and creator of Char-B-Que, Charlene was an innovator in the development of allnatural, preservativefree Kosher barbecue sauce, stone ground mustard, salad dressing, and spice blends. Charlene volunteered as a docent at the St. Louis Zoo with a love for all animals, but especially birds. Charlene enjoyed nature photography and bird watching. She was an accomplished knitter and weaver and enjoyed other textile arts.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, August 15 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Road. Memorial contributions preferred to Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community or the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry. Please visit  bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

ALAN S. “Al” WALLACH, August 20, 2023

Alan Scott Wallach, born September 30, 1947, died August 20, 2023.  Survived by Sue Wallach, and sons Joshua Wallach (Stacey), Andrew Wallach (Julia), and Robert Wallach (Pechha), and 7 loving grandchildren, Gabriel, Vivian, Benjamin, Daniel, Alex, Winnie, and Lily. Son of the late Sam and the late Anita Wallach, brother of the late Judith Wallach.  Dear brother-in-law of Robert Lerner, Marvin Lerner (Doris), and Aaron Lerner (Rona). Al was a loving nephew, uncle and cousin.

Alan spent the majority of his childhood growing up in St Louis, graduating from University City High School in 1965.  He attended University of Missouri-Columbia and was a proud Sigma Alpha Mu member. An entrepreneurial spirit led Alan to eventually start Wallach Iron & Metal Co where his lifelong reputation of integrity, generosity, and honesty allowed him to grow his business into a worldwide name in the scrap metal industry. Alan was happiest when at work, and when spending time with his wife Susie, his kids, and eventually his grandchildren.

Al was an active baseball coach for his kids, and loved attending his kid’s other sporting events, especially ice hockey and lacrosse. Al loved his Sunday golf game at Meadowbrook, and was a seasoned worldwide traveler.  Never flashy, and always modest, Al loved the simple things, like watching The Three Stooges, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, and anything informative on PBS. Alan will be missed by many outside of his family with whom he befriended over his years.

A funeral service was held Tuesday, August 22 at Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road. Interment followed at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Road. Contributions in Alan’s memory preferred to Congregation Shaare Emeth, the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, or to the charity of your choice.

Please visit  bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

DAVID STEWART WEBER, August 8, 2023

Devoted husband of Valerie Tripi; dear stepfather to Dominic Tripi; dear brother and brother-in-law of Meryl (late Melvin) Halpern, Alan (Marcia) Weber and Randye (late Claude) Rosser; dear son of the late Sam and Ethel Weber; uncle to Jeri (Hannes Meckel) Weber, Ryan (Meng) Weber, Courtney Rosser, Blake (Denise Blanco) Rosser; great uncle to Hannah and Lily Meckel, Maya and Jada Weber, Henry Schroeder, Sam and Isabell Bianco Rosser and River Rosser; St. Louis native, businessman, community servant and friend to many.

David spent the first 22 years of his career in the restaurant business as CEO and Founder of First Federal Frank and Crust, bringing true New York style pizza to the St. Louis area in the 1970’s.

Being a member of the ‘90-‘91 class of Leadership St. Louis had a huge influence on David, launching the next 22 years of his career serving the community in not-for-profit management leadership roles.

As an active volunteer and leader in numerous community service efforts throughout the area, he served on the boards and volunteered for such organizations as Leadership St. Louis/ Focus St. Louis, NCADA, Bridges across Racial Polarization, Downtown Children’s Center, Metro Theater Company, The Next Step, and St. Louis Ambassadors.

David is a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona and was proud of his Jewish heritage and faith.

David loved the City of St. Louis and over the years played a significant role in making it a better place to live and work. He actively participated in the work of the Developmental Disabilities Resources Commission, Forest Park Forever Board and Master Plan Advisory Committee, Industrial Development Authority Board, Planning Commission Preservation Board, Zoological Park & Museum District Board, and was a Commissioner of Lambert St. Louis International Airport.

David was a lifelong Cardinal fan (in spite of this season’s performance), lover of cycling, traveling, and driving around town in his sports car with the top down! He was a proud dog dad to his little Maltese rescue, Sophie.

One of David’s trademark activities were his dozens of intimate dinner parties over the past decades bringing together old friends and new friends. His family and friends often referred to him the “The Connector” because of his unique ability to bring people together.

A Graveside Service was held Friday August 11 at B’nai Amoona Cemetery, 930 North and South Rd. University City, Missouri 63130. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Room at the Inn 3415 Bridgeland Dr. Bridgeton, MO 63044.  www.RoomSTL.org Visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com for more information.

STACEY WERNICK of  Los Angeles, Calif., formerly of St. Louis, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2023.

Daughter of the late Milton and Rose Wernick, wife of the late Dennis Linquist, sister of Reed Wernick, sister-in-law of Bobbi Stein, dear aunt of Jason and Rachel Wernick, and former sister-in law of Elaine Wernick.

Stacey loved the outdoors—walking in Hollywood Hills, camping, and fishing. Also, enjoyed doing yoga for many years. She will be truly missed.

Contributions in Stacey’s memory preferred to The Wilshire Blvd Temple, 3663 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010 or to the charity of your choice.

