Jewish Light Digital Edition: Sept. 6, 2023

The Newspaper of the Jewish Community of Greater St. Louis — Founded 1963

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OUR BOARD AND STAFF

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS

Michael Staenberg, President

Bethe Growe, Immediate Past President

Kara Newmark, Vice President

Ryan Rich, Vice President

Justin Krachmalnick, Treasurer Todd Taylor, Secretary

TRUSTEES

Caroline Goldenberg, Mia Kweskin, Debbie Lefton, Steve Rosenzweig, Adam Schneider and Alan Spector

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, Bethe Growe

* Of Blessed Memory

INDEX

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

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES

Shabbat begins

Friday, Sept. 8: 7:03 p.m.

Shabbat ends

Saturday, Sept. 9: 7:59 p.m.

Torah reading: Ki Teitzei

Rosh Hashanah

Friday, Sept. 15: Light Shabbat/ holiday candles at 6:52 p.m.

BROUGHT

#STLJEWISHLIGHT

Connect with us on all our social media using

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

PUBLISHER'S STATEMENT PUBLICATION DATES FOR 2023

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.

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

• Sept. 20

• Oct. 4 and 18

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

• Nov. 8 and 22

• Dec. 6 and 20

Saturday, Sept. 16: Light holiday candles after 7:48 p.m. from a pre-existing flame

Sunday, Sept. 17: Holiday ends at 7:46 p.m.

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

Jewish Light installs new board at Annual Meeting

St. Louis Jewish Light board members: Steve Rosenzweig, Ryan Rich, Kara Newmark, Bethe Growe, Michael Staenberg, Justin Krachmalnick, Mia Kweskin, Todd Taylor

Retiring board members Joan Silber and Laurie Chod, and former Board President Jane Tzinberg Rubin

Nikki Goldstein, Rabbi Howard Kaplansky

Jewish Federation President and CEO Brian Herstig

Galia Movitz, Bethe Growe, immediate past president

Bethe Growe, Michael Staenberg, Laura Silver, former board president Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief

Adinah and Heschel Raskas

Rachel Andreasson, Donald Meissner

Ellen Alper, Jane Tzinberg Rubin, Galia Movitz, Gloria Feldman

Light CEO Betsy Schmidt and Board President Michael Staenberg

Gloria Feldman, Giti Fredman

Robert A. Cohn, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

PHOTO CREDIT: BRYAN SCHRAIER

St. Louis BBYO leaders return from Omaha meetings with new perspective

JORDAN

PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

In late August, the B’nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO) decided to bring it all back to where it all began.

Hundreds of teenagers from across the globe converged on Omaha, Neb., for BBYO’s annual August Executives meetings. This year’s event held special significance as it marked the organization’s 100th anniversary. Unlike previous years when the August Executives meetings were primarily hosted at Pearlman Camp in Pennsylvania, the milestone centennial led to a unique choice of location: Omaha.

The decision to move the event there was spurred by a desire to pay homage to the city’s integral role in BBYO’s history and development. It was spearheaded by St. Louis philanthropist and Omaha native Michael Staenberg.

“I felt it was important to bring this special anniversary meeting back to Omaha where BBYO got started,” said Staenberg. “Back in the late 60s, I was president of AZA #1 in Omaha. It’s the very first AZA chapter, and that experience changed my life.”

Staenberg believed this event was more than just a celebration of BBYO’s century-long journey. It was also an opportunity to honor the legacy of Henry Monsky, who is credited with helping create B’nai Brith, BBYO, Boys Town and other youth-supporting organizations.

“I think it’s important to remember the past,” said Staenberg. “Much of what the Jewish community has today would not exist without Henry Moskey, and very few people remember him. I want people to know who he was, and how we got here.”

By encouraging the youth to remember

the contributions of Monsky and other pioneers, Staenberg aimed to ensure that the next generation of Jewish leaders would continue to build upon the values and ideals that shaped BBYO’s history.

Two such young Jewish Leaders are Norah Gross and Joey Carson of St. Louis.

Gross and Carson, both 17, have been involved in BBYO since they were each 12 years old. Now both hold leadership positions. Gross is a member of BBG chapter Shira and is the new President of BBG (B’nai Brith Girls). Carson is a member of

Gross, Adria Tipp, Sage Hart, and Marissa McClain Back row: Joey Carson, Jordan Nogg, Josh Bagley and Eli Maker

Holocaust Museum, symphony partner on program

Holocaust composer series will look at life, work of Pavel Haas

On Sept. 26, the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will host the first “Holocaust Composer Stories” program, featuring composer Pavel Haas.

This series will highlight stories of composers who were directly impacted by the Holocaust. In this first installment, Helen Turner, director of education for the museum, will speak on composer Pavel Haas and his tragic Holocaust experience. Haas was imprisoned in Terezin before being transported to Auschwitz, where he was murdered.

Esperanto AZA #2486 and is the new President of St. Louis AZA.

“I think the experience enhanced my leadership skills and taught me valuable lessons I can apply to St. Louis BBYO and my life outside of that,” said Gross. “I was able to meet people who have the same position and passion for BBYO from 62 countries around the world.”

“At this conference, I learned about leadership, BBYO globally and its impact, as well as the 100-year history of AZA. I was able to come back home from it as a better

and more mature leader,” added Carson.

And as Staenberg may have hoped, the story of Henry Moskey had an impact.

“I learned how he and his friends were not allowed to join a certain club at their school, as well as the struggles and setbacks the founders and Henry went through, and how they overcame all of this to create their own club for Jewish teens in Omaha,” said Carson. “I was surprised by their determination to voice their opinions in their own way. To be able to start their own club is difficult to begin with, but they wouldn’t expect how much it has grown globally since then.”

That hard work and dedication is now something Carson and Gross have brought back home to BBYO in St. Louis.

“We want St. Louis to acknowledge how big BBYO and its presence is in St. Louis, and how we will continue to stay strong for years down the line. BBYO is something for Jewish teens to be proud of, and I want to make sure that happens this year,” said Carson.

The presentation will be followed by a performance of Haas’ String Quartet No. 3 played live by SLSO musicians.

“Members of our museum team and community recently had the honor of seeing some of Haas’ handwritten work in-person during a visit to Terezin,” said Turner. “I look forward to sharing what we learned, as well as Haas’ story, to ensure his name, and his music, live on. We could not be more grateful to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for this collaboration.”

Marie-Hélène Bernard, president and CEO of the SLSO said, “We are grateful to the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum for the opportunity to raise awareness about musicians whose creative vision were tragically impacted by the Holocaust. Through this new collaboration, we look forward to presenting works of important and lesser-known musical voices, beginning with Pavel Haas.”

This SLSO performance is presented by the Silk Foundation. This program is free, but RSVPs are requested. Seating is limited on a first come, first serve basis. This program will take place at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. More information can be found at https://shop.slso.org/7926

Front row, from left: Norah

Jewish St. Louis teen softball team reunites after 60 years

BY BILL MOTCHAN

Holocaust Museum to host ‘Pay As You Wish’ weekend

During the weekend of Sept. 8-10, tickets for the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum will be Pay As You Wish.

With Pay As You Wish tickets (at least $0.01), visitors will be able to purchase admission to the permanent Holocaust exhibition for any amount they deem appropriate. All Pay As You Wish tickets must be purchased at the Museum Welcome Desk during the museum’s open hours from Friday, Sept. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 10.

In addition, the museum will open additional sessions in the Impact Lab, the institution’s newest experience. Sessions will occur on Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. The museum’s regularly scheduled, educator-guided public tour will take place on Sept. 10 at 2 p.m.

“When guests visit the museum, they’re sometimes left wondering, what now? What do I do now that I’ve learned about the Holocaust? How can I act?” said Helen Turner, the museum’s director of education. “The Impact Lab is the answer to those questions. During a session in the lab, participants will witness the stories of those impacted by genocide and hate crimes, learn how unchecked prejudice and hate can lead to violence and genocide, and engage with scenarios that will allow them to practice standing up against hate and bigotry in their daily lives. We look forward to sharing this unique experience with visitors during Pay As You Wish Weekend.”

Additional information on the permanent Holocaust exhibition and Impact Lab can be found on the museum’s website at STLHolocaustMuseum.org.

about our next reunion wouldn’t be for Jewish Community Center Yalem

In the 1964 photo at left: (standing) Sam Goldstein, Mick Weltman, Dennis Brodsky, Mitchell Shenker and Sandy Goldstein; (sitting on bench) Bob Lewis, Jay Disman and Bob Braun; (sitting on ground) Danny Spitz and Mike Elbein. In the Aug. 27, 2023 photo at right: (standing) Sam Goldstein, Mick Weltman, Dennis Brodsky, Mitchell Shenker and Sandy Goldstein; (kneeling) Jay Disman, Bob Braun and Bob Daniel; (sitting on ground) Danny Spitz and Mike Elbein.

Maxine Clark headlining debut of Staenberg Speaker Series for young Jewish professionals

IgniteYP’s Networking Division for Young Jewish Professionals kicks off series with a Sept. 20 event

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

There are multiple speaker series presented in and around St. Louis, but none specifically tailored for young Jewish students and professionals ages 20 to 40. Not until now.

The Ignite Young Jewish Professionals group is gearing up for an exciting fall and winter with the debut of the Staenberg Speaker Series. Imagine having access to esteemed luminaries in your field. That is the goal of the series, providing an extraordinary opportunity for attendees to gain insights from accomplished Jewish professionals in the community, hear their stories, career wisdom and receive invaluable advice.

“We are so excited to launch the Staenberg Speaker Series. This series is a great opportunity for young Jewish professionals to learn from successful role models and build relationships with other community members,” said Shani Roberts, director of Ignite YP.

Kicking off the series on Sept. 20 is none other than Maxine Clark, the founder and former chief executive bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop, as well as the CEO of the Clark-Fox Foundation and Chief Inspirator at Delmar DivINe.

“We are so excited to kick off the Staenberg Speaker Series with entrepreneur, innovator and business leader Maxine Clark,” said Mia Kweskin, chair of the Staenberg Speaker Series.”Ms. Clark has not only had a storied career and incredible success with Build-ABear, but she also demonstrates what it means to build and foster community and building community is what Ignite is all about!”

The idea of providing mentorship for young people, in any way possible has been a hallmark of St. Louis philanthropist Michael Staenberg’s career. Last May, he was invited to speak to the Ignite crowd and share his story.

“He shared how grateful he was for the mentorship opportunities he had in his life that paved the path for his success,” said Roberts. “It was a day or two after the event when the idea dawned on me. At Ignite, we are always trying to come up with new ways to bring Jewish young professionals together for meaningful and impactful programming. I thought, let’s create a networking division of Ignite – focused on helping our awesome community members grow in their careers.”

It was one call to Staenberg that resulted in the creation of the Staenberg Speaker Series.

Any and all Jewish students and young professionals in the St. Louis area are welcome to attend. Registration is required via Ignite’s website, https:// www.igniteypstl.org/career. Like all Ignite YP events, attendees will be alerted electronically to the location of the event.

From left to right: Eddie Echegoyen, Shani Roberts, Maxine Clark, Mia Kweskin and Adira Romanoff

Webster U Professor Emeritus Art Silverblatt explains the keys to understanding media messages

BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Ten years ago, a network of media scholars from 50 countries formed the nonprofit organization known as DIMLE (Digital International Media Literacy Education), to empower consumers in their quest for accurate news.

Art Silverblatt, one of the organization’s founders, is a Jewish St. Louisan and professor emeritus of media communications at Webster University. Silverblatt, 74, who attends Central Reform Congregation, sat down with the Jewish Light to talk about the importance of media literacy in an environment where social media is the primary news source for many consumers.

Why is digital media literacy an important skill for consumers?

It gives people the skills to conduct independent analysis or assessment, developing critical distance from what they’re watching and hearing. Those influences are impactful. People are voting for candidates and buying things based on media influences. We try to provide strategies for media analysis. We’re teaching people how to think, not what to think.

How are your efforts having a positive impact?

We took a book I wrote about media literacy and converted it to a print edition in India, which is now in its second edition. It takes the same principles and concepts that appeared in the American edition but substitutes examples and commentary from their culture. It was a wonderful project and our biggest success. Last year they had 70 workshops where they were using it. It’s a measure of success because it has found its way into an educational environment.

Can you give an example of how the

media plays on our senses?

I showed a group of third-grade kids the beginning of the movie “Jaws” with the shark musical cue that creates anxiety and stress when you’re watching it. Then I showed them the same footage, but I substituted a Strauss waltz. They had an entirely different reaction. What’s the lesson? The music I used created an emotional reaction. The same can be true of a camera angle. If you shoot up at someone it can be a sign of respect, if you shoot down it can be a sign of denigration.

How significant is the influence of social media in how consumers gain information?

People are on their phones from a very young age and that’s how they’re getting their information. There’s no problem with getting information from different sources as long as you know what the source is. In the old days of print journalism, newspapers used to have a news section, an opinion section, a comic section. Now that distinction is blurred. If you see an article about how the world is flat, you should know whether it’s opinion or entertainment or news. And we’ve become a skimming society. Even if you do have guardrails in place, after I read an article, have I fact checked it? You should look at what the sources are, who’s funding them, what the point of view is, and what’s the pur-

pose of them putting it out.

What other projects are you working on right now that show promise?

I’m on the board of a new St. Louis charter school called St. Louis Voices Academy that will be opening this fall. It’s an elementary school in north St. Louis that will revolve around media literacy and storytelling. One of the really great things about it is that if we are teaching these kids how to become effective storytellers using media, we’re helping them in terms of their future employment.

for

Starting this month, as part of the Jewish Women’s Circle, Chabad of Chesterfield will offer a 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.

Throughout the yearlong course, topics and discussions will cover the basic tenets of Judaism and the special role that Jewish

women play throughout history as well as today. Participants will have the opportunity to uncover the essential change that occurs on the day they become a bat mitzvah and understand how it impacts them every day of their lives, going forward.

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

“So many women I’ve met in our community feel their Jewishness isn’t complete because they feel that they never had an adequate bat mitzvah experience. Many have expressed that they are looking to upgrade their ‘Hebrew school level Judaism’ to an adult Judaism that they can connect to, today,” said Rubenfeld.

This sparked the idea to create an adult level program that would allow women to have the comprehensive Jewish knowledge they yearn for, in a meaningful and joyful manner. 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. Applications are currently being accepted.

Art Silverblatt

Jewish group aims to combat antisemitism with provocative billboard campaign in St. Louis area

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

If you happen to be driving west out of downtown St. Louis on I-64 any time soon, be prepared to see a billboard that may make you look twice. Maybe even three times. As you approach Jefferson Avenue, prior to exits that lead to St. Louis University (SLU) and Harris Stowe University, the billboard proclaims, “Even if you think kugel is an exercise for your vagina…JewBelong.”

Now, if that statement makes you feel something, that’s the point. Another billboard located along I-70 and Lucas and Hunt announces the following message to westbound drivers: “Judaism: Come for your girlfriend. Stay for the lack of Hell.” These are just two of four billboards that went public today around the St. Louis area.

The group behind the messaging is JewBelong (jewbelong.org), which says “Our infamous billboards have already reached over 250 million people nationally.” JewBelong is a national nonprofit that features poignant and thought-provoking slogans as part of a campaign aiming to lower barriers of entry for anyone interested in learning more about Judaism and raise awareness about rising antisemitism.

The billboards have become “infamous” due its edgy, tell-it-like-it-is messaging on brightly colored, easily recognizable billboards.

“We break through media clutter with meaningful statements that, as you said, makes people look twice. Our mission is to start important conversations, inspire Jewish engagement and pride, and to ultimately create change that leads to a thriving, safe Jewish community, and we’re not

afraid to “go there” to do it,” said JewBelong co-founder, Archie Gottesman.

“JewBelong is working on solving two problems. The first is welcoming disengaged Jews with easy-to-follow DIY Jewish rituals and the second is creating awareness and conversations about the rise in antisemitism. We chose St. Louis because it is a city with both a high Jewish population and because of the recent rise in antisemitic incidents in Missouri,” said Gottesman.

The billboard, at 1-170 and Woodson Road aims to target traffic headed to Washington University, which is three miles to the southeast. The message on the

billboard? “Can a billboard end antisemitism? No. But you’re not a billboard.”

Another billboard at I-70 and Hughes Boulevard reaches traffic heading east.