STANFORD L. ZIMMERMAN, August 7, 2023

Beloved husband of Sally Zimmerman; dear father of Bradley Zimmerman and the late Marci Joy Zimmerman; dear grandfather of Parker and Ella Zimmerman; surrogate father of Jacquelyn Cornell; brother of Carol Goldsmith (Steve); brother-in-law of Sondra Baron; dear uncle, cousin, and friend to many.

Stan was involved with numerous organizations throughout the years. He was a board member of The Machinery Dealers National Association in Washington, DC and a board member of Support Dogs (now Duo Dogs).

Stan loved automobiles. He took great pride in the cars he drove. They were beautiful and in pristine condition at all times.

Stan was a kind, loving and generous man and will be missed by all who knew him.

A private graveside service was held.

Memorial contributions are appreciated to American Parkinson’s Disease Association, 16100 Chesterfield Parkway, 63017; the Alzheimer’s Association, 9370 Olive Boulevard, 63132; Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, 11365 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, 63043; or the charity of your choice.

Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

JEWISH LITE

JEWISH CROSSWORD PUZZLE

By

Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com | ‘In Central America’ Difficulty: Medium Find answers to this puzzle online at https://bit.ly/0823-crossword

Across

1. “Huh?”, in Haifa

4. Current hit dramedy set in Chicago, with “The”

8. Ancestor of Sarah and Rivka

13. Words with dime or diet

14. Notable Crater in Oregon

15. Focus of Hatarat Nedarim

16. Where to find a turkey in Central America?

18. Amazingly bold

19. Beloved Munsen on “Stranger Things”

20. Discharge, as light

22. ___ we forget...

23. Where to find a camel in Central America?

28. Plans, as a course

30. Words with “early age” or “angle”

31. Aspect of Yom Kippur

34. Nosh

35. The “mono” in monotheism

36. Where to find a chussid in Central America?

39. Bro or sis, e.g.

40. Anjou and Comice

42. Crummy feeling

44. MacLaine/Lemmon film, “___ La Douce”

45. Says “grrr”

47. Where to find a Netanyahu in Central America?

49. Bit of agadata

53. Speaker, of baseball

54. Big name in gum

55. One not seen in “Peanuts”

58. With part of 36-Across, where to find an airline in Central America?

61. Matos follower

62. New Balance rival

63. 35-Across, in Central America

64. Opted

65. Jodie Foster film, 1994

66. Explorer’s account

1. Ceremonial cutter

2. Negative end of a battery

3. Priests raise them daily, in some minyanim

4. Israeli flag need

5. Place for a plug

6. Rabbi Israel Sassover ___ Menachem Begin

7. Find a better place for, perhaps

8. Actress Smulders of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

9. Phil who voiced Troy McClure

10. Words with loss or glance

11. Good luck finding a new movie in this format

12. Smoking evidence

17. Leave in the lurch

21. Cascades or Rockies: Abbr.

23. Donated

24. It borders Afghanistan, on a Risk board

25. Gaming company

26. Naot generally lack them

27. Fibula neighbor

29. Centers of activity

31. Discussion focus

32. First month, in Madrid

33. Lines of stitching

34. “And Jacob said, ___ me this day thy birthright” (Gen 25:31)

37. Apple on one’s desk, perhaps?

38. Avodah follower

41. Purim items, for some

43. “Ad ___” (Brad Pitt sci-fi movie)

45. Lanka lead-in

46. Pathfinder producer

48. Big Band musician Shaw

50. Most successful Sephardic female singer

in US history

51. Leader of the “Thundercats”

52. The value of one soars in Tishrei

54. Like a famous o ce

55. Theater chain name

56. Ken, to Vladamir

57. Mil. morale-boosting group

59. Boston’s Mass. or Comm.

60.

Healthwatch: Supporting friends and loved ones facing cancer

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

“Just being there was the best thing,” said Harvey, who recently graduated from college and lives in Michigan. “We didn’t need to do anything. I appreciated when people came over and we just hung out and watched a movie.”

Alexis Wilson, a teacher in Jupiter, Fla., said her friendships were essential during her breast cancer treatment. Before starting chemotherapy, her friends threw her a big party to which everyone showed up in different-colored wigs and decorated her yard with signs.

“My friends played a big role,” said Wilson, 39. “I felt like I wasn’t alone.”

5. Continue your support throughout someone’s cancer journey

For some women, “maintenance treatment” can last for many years beyond the

active treatments of chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. Women living with metastatic breast cancer, for example, usually continue treatment throughout their lives.

Fleischmann recommends checking in with a woman along every step of her cancer journey: not just the period of active treatment, but also during maintenance treatment, survivorship, and if she is living with metastatic or advanced cancer.

“It’s nice to know my friends and family continued to reach out once I was done with treatment,” Harvey said. “Back to normal doesn’t mean life is ever normal.”

There are often heightened emotional needs around anniversaries of certain cancer diagnoses or treatment dates, Fleischmann said, so marking these dates could be important.

6. Make sure you have your own support system

If you’re particularly close to the person with cancer, you may experience feelings of being overwhelmed yourself. It’s important to take care of your own emotional well-being and not dismiss it in the face of someone else’s more pressing illness.