“Another high-traffic location aimed to target St. Charles County. It is also surrounded by one of the hottest housing markets in the Metro region,” said Gottesman. The billboard reads: “We’re just 78 years since the gas chambers. So no, a billboard calling out Jew hate isn’t an overreaction.”

These billboards are in response to the national rise in antisemitism.

In March, the Jewish Light reported that Missouri, in 2022, experienced a record of

30 antisemitic incidents– a 100% increase from 2021. Nationally, the AntiDefamation League reported 3,697 antisemitic incidents nationally, a 36% increase from 2,717 incidents in 2022. This is the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979.

“Although it might not seem obvious, strong Jewish pride and respect automatically makes one braver about calling out antisemitism, because they know more about what they are standing up for,” said Gottesman.

The billboards will remain up through the High Holidays.

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

Marianne Chervitz has joined the staff at Washington University as a senior associate director of advancement for Student Affairs. Her responsibilities include raising funds to support the Department of Student Affairs, assisting in growing the donor pipeline and enhancing cultivation, stewardship, and engagement of donors in all areas of the student experience. Chervitz is a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Shira Berkowitz, Maxine Clark, Donn Rubin and Michael Staenberg are just four of the 50+ featured in St. Louis Magazine’s People Working Toward Solutions in St. Louis.

Berkowitz, senior director of public policy and advocacy of PROMO Missouri, pushed back against state lawmakers when they tried to pass legislation that would ban transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports at school.

Clark is the founder of Delmar Divine, a $100 million mixed-use project that will feature both a nonprofit hub and 150 affordably priced apartments to support community development and improvement.

Rubin is founding president and CEO of BIOSTL, which has supported hundreds of startups, attracting more than $2.7 billion in capital to the region.

Staenberg is leaving his imprint everywhere west of Olive/Clarkson on Highway 40. The president of The Staenberg Group, he is converting Chesterfield Mall into a walkable downtown complex and has converted the Chesterfield Outlet Mall into The District entertainment venue. Staenberg was installed Aug. 30 as the president of the

Jewish Light Board of Trustees.

Dr. Rebecca Aft, a breast cancer surgeon and researcher, has been named the inaugural Jeffrey F. Moley Professor of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery at Washington University School of

Medicine. She is noted for her translational and clinical research program that is focused on understanding how breast cancer spreads, developing biomarkers for metastatic progression, and identifying new targets for prevention. Aft was a 2011 Jewish Light Unsung Hero.

MYTH BUSTED

- ARTHRITIS SHOULDN'T SLOW YOU DOWN! FREE COMMUNITY TALK: ARTHRITIS &

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

any people living re always looking control your pain y e idea of taking pain pills every day, or waiting months to get painful injections that don't always work Maybe you're trying to put off a joint replacement because you don t want surgery

Or you ve waited too long and now you are no longer a surgical candidate, and feel doomed to live with arthritis pain for the rest of your life If you feel this way, you're not alone

What if there was another way? A way to manage your arthritis without pain pills, injections and surgery? What if you could reduce your pain and get your strength and independence back? Or avoid losing it in the first place The good news is you have options

The first step in being able to successfully manage your arthritis long-term is to have a better understanding of what causes arthritis in the first place and what makes it worse

Unfortunately, there is so much misinformation out there about arthritis pain and this often leads to not knowing about all of your treatment options If you're ready to learn more about the causes and treatments for your arthritis pain, I invite you to attend our next

AGING

Community Talk "Arthritis & Aging".

During This Talk You'll Learn:

What osteoarthritis is and what actually causes it.

The myths of arthritis that keep you from enjoying life.

The most highly recommended treatment options for arthritis.

Why "wear and tear" should be replaced with "wear and repair".

Is it safe to do an exercise that is painful? And More!

When: Friday, September 15 at 2:30pm

Where: 3809 Lemay Ferry Rd, 63125

*Attend in-person or join us online from your home. Call (314) 9391377 to register. Space is limited.

I look forward to seeing you there, Dr. Beth

At HouseFit, we help adults 55+ maximize their independence and fitness, so they can continue to enjoy a full and active life.

Diana Rosen has joined the Frontenac office of Compass Realty Group as a residential sales agent. She is a member of Shaare Emeth.

Top row, from left: Marianne Chervitz, Shira Berkowitz, Maxine Clark, Donn Rubin and Michael Staenberg. Second row: Dr. Rebecca Aft, Diana Rosen, Grace Cohen, Bobby Sanderson and Nancy Burstein.

St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum unveils inaugural Lutz Humanitarian Award

The St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum has introduced the inaugural Lutz Humanitarian Award, an annual tribute named in honor of the late Holocaust rescuer and former St. Louisan, Carl Lutz. The program is set to take place on Nov. 2, coinciding with the museum’s first anniversary since reopening. The award event’s proceeds will support the museum’s educational initiatives, fortifying its unwavering commitment to reject hatred, promote understanding, and inspire change.

Posthumously awarded to Carl Lutz for his extraordinary efforts in saving lives during the Holocaust, the 2023 Lutz Humanitarian Award commemorates his heroic work. Lutz, a Swiss diplomat stationed in Budapest during World War II, orchestrated a sweeping rescue mission that furnished tens of thousands of Jews

Continued from opposite page

Bobby Sanderson joined the St. Louis Science Center as chief institutional advancement officer. He and his team are responsible for managing the Science Center’s philanthropic strategies and accomplishing the institution’s goals for development, membership, and community stewardship. Sanderson attends Congregation Temple Israel.

Grace Cohen has joined the Jewish Light as its graphic designer. Previously, she was an intern and junior graphic designer at Jewish Federation of St. Louis, then worked as a freelance designer for several years.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus announced the hiring of Nancy Burstein as their new executive director. Her responsibilities include publicity and marketing, overseeing the six yearly concerts, fundraising and grant writing, as well as processing individual donations and cultivating old and new subscribers. Burstein is a member of Shaare Emeth.

Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School welcomed new teachers this year including Marla Mayer, art teacher and a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona; Kevin Parentin, coordinator of experiential education and social studies teacher; and Greta Rosenstock, music teacher.

The Gladys and Henry Crown Center for Senior Living announced its new board members. Mark Rubin, vice president of development at Keeley Properties, is the board president. Vice president is Michelle Schwerin, shareholder at Capes Sokol and Shaare Emeth member. Emily Caine, senior vice president and partner at Fleishman Hillard, and Pamela Dern, community volunteer, have joined the board. Both are members of Temple Israel.

Kevin Lee is kicking off the second year of his early childhood movement program with Stomp the World. Stomp the World is a non-profit providing educational and life experiences outside the classroom. Through movement Lee incorporates dance, music, and play to help children with the development of fine and gross motor skills, as well as mindfulness techniques and self-regulation skills. The program has grown to 22 centers. Lee is a member of Temple Emanuel.

Linda Goldstein, former mayor of the Clayton and senior level leader in the commercial construction industry, is now a Vistage CEO group chairperson as well as founder and CEO of Linda Goldstein Consulting. As a Vistage chair, she helps leaders make decisions that benefit their companies, families and communities. Goldstein’s consulting business offers

with life-saving documentation. A familiar face in the St. Louis community for almost a decade prior to the war, Lutz embodied the spirit of this award, which will be given annually beginning in 2024.

Greg Yawitz, museum board vice chair and award co-chair, emphasized, “The remarkable legacy of Carl Lutz stands as a guiding light for all of us committed to the fight against injustice. It serves as an important reminder that our actions, big or small, have the potential to sow the seeds of change. As we celebrate Lutz’s legacy through the Lutz Humanitarian Award, we hope to empower our community to cultivate a world dedicated to empathy, justice, and understanding.”

Since November 2022, the Holocaust museum has engaged with thousands, including over 12,000 students from the

state and beyond. The Lutz Humanitarian Award serves as a cornerstone initiative, bolstering the museum’s work in imparting the Holocaust’s profound historical significance and lessons to the generations ahead, underscoring the pledge of “Never Again.”

Chrissy Laycob, Award Co-chair, stated, “Holocaust education is not just essential; it’s paramount. It’s through the lens of the Holocaust that we witness the repercussions of human choices. The museum’s role is to empower all visitors with this transformative history. Introducing the Lutz Humanitarian Award aligns with this sacred mission.”

Tickets for the Nov. 2 event will be available soon. Prospective award sponsors are encouraged to email Becky Donovan at BDonovan@STLHolocaustMuseum.org or call 314-442-3726.

individual executive coaching and retreat facilitation.

Alex Apter was promoted to executive

vice president at LOCATION Commercial Real Estate. He specializes in third party landlord representation, tenant representation and property disposition.

Have an item to submit for Newsmakers? Submit it online at stljewishlight.org/submit-newsmakers.

Top row, from left: Marla Mayer, Kevin Parentin, Greta Rosenstock, Mark Rubin and Michelle Schwerin. Second row: Emily Caine, Pamela Dern, Kevin Lee, Linda Goldstein and Alex Apter.

Diplomat Carl Lutz, who worked in St. Louis in from 1933-1934, would later save thousands of Jews during the Holocaust.

PHOTO: FORTEPAN / AGNES HIRSCHI / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

OBITUARIES

JONATHAN ELI BAKER, August 24, 2023.

Beloved son of the late Lary and the late Judith Baker; dear brother and brother-in-law of Lorne and Tim Baker (Jennifer); dear uncle of Max, Sarah, Louis, Artie and Ella Baker; former brother-in-law of Debra Solomon Baker; dear nephew, cousin and friend.

A private family service will be held. Memorial contributions preferred to the APA Olivette, 10521 Baur Blvd, 63132. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

MARTHA (GOLD) GERSTEN, born January 8, 1947 passed away in her home on August 22, 2023, from a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Martha’s bright red hair and even brighter personality livened up every place she went. She was a skilled lab technician, and loved dancing, skiing, travel, flowers, and chocolate. She touched many people as a flight attendant for TWA and American Airlines, a docent at the Missouri Botanical Garden and greeter at Congregation B’Nai Amoona.

Martha was devoted to her husband Ronald Gersten Z’L who died in 2010 and her dear friends Sheldon Wallerstein and Deborah Blackwell.

She is predeceased by her parents, Benjamin Gold and Dorothy Gold and a sister, Lois. She is survived by her step-children, Garth Gersten, Seth Gersten, Ilise Gersten and their families.

A graveside service was held Friday, August 25 at Chevra Kadisha Cemetery, 1601 North and South Rd. 63130. Donations in her memory may be made to the Missouri Botanical Garden or to Congregation B’Nai Amoona General Fund. Visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com for Shiva and other information. Berger Memorial Service

OBITUARIES INDEX

Baker, Jonathan Eli Gersten, Martha (Gold) Kayman, Sidney Kolker, Alan Y. Kranzberg, Vivian Rosenberg, Betty

Sandler, Richard Scherl, Mary Bernice Seigel, Shirley A. Stern, Laurie LeMaster Zorensky, Deborah

SIDNEY KAYMAN, March 24, 1928 - August 31, 2023

Sidney Kayman passed away peacefully at the age of 95 on August 31, 2023. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife and son, Suzann Senturia Kayman and Brian Kayman. He is survived by his devoted daughter, Frances Kayman, his cherished grandsons, Brett (Sarah) Kayman and Joseph Kayman, his dearest daughter-in-law, Lori Kayman and his precious great-granddaughter Kate Kayman. He is also survived by his treasured nephew and nieces, Steven Kayman, Missy Kayman, Leah Rosenzweig and Nancy Mohr.

Sidney was a proud Navy veteran, stock car racer, tradesman and family elder. His was a long life, well lived. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, September 5 at Chevra Kadisha Cemetery, 1601 North and South Road, St. Louis, MO 63130. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146 or to the Disabled American Veterans, 9700 Page Avenue, Suite 101, RM#1-096, St. Louis, MO, 63132.

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

ALAN Y. KOLKER, August 24, 2023

Beloved husband of Judith Kolker. Dear father of Amy (Randy) Knopf and Mark (Jill) Kolker. Loving grandfather of Hannah Kolker, Rebecca Knopf, and Brooke Kolker. Caring brother of Stanley (Judy) Kolker and Larry (Joyce) Kolker. Dear uncle, cousin, and friend to many.

Alan grew up in Springfield, IL and at an early age moved to St. Louis and attended U City High School.

Alan held several positions at Texstar Automotive, Inmac Computers, TWB Newstands, and Arch Trailer. Alan’s life was full of passions including spending time with his beloved granddaughters, golf, travel, and his love of food. Alan was also an avid card player and an early adopter of pickleball.

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

A graveside service was held Sunday, August 27 at Beth Shalom Cemetery, 650 White Road. Contributions in his memory may be made to Pathways Hospice Foundation (www. pathwayscomfort.com/foundation), 14805 N. Outer 40 Road, Suite 160, Chesterfield, Missouri 63017-6060 or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 9370 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63132.

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

VIVIAN KRANZBERG, August 28, 2023

Vivian Ruth Kranzberg (nee Simon), 96, died on August 28, 2023, after a brief illness. Beloved wife of the late Maurice B. “Maury” Kranzberg for 47 years; dear mother and mother-in-law of Joshua (Francesca Hess) Kranzberg of Washington, DC, and Rachel Miller; devoted sister and sister-in-law of the late Sorelle (the late Dr. William)

Parker, the late Rabbi Mordecai (the late Maxine) Simon, the late Dr. David (the late Barbara) Simon, the late Dr. Nathan (the late Carolyn) Simon, and Shulamith Simon; loving grandmother of Dena and Alena Kranzberg, Abigail (Sam) Kahn and Tamara Miller, our dear aunt, cousin and friend.

A Funeral Service was held Tuesday, August 29 at 12:30 PM at BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 9430 Olive Boulevard, followed by interment at B’nai Amoona Cemetery, 930 North and South Road. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Bais Abraham Congregation, 6910 Delmar Boulevard, University City, MO 63130; Kol Rinah, 7701 Maryland Ave., Clayton, MO 63105; The National Yiddish Book Center, 1021 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002; or to charity of your choice.

Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for Live Stream and other information. Berger Memorial Service

Obituaries continue on opposite page

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

American Flag symbol denotes a United States military veteran.

BETTY ROSENBERG, August 27, 2023

Beloved wife of Albert Rosenberg, married 66 years; dear mother and mother-in-law of Barry Rosenberg (Karen) and Rhonda Bilger (Al); dear grandmother of Melissa Bilger, David Bilger, Danny Rosenberg and Allie Rosenberg; dear sister and sister-in-law of Roselind Biernbaum (late Ben) and the late Saul Becker; beloved daughter of the late Fannie and late Benjamin Becker; dear aunt of Gary Biernbaum (Cindy), Alyce Bell (Richard), the late Ronald Rosenberg, Larry Rosenberg (Sarma), Marilyn Lander, Rozanne Black, Janis Lander, Elliot Lander (Grace), Judy Greenwalt (Bill), David Langbart, Lisa Stern, Gary Allen (Monique), and Karen Morgan.

Betty attended Soldan High School where she was a member of the Theta Omega Sorority and graduated in 1951. She then worked in her father’s company, Becker Pleating, and later at Stix, Baer & Fuller in the restaurant office. She married Albert Rosenberg on a blind date on March 31, 1957 and stayed home with her children after they were born. Throughout her life, Betty was involved in Sisterhood at BSKI Synagogue, volunteered there, helped deliver meals to seniors, and was the head of their annual rummage sales. She was an amazing hostess and enjoyed entertaining and having the family over for holidays. Betty was also known for her cooking and baking, particularly her chocolate chip cookies, chicken soup, and carrot mold.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, August 29 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Rd. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

OBITUARIES

RICHARD SANDLER , 68, passed away peacefully at home on August 30th. He was born in Detroit to Solomon and Beatrice Sandler and is survived by his spouse, Beth Solowey, children Leah (Molly) Sandler, Rachel (David) Baer, Simon Sandler, grandson Jacob Baer, brothers Steve (Roberta) Sandler and Bob Sandler, beloved nieces and nephews, and his father-in law Alex Solowey. He was predeceased by brother Gary Sandler.

Rick received his Bachelor’s of Arts from Wayne State University and his Masters and PhD in Folklore and Mythology from University of Pennsylvania. Richard taught English at John Burroughs School for 29 years. In addition to his classroom teaching, Richard co-founded Aim High St. Louis in 1991, a summer school program for St. Louis inner city middle school students. He also spent several weeks during the summers helping in Cambodian classrooms.