“As a caregiver, you can be very easily drained without your own coping mechanisms,” Fleischmann said.

Make sure to take care of yourself physically and emotionally so that you have the capacity to attend to your friend or loved one’s needs.

7. Talk to your healthcare provider and safeguard your own health

Even while supporting a loved one or friend with breast or ovarian cancer, it’s important to safeguard your own health.

The BRCA genetic mutation that causes breast cancer and ovarian cancer is much more common among Ashkenazi Jewish

CLASSIFIEDS

PUBLIC NOTICE

REQUEST FOR BIDS – Grant 2022 NSGP-UA-ST LOUIS

The Grant Manager in connection with the above Federal Grant is requesting bids to replace certain windows in the commercial building located at 700 North and South Road, University City, MO 63130, as follows [all measurements given as LxH, in inches; all dimensions approximate]: (A) two openings, 252×100; (B) nine openings, 77×130; (C) two openings, 77×37; (D) one opening, 37.5×50; (E) one opening, 252×37; (F) one opening, 77×80; and (G) five openings, 97×96. Glass to be Low-E, double pane, tinted; tempered exterior facing pane; and tempered laminate interior facing pane.

All contracts must adhere to the applicable contract provisions listed in 2 CFR 200 Appendix II Contract Provisions for Non-Federal Entity Contracts Under Federal Awards.

More detailed specifications and further information can be obtained by contacting the Grant Manager at bids@ucityshul.org.

Bids must be submitted by email and will be accepted until 5:00pm on 8 September 2023.

women than in the general U.S. population. About 1 in 40 Ashkenazi Jewish women and men carry the mutation, compared to 1 in 400 in the general population. Ashkenazi Jewish men are also at elevated risk for melanoma and prostate and pancreatic cancer.

“Talk to your healthcare provider,” Fleischmann said. “Those whose family members are facing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer should speak with their doctor or genetic counselor to see how this may affect them, too, and learn about appropriate testing and precautions.”

This article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with Sharsheret (sharsheret.org), the national Jewish breast cancer and ovarian cancer organization. This article was produced by JTA’s native content team.

SPTLIGHT

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.

BACK TO SCHOOL! STORE

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

VIEW MORE ONLINE: stljewishlight.org/multimedia

National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis held its annual one-day Back to School! Store event on Aug. 6 at Congregation Temple Israel, providing new winter coats, shoes, hats, gloves, school supplies, personal products and books to 2,000 children in the St. Louis area so they will be prepared, motivated, and excited to learn on their first day of school. More than 400 trained volunteers act as coat fitters, shoe fitters and personal shoppers to make sure every child is properly dressed and equipped for the school year.

ALL PHOTOS: PHILIP DEITCH

Above, NCJW staff, volunteers and dignitaries cut the ribbon to kick off the 2023 Back to School! Store on Aug. 6.

At left and above, volunteers helped children pick out a variety of items to get ready for the school year.

At right, Temple Israel’s Rabbi Michael Alper offers remarks at the opening of the Back to School! Store. Above, children show off the new coats they picked out.

SIMCHAS

SUBMIT YOUR SIMCHA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FREE!

TRIBUTES

KODNERS CELEBRATE 60TH ANNIVERSARY

EDWIN & LENORE PEPPER’S 70TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Mazel Tov on your special anniversary! We wish you all the best! Love, Todd & Judy Taylor

ELLEN FUTTERMAN

In honor of Ellen Futterman being elected president of the American Jewish Press Association. — Judy Pass

ELISE AND MARK KRUG

On the engagement of their daughter, Paige Krug. — Jewish Light Staff and Board

BILL MOTCHAN

Heal quickly! We miss you. — Jewish Light Staff and Board

IN HONOR OF IN MEMORY OF

SUSAN COOPER

We were so sorry to hear of Susan's passing. May her memory be a blessing. — Todd & Judy Taylor & Family

CHARLENE KATZ SHYKEN

— Merrick Felder

Dr. Ira and Barbara Kodner of Frontenac celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on August 22, 2023, with their family and friends. Ira is a retired Colon and Rectal surgeon and Professor of Surgery who started the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Washington University, and practiced for 35 years at Jewish Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Barbara worked as an Advertising Copywriter early in their marriage while Ira was in medical school. Their son Charles was born in 1966, after which they lived in Germany for three years while Ira was in the Army, finishing as a Major. Daughter Beth was born during Ira’s residency in surgery upon returning to St. Louis, and daughter Molly was born in Cleveland during his Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic.

In addition to his clinical and academic practice, Ira also started the Center for the Study of Ethics and Human Values at Washington University and served as the chief medical consultant for KMOV-TV for seven years, while Barbara served on the Board of the Jewish Hospital Auxiliary for over 20 years and volunteered as an editor of journal articles and book chapters for four surgeons in the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery.

Ira and Barbara love spending time with their children and two grandchildren during vacations to Sanibel Island, hosting dinner parties, growing orchids, tending gardens, keeping bees and traveling all over the world. They are blessed with a loving family and many dear friends.