Rick cut a recognizable figure with his unique gait and bushy eyebrows. He loved bike riding and walking and was often spotted on the roads running errands or going to and from Burroughs. Richard was an intrepid traveler, from the Scottish Highlands to China and many countries in Southeast Asia. Rick spent many hours volunteering at the International Institute helping immigrants navigate their new lives and assisting in citizenship study. He was an avid tea drinker (teaching several classes on “real” tea), and had great fondness for Canada and all things Canadian.

Above all, Richard was happiest when with his family. He was a dedicated husband and father and took true pleasure in these roles.

A graveside funeral will be held at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery and the family will be sitting Shiva at home. Please contact Rindskopf-Roth Funeral Chapel for details. In lieu of flowers, we suggest donations please be sent to Save the Children and Beyond Housing St. Louis. A Rindskopf-Roth Service

MARY BERNICE SCHERL, September 1, 2023 Mary Scherl, 90, died Friday, September 1, 2023 at St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis County.

She is survived by her three children – Annie (Daryl) Jacobs, James Scherl, and Robert (Linda) Scherl; her grandchildren, Aaron Jacobs, Graham Scherl, Sarah Scherl, Elle Jacobs, Julia Scherl, and Isabella (Dylan) Schultz; great-grandchildren Lydia and June; her beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Born and raised in the Central West End in St. Louis, Missouri. Daughter of the late Sarah and Max Wolff, sister to the late Mary, Helen, Rose Lee, and June.

Beyond her immediate family, Mary was like a second mother to many, opening her home to anyone in need. She was a caretaker with a lot of love to give. She was the first to help her family and friends through hard times and took care of her mother and husband for many years.

She always prioritized family.

As a graduate of Soldan High School and Washington University School of Nursing, she pursued a career as an operating room nurse at Barnes Hospital and City Hospital. She later worked alongside her husband, Eddie, owning and running Congress Market and Wydown Market.

She always said the key to living a long life was to “never stop working”.

Her quick witted personality led to lots of laughs. She was not afraid to express her likes and dislikes. She loved dogs, especially dachshunds. She loved candy, especially caramels and anything chewy. She loved to watch sports, especially football and tennis. She loved card games, especially Poker, Gin and Bridge.

She always had a zest for life.

Mary will be remembered for her infectious laugh, and through family stories, recipes, holidays, and the many lives she touched.

A graveside service was held Monday September 4 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery,

650 White Rd. 63017.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to Forest Park Forever (www. forestparkforever.org/).

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

SHIRLEY A. SEIGEL, August 28, 2023

Born February 29, 1928 – (Leap Year) in Kansas City, MO. Beloved mother of Mark L. (Kathie) Seigel, Ruth E. (David) Permuter and Barry A. (Judy) Seigel. Loving “Baba” of Dr. Todd A. Seigel, Laura Permuter-Nguyen and Daniel A. Permuter. Dear great-grandmother of Alex D. Nguyen. Beloved sister of Morton R. (Chris) Newman. Dear daughter of the late Bertha and Alfred J. Newman. Our dear aunt, cousin and friend.

A graveside service was held Thursday, August 31 at United Hebrew Cemetery, 7855 Canton Avenue.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to the Wolff Transportation Fund, C/O United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Road, St. Louis, MO 63141.

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

Obituaries continue on following page

LAURIE LEMASTER STERN, born June 14, 1953, died August 20, 2023 peacefully after a brief illness.

Laurie is survived by her husband, William (Bill) M Stern, her brother, Barry LeMaster, her stepsons, David (Scooter) Stern, Edward Stern, and Peter (Megan) Stern and step grandson, Gabe, her sister-in-law, Fran Berger, her aunt Elaine Gernstein, her nephews, Jim (Sue) and Jeff Berger, her many cousins and friends. Laurie is the daughter of the late Dr Sherman and Betty LeMaster.

Laurie attended Clayton Schools and graduated from Washington University. She held several positions at different companies including McDonnell Douglas with top-secret clearance, Maritz with much success, and Blake and Davis (Sotheby’s) selling real estate. She also owned and managed shopping centers.

Laurie’s life was full of her passions which included golf, bridge, gardening, and traveling. She was a member of The St Louis Women’s District Golf Association for top local golfers. She was an excellent bridge player, traveled to national tournaments and reached the status of Life Master. She was an active member of the Ladue Garden Club and always had beautiful gardens and flower arrangements. She and Bill loved traveling all over the world especially trips to world class golf courses. They also wintered in Naples, Florida golfing and enjoying the sunny weather.

Laurie lived life with gusto. She loved the best of everything, and she especially loved her time with her friends. She loved happy hours, cooking and entertaining, and dining at fine restaurants. She was active with the Humane Society, serving on the board for a time and always had a dog by her side. Laurie was always smartly dressed and she adhered to the quote, “There are

DEATHS ELSEWHERE

BY ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL JTA

Claire Golomb was 10 years old and living in Frankfurt, Germany when, early one morning, there was a loud knock at the door.

Nazis had come to take her father away. She, her mother and her older sister soon fled to Holland, where they would hide until the end of the war.

If her own childhood ended there, her interest in the psychology of children — especially their creativity and intelligence from an early age — never waned. After making her way to Israel and later to the United States, Golomb became a psychologist and scholar whose work focused on children’s art, make-believe play, story construction and the role of gender in those pursuits.

In works such as her 2011 book “The Creation of Imaginary Worlds,” Golomb explored how children perceive fantasy and fact and are able to tell the difference.

Golomb, a professor emerita in the Department of Psychology at the University

two things you can never have too many of: good friends and good shoes!”

A graveside service was held Sunday, August 27 at Bellerive Gardens Cemetery, 740 Mason Road. Visit bergermemorialchapel. com for more information. Memorial contributions preferred to The William and Laurie Stern Kidney and LiverFund at Barnes Jewish Hospital, The Humane Society of Missouri, or a charity of your choice.

Berger Memorial Service

DEBORAH A ZORENSKY, August 30, 2023

Beloved mother and mother-in-law of Joshua Corson, Anya Corson (Brad Chotiner), Shelby Corson and Zachary Corson (Sarah); loving grandmother of Spencer, Sloane, and Graham Corson. Miriam and Davi Kaufman and Sidney and Bryce Corson; loving partner and companion of Neil J. George; dear daughter of the late Milton L. and the late Doris “Jeanne” Zorensky; dear sister and sister-in-law of Tina R. Corson (Bruce), Mark H. Zorensky (Karen), Elliot S. Zorensky (Jodi) and the late L. Allen Zorensky; dear sister-in-law of Steve Corson (Teri); beloved niece, aunt, cousin, and friend to so many.

Deborah, a dedicated entrepreneur and advocate for wellness and holistic practices, is leaving behind a legacy of compassion and impact. She was born in 1950 and spent most of her life in St. Louis. A graduate of Clayton High School in 1968, her community was extremely special to her. Even in her final days, lifelong friends came from across the country to be at her bedside.

Her unwavering passion for wellness, nutrition, and making a positive difference in the lives of others led her to establish The Center for Mind Body & Spirit, which she owned for 22 years after

receiving her Masters of Science in Health Services from Fontbonne College. Through this endeavor, Deborah dedicated herself to holistic practices aimed at healing and nurturing individuals in body, mind, and soul.

Deborah was married to Marc Corson for thirteen years and raised 4 wonderful children together. She was involved in many local organizations including La Leche League, Saint Louis Art Museum, and the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. She was the first woman president of the board of Solomon Schechter Day School. Known for her strong-willed nature and a delightful sense of humor, Deborah’s presence brought light and laughter to those around her. Her upbringing in the Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel congregation shaped her values and instilled a sense of community that she carried throughout her life, including involvement in boards. Beyond her professional pursuits, Deborah had a unique love for intriguing and eclectic art pieces, showcasing her appreciation for the intricate and delicate.

Deborah Zorensky’s legacy lies not only in her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to wellness but also in her ability to love wholeheartedly. She leaves behind fond memories and a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing her. May her memory inspire others to embrace holistic well-being and approach life with the same passion and warmth that she did.

A Funeral Service was held Friday, September 1 at Congregation B’nai Amoona, 324 S Mason Road. The service was available via Live Stream for those unable to attend in person. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for Live Stream details. Private Interment followed. Memorial contributions preferred to the L. Allen Zorensky Fine Art Loan Fund at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, the Mr. and Mrs. Milton L. Zorensky Fund for the Decorative Arts at the Saint Louis Art Museum, or the Ocular Melanoma Foundation.

Berger Memorial Service

stljewishlight.org

of Massachusetts Boston for more than 40 years, died in her home near Boston on July 26. She was 95.

Claire Schimmel was born on Jan. 30, 1928, in Frankfurt, the second daughter of Fanny Monderer Schimmel, a homemaker, and Chaskel Schimmel, a businessman who devoted himself to reading Hebrew literature and to Talmudic studies.

Her father was arrested in October 1938, shortly before Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, when Nazis and their collaborators burned and looted synagogues and Jewish stores throughout Germany and Austria in what was seen as the start of the Holocaust. The women of the family fled to the Netherlands, where their father briefly joined them. After the Nazis occupied the country in 1940, he was arrested again and sent to a concentration camp, where he was killed.

At the end of the war, after years of hiding, Claire became involved in the Zionist Youth Organization, devoting time to youngsters who had lost their families. In 1948, she arrived in what would soon become Israel — illegally, according to the

British who were in charge of immigration there — and served in the new state’s army for about one year. She lived on a kibbutz for a time before attending Hebrew University — passing the entrance exam despite not having completed her high school studies in Holland.

In Israel, she met Dan Golomb, a survivor of Auschwitz who was studying physical chemistry. They married in 1954 and shortly thereafter moved to the United States, where Dan got a postdoctoral fellowship at Rutgers University in New Jersey and Claire attended the New School for Social Research in New York.

Dan Golomb, a professor emeritus of environmental, earth, and atmospheric sciences at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, died in 2013. The couple’s daughter Dr. Mayana Golomb, a psychiatrist, died of cancer in 2006. Another daughter, Anath Golomb, a psychologist, lives in Durham, N.H.

Claire Golomb studied with a number of psychologists in a field in which Jewish scholars, including refugees from Europe, were prominent — including Solomon

Asch, Eugenia Hanfmann, Ulric Neisser and Abraham Maslow. She was especially influenced by Rudolf Arnheim, the first professor of the psychology of art at Harvard University.

In 1969, she received her Ph.D. in psychology from Brandeis University. Before coming to UMass Boston in 1974, she was an instructor in psychology at Wellesley College from 1969 to 1970. From 1971 to 1974 she was an assistant professor at Brandeis University.

All of her relatives on her mother’s side were killed during the war. In October 2019, Golomb returned to the Netherlands to witness the placement of “stumbling blocks” — brass sidewalk markers — commemorating four of her family members killed in the Holocaust.

Asked how her experiences during the war shaped her life and career, Golomb spoke in the oral history interview of her “willingness to question authority, even authority that I myself found imposing or impressive.”

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Claire Golomb, Holocaust survivor and scholar of children’s art and dreams, dies at 95

Claire Golomb

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ST. CHARLES JEWISH FESTIVAL

More than 3,000 people turned out Aug. 13 for the Third Annual St. Charles Jewish Festival, making it the largest Jewish gathering in the history of St. Charles, according to Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County, who hosted the event. The event took place outside the Foundry Art Centre, celebrating Jewish life and culture and bringing Jewish sights and sounds from around the world to St. Charles. This year, organizers planned a new addition: the ‘Shtetl Village,’ which took participants back in time to a whimsical reenactment of life in the shtetl — the small Eastern European Jewish town that was a hallmark of Old World Jewish life for centuries. The shtetl, made famous in ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ also included crafts, traditional delicacies, and a petting zoo to complete the rural village feel.

CHABAD JEWISH CENTER OF ST. CHARLES

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF C. SMYTH PHOTOGRAPHY FOR CHABAD

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Seven sweet facts about Rosh  Hashanah you may not know

BY LEAH KADOSH KVELLER

This story originally appeared on Kveller Shanah Tovah, Happy, Healthy New Year! The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is nearly here. I can tell this coming year is going to be a good one — the bar is already so low, we can only go up from here!

Rosh Hashanah, or “Head of the Year” is observed this year from sundown on Sept. 15 through Sept. 17. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the beginning of the next year on the Hebrew lunar calendar and is a time of great reflection, repentance and, of course, guilt.

In honor of this very important Jewish holiday, we eat special foods, don white attire, hear the shofar, attend or stream services, give tzedakah, and, in my family, at least, make brisket and tzimmes (though I personally skip the tzimmes). Perhaps most importantly, we contemplate how we can improve our actions in the coming year. With all of the food, remorse, praying and thinking, Rosh Hashanah is the classic Jewish holiday.

So, take a break from your apple stamping project and enjoy these fun facts that are sure to make your Rosh Hashanah a blast:

This New Year corresponds to 5784!

Wait, according to this date system, does that make me younger? The year 5784 counts the years since God created the world, as described in the very first portion of the Torah, Genesis Chapter 1. Just how did we arrive at this number? Many estimates were suggested by scholars, although Rabbi Yossi Ben Halafta’s calculation (which he made around 165 CE in Israel) became the most widely accepted.

Through careful study of the Hebrew Bible, with special emphasis on the dating of biblical figures’ lifetimes and kings’ reigns, the established date of 70 CE (the destruction of the Second Temple) was used as the end point, and counting started backwards from there. Rabbi Yossi Ben Halafta established that God created the world on Monday, Oct. 7, 3761 BCE. (using Gregorian calendar terms). And now it’s

math time: 3761+2023=5784!

The name “Rosh Hashanah” is not mentioned in the Torah

It’s true: This major Jewish holiday is not mentioned by name in the Torah! Instead, it is referred to as Yom Teruah (Day of Sounding the Shofar) and Yom HaZikaron (Day of Remembering). The holiday becomes identified as “Rosh Hashanah” during the 1st century CE in Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1.1.

Rosh Hashanah celebrates the New Year, but falls on the first day of the seventh month!

Like so many Jewish holidays and traditions, there are several and conflicting theories as to how Rosh Hashanah evolved and how we came to celebrate the new year in the seventh month on the Hebrew calen-

dar. Among the numerous interpretations, I wish to share my favorite: In the 13th century, Sephardic sage and rabbi Nachmonidies equated the counting from the months of Nissan (the first month of the Hebrew calendar) to Tishrei (the seventh) to be the same relationship as the first day of the week (Yom Rishon, which literally means “the first day”) with Shabbat (the seventh day). The number seven in Judaism holds sacred significance. It is associated with God’s six days of creation (special, but not super special) to the seventh day of rest, Shabbat (super special!). Counting seven months from the time of our Exodus from Egypt — which, you guessed it, happened in the month of Nissan — emphasizes the holiness of the seventh month of Tishrei, and is therefore the perfect excuse for a new year celebration.

Rosh Hashanah is a two-day festival, everywhere!

As the song goes: Wherever you go…

not only will you find someone Jewish, you will also celebrate Rosh Hashanah for two days. That’s true whether you’re in Israel or elsewhere! This is in contrast to other important biblical festivals, such as Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot, which are observed for an extra day in the diaspora (outside of Israel) — just to be sure the correct day is commemorated. (Why? Nearly 2,000 years ago, holiday start times were determined by moon-witness testimony, and then word was dispersed by foot. Extending the holiday by one day compensated for inevitable delays.)

Now, I know what you’re thinking: Why is Rosh Hashanah celebrated for two days even in Israel? Maimonides, 12th-century scholar and philosopher, explains that it is the only Jewish holiday that begins on the first day of a new month, and therefore, witnesses were not permitted to travel to alert their communities on the sighting of a new moon. To enable complete worship, two days were established and came to be

Celebrate fall flavors with this apple and honey ru e milk pie

BY SONYA SANFORD THE NOSHER

Ruffle milk pie is a Greek dessert made with a simple custard base and rose-like coils of phyllo dough. It’s a type of galatopita (Greek for pie made with milk) that is very similar to the Middle Eastern dessert muakacha (Arabic for wrinkle), which is also known as a crinkle cake.

Crinkle cakes had a viral TikTok moment last

Recipe: Apple and Honey Ruffle Milk Pie

INGREDIENTS:

10 large sheets of phyllo dough (13-14 inches by 18 inches), thawed

6 Tbsp butter, melted (or vegan butter)

2 large eggs

1½ cups whole milk (or creamy nondairy milk)

¼ cup light or dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 small apple or ½ medium apple, sliced very thin

¼ cup honey

¼ cup water

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line and grease a 9-inch cake pan with parchment. Metal cake pans are best for this recipe, but you can also use a ceramic or glass deep dish pie pan, or a 9-inch springform pan. Make sure that your phyllo dough is fully thawed according to the package instructions. Phyllo dough dries out very quickly, and in order to prevent that, lightly dampen a clean kitchen towel.

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5. Diane Packman’s gluten free Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

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year, and it’s obvious why ruffle pies have become so popular: they’re easy to make and result in a gorgeous, golden brown dessert with crispy pastry ruffles and a tender bottom layer of sweet, custard-soaked dough.

With the addition of tart apples and floral honey, ruffle milk pie becomes a celebration of the flavors of fall and the High Holiday season.

Unroll the dough, and lie it flat on a clean surface. Cover it with the damp towel to keep it from drying out. Take out one sheet of phyllo dough at a time, and keep the rest covered. Generously brush the sheet of phyllo with the melted butter. Scrunch the dough lengthwise on either side towards the center, so that the buttered phyllo sheet forms a long fan-like ruffle of dough.

Starting on one end, loosely spiral the dough into a coil; it will form a rose-like shape. Make sure not to coil the dough too tightly, you want ruffles and height in this pie. Place one spiral of dough into the center of the greased and lined 9-inch pan.

Continue the process and make a total of 9 more spirals of phyllo dough, or 10 in total. If you’re using smaller sheets of phyllo dough, you may need to add a few additional pieces of dough to fill the pan. Arrange the coiled sheets of phyllo into the pan, and make sure not to flatten any of the dough, adjust to fill out the pan as needed. If you have any leftover melted butter, brush it over the top of the phyllo spirals.

Cut the apple on either side of the core, then thinly slice the apple into half-moon shapes, about 1/8-inch thick or less. Gently tuck in slices of apple between ruffles of phyllo dough. Make sure not to press down on the dough,

and instead gently nestle in the apple. Use as much apple as desired, about 1 small apple, or half of a medium apple.

Bake for 20 minutes, the phyllo dough will start to just slightly brown on top.

While it is in the oven prepare the custard. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.

Once the pie has baked for 20 minutes, pour the custard evenly over the phyllo spirals. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffed up, and the custard has fully set.

While the pie is baking with the custard, prepare a honey syrup by combining the honey and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until a syrup has formed and the mixture has slightly thickened.

While the pie is still hot, drizzle the honey syrup over it. Be careful to leave some golden brown ruffles untouched by honey, so that they remain extra crispy. Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Pie is best served at room temperature, and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. If storing in the fridge, bring the pie up to room temperature before serving, or reheat for 10-15 minutes, covered, at 350°F. Garnish with powdered sugar or whipped cream if desired.

4. Honey and Walnut Sfrati

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3. Lior Lev Sercarz’s spiced honey cake (not pictured)

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2. Sephardic Rosh Hashanah from Turkey: Tispishti (Walnut Cake)

Visit http://bit.ly/JL-dessert2

1. Apple and Honey Pie Pops

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PHOTO: SONYA SANFORD

This story originally appeared in The Nosher.

PHOTO: SHERI SILVER

PHOTO: MARGI LENGA KAHN

PHOTO: MIKE SHERWIN

PHOTO: MIKE SHERWIN

Wishing you a sweet, happy, and healthy new year!

High Holiday prayers not working for you? Try remixing metaphors.

BY ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL JTA

One of the centerpieces of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur liturgy is the “Avinu Malkeinu” prayer — Our Father, Our King. It’s a desperate and emotional appeal for forgiveness, set to powerful melodies over the centuries.

It’s also a hurdle for many people, regular and occasional synagogue-goers alike. Some can’t relate to a “king,” or bristle at the gendered implications of “father.” Whatever they hoped to feel or achieve in prayer is undermined by the archaic language and metaphors that don’t speak to them.

That’s the challenge described in Rabbi Toba Spitzer’s book, “God Is Here: Reimagining the Divine.” The spiritual leader of Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in Newton, Mass., Spitzer understands how the language of Jewish prayer can stand in the way of the meaningful spiritual experience many people are seeking. Her solution is to “dislodge” unhelpful metaphors of prayer and look for meaning in different ones — ancient and modern — in ways that help people think and talk about “something that is greater than ourselves.”

The book asks what might be useful if we were to think of God as water, or fire, or a place, or yes, even a king. All are metaphors for God found in the Torah and the Jewish prayer book. You don’t need to ask whether you believe that God is a parent or a monarch, she says, but rather explore where the poetry of metaphor can take you. “My hope,” she writes, “is that we can recapture the alive-ness which once pervaded our holy texts, and reconstruct our metaphors so that they are once again engaging and meaningful.”

Spitzer is the past president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association and is the first LGBTQ rabbi to head a national rabbinic organization. She spoke with me via Zoom.

Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

It’s the High Holidays. People find themselves in a synagogue for the first time all year, where even regular synagogue-goers face that firehose of liturgical language that may not speak to them. For both sets of people, there may be a sense that the Iron Age metaphors of the prayer book — God is king, heavenly

Q&A with Rabbi Toba Spitzer, author of ‘God Is Here: Reimagining the Divine’

father, shepherd, or even a potter — don’t resonate with them. You say “people don’t have a God problem as much as a metaphor problem.” Can you explain that?

When I started this journey into metaphor and cognitive linguistics, I realized, and this is a quote from the anthropologist Barbara J. King, that “the religious imagination thrives on the human yearning to enter into emotional experience with some force vaster than ourselves.” There is some foundational human experience of the sacred that’s existed at all times and at all places. And at some point, people started using metaphors to think about and interact with that experience:

“God is a big person” or “God’s an old man in the sky.” It’s not that that is a bad metaphor, but there are some problematic aspects to it. Or the “king” one: I think Americans have a huge problem with royalty. We’re trained to not like authority so it doesn’t work for a lot of Americans.

So the metaphor problem is, “Wow, I do have spiritual experiences. I do want to feed my spirit. And then I turned to a metaphor that doesn’t work for me, what do I do?”

I use this analogy of a restaurant — like

I just walk out of the restaurant, because there’s nothing on the menu that satisfies me. And yet our ancestors had a much richer palette of metaphors to choose from that could convey their experiences of the sacred. So, the book is nothing new. It is just trying to say, what if we took these other metaphors seriously?

So, when you try to reclaim metaphors, you’re still drawing on some of those found in tradition: God is fire, or a warrior, or an eagle, water, a rock.

I want to reclaim all of it. In the first couple of chapters I lay out this argument, which is the argument of cognitive linguists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, that in order to apprehend reality and get our minds around abstract things, we need metaphor. I feel like these were metaphors that were very alive in our ancestors’ lives and not just words on the page, so it’s not surprising a lot of them are from the natural world. I tried out more modern ones, like electricity and GPS, but I love the ancient ones.

I want to dig into a few of those in a second, but I like your framing of how to

deal with doubt. Instead of asking, “Do I believe this?” we can ask of a prayer: “Where is this trying to take me?” How might that work in practice?

Let’s go back to the High Holidays and some of the human metaphors. We say, “Our Father, our King.” Do I believe God is a king? No. But if I say this is poetry and my ancestors were trying to evoke something, it takes me to a few directions. I think the big theme of Rosh Hashanah is like, “I’m not the center of the universe. There’s something much bigger than me.”

So what did a king represent to the ancients? Something powerful, someone who held the power of life and death in their hands, but who is also largely beneficent. The High Holiday liturgy is asking me to confront my mortality and confront the fact that I’m extremely, extremely miniscule in the scheme of the cosmos. I was just doing some research and found that referring to God as a king in the Roman period was subversive — at a time when the Roman emperor was considered God. So the metaphor is saying that while we have earthly rulers, there’s something higher than that. So even if the word “king” might not work for me, that’s powerful, and I want to go in that direction.

How might that work with water, which you write is one of the most common metaphors for God in the Hebrew Bible, as in Psalm 42: “As the deer longs for water, so does my soul long for You,

Continued on opposite page

JTA ILLUSTRATION BY MOLLIE SUSS

O God.”

Water adds a few things. We say we are created in God’s image, and I’m 70% water. There is sacred stuff literally flowing through me. So that’s one piece. And that psalm leads me to ask, how am I dry? How do I nourish myself spiritually, what do I need? Water is also a metaphor for godly power in the Bible. If in the Bible, God’s justice is often imagined as water, how do we align ourselves with the flow? How do I get my values and my actions aligned in the new year? Right now in New England, we’re in a drought and in other parts of the world they are getting too much water. That’s scary, and God is scary. So it’s both: We need both a sense of awe and sustenance, and as we move through the High Holidays, those two pieces are a big part of the liturgy.

You write that in the early rabbinic period, or the first two centuries of the Common Era, the term “HaMakom” — “The Place” — had become a fairly wellknown Jewish name for God. I always thought of it as just a euphemism and not really a metaphor, the way the people in Harry Potter’s world talk about “the one who shall not be named.” How is it useful to think of a place as a metaphor for God?

The rabbi’s call [God] that for two reasons. One is because wherever you are, there’s godliness. The rabbis were in a period when the Holy Place — literally, the Temple — had been destroyed and they were recreating connections to the Divine everywhere. So literally HaMakom was where we experienced the Divine in every place. It’s always associated with compassion, and a sense of God’s nearness. I’ve found that when people are in distress, whatever they think or don’t think about God, I ask them to describe for me experiences of the sacred. And they almost always talk about places. I think it’s very easy for most people to conjure up places where they feel sheltered, where they feel a sense of wonder or the sacred. Place is very accessible.

Do you worry that if you do away with what you call the “God is a big person” metaphor, it risks making God less personal? Nature metaphors are lovely, but can they blur the intimate relationship many people hope to have with God?

I’m really not trying to get rid of any metaphors. Sometimes, you know, I want God to hold my hand or I want to feel like I’m being embraced by the Beloved or or loved by, you know, a cosmic mother or whatever it is. I don’t want to get rid of those metaphors. I think the specific metaphor of God as a distant emperor, which has sort of somehow got more dominant in Jewish tradition, is problematic because it says tyrannical power is godly. But yes, we want a deep personal connection, and the idea that God is a teacher or a lover or parent is beautiful.

Human metaphors do not deal well, for instance, with the whole realm of theodicy, the whole realm of “when bad things happen to good people.” Because then you are stuck with, “Why is this happening to me?” or “Why is God doing this to me?” Or, “If God is good, how could God allow this to happen?” Those are just not useful questions. By contrast, when I was going through my own heartache and hard times, the water metaphor said to me, “Okay, I’m in the water, the water is godly. It’s also totally overwhelming. How do I navigate this?” That’s a really useful question.

Can the search for new or different metaphors be pushed too far? Can you stretch the definition of God in such a way that it’s no longer God as understood by Jewish tradition? If God is water, can water create and control the universe or enter into a covenant with Abraham and Sarah or punish the Israelites for the Golden Calf, as we are told in the Bible?

Metaphors are not definitions. In the ancient Near East, every divinity had multiple ways of being represented. And again, I think the ancients had a much more direct experience of the Divine than

we can even imagine. And they knew they needed lots of metaphors, and that’s why our scriptures are filled with them.

But we need all these metaphors because different ones speak to different experiences. Fire is often a metaphor for God’s anger. We need to deal with anger. There is such a thing as holy anger and unholy anger and

Have

even holy anger can lead to destruction. That’s what many of the biblical stories show us. I think that metaphor is much more useful to me than, like, “the angry old man.” Because I understand fire. I understand how fire is completely necessary to human life and could burn you really quickly. Most people can wrap their heads around that and then think about divine

fire or holy anger in a totally different way than like, “why is God mad at me?” which again, is not useful at all.

My friend Rabbi David Nelson wrote a book a few years ago called “Judaism, Physics and God,” in which he drew on metaphors from modern science to describe God, like God is a fractal, or God is a neural network connecting billions of human consciousnesses. Do you encourage people to find metaphors in current technology or society, like, I don’t know, God is a life coach or something like that?

You know, whatever works for people. For a metaphor to be something we live by, we need to really make it active in our lives. I use GPS as a metaphor because it’s really useful. There’s three parts of GPS: There’s the location part: Where am I? That’s the spiritual question. There’s the map: How do I find my way from here to there? That’s spiritual practice. And then there’s the crowdsource: people telling me where the bumps in the road are or where the cop car is. That’s the community. I found that all of a sudden that metaphor was really useful. So I totally encourage people to dive into a metaphor, knowing that what may resonate with you today may not feel useful tomorrow.

L’Chaim! L’Chaim!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis | 100 Carondelet Plaza, 63105

Featuring actress and best-selling author JENNIFER GREY. Jennifer will be sharing her personal story including her Jewish identity, anecdotes from her best-selling memoir, Out of the Corner, and a behind-the-scenes update on the long-awaited Dirty Dancing sequel.

VIP PRE-PARTY 5:15-6:30 PM

Tickets: $180, Includes a ticket to the Main Event

MAIN EVENT: L’CHAIM!

6:15 PM Cocktail Reception

7 PM Dinner and Program

Tickets: $75

L’Chaim! chic attire. Dietary laws observed. Complimentary self and valet parking available. PLEASE RSVP online at JFEDSTL.ORG/LCHAIM2023 or by calling Lisa Magness at 314-442-3772 by October 20.

Attendees will have the opportunity at the event to make a gift to Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ Unrestricted 2023 Annual Campaign.

BY

Rabbi Toba Spitzer, spiritual leader of Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in Newton, Mass., is the author of the book, ‘God Is Here: Reimagining the Divine.’

SPONSORED

Lorraine Allen & Rita Mae Allen Family Foundation Michael Karasick - Director

Cindy & Steve Frank

Laurie & Lee Wielansky

Debbie & Mike Lefton

Kara & Bob Newmark

Here are 5 easy ways to get into the Rosh Hashanah mindset this year

BY GABRIELLE KAPLAN-MAYER KVELLER VIA JTA

This article originally appeared on Kveller.

The month of Elul is here! It’s a time leading up to Rosh Hashanah when we have the opportunity to tune in to our spiritual concerns, reflect on our dreams and challenges over the year that’s gone by, and consider areas for change and growth in the coming new year.

I didn’t grow up with an awareness of a month of preparation leading up to the High Holy Day season. But in discovering Elul as an adult, I embrace this time for spiritual reflection, and I’ve noticed how it’s deepened my experience of the holiday season. The personal work of Elul feels like the rehearsal period for a play, or the warm-up exercises before a sporting event — it’s the energy and dedication put in before the big day(s) that deepens the ritual experience of Rosh Hashanah worship.

Elul arrives as we parents are facing extraordinary demands and anxiety in our back-to-school preparations. Given how full our metaphorical plates are, is there a way to make time for spiritual reflection in this particular moment, during this particularly challenging month?

Absolutely! I believe that spiritual practice can be infused into our busy and sometimes uncomfortable lives — it doesn’t require us to escape to a retreat center, or ignore the realities that we face on a regular day. My experience is that taking a little bit of time and space for spiritual practice can actually give us renewed

strength, energy and self-compassion as we navigate this new year, which, like the one before it, we can probably already describe as “unprecedented.”

Here are five ways that we busy parents can make some time and space for Elul reflection this year.

1. Make a special playlist.

Music is one of the most immediate ways that I access my deepest feelings and spiritual connections. I make playlists for occasions like holidays and birthdays, and I listen to them while I’m doing during chores like walking my dog, folding laundry or chopping vegetables for dinner — essentially, times when I can tap into the music’s energy and

message. I created a Spotify playlist for Elul with songs that really stir my soul and help me think about the big questions. Visit https://spoti.fi/3cOUb8b to take a listen to mine if it inspires you, or create your own Elul playlist!

2. Reach out to loved ones.

Elul is a month to consider our connections to our spiritual lives as well as to friends, family and community. During this past pandemic year, so many social connections were interrupted, and many, many people experienced isolation on a level they had never experienced before. If you have a friend you’ve lost touch with and have been meaning to check in on, this time is a great moment to send a text

or email just asking how they are and letting them know you’ve been thinking of them.

3. Embrace the practice of free writing.

Writing is one of the practices that I use to connect to what I call my inner wisdom — the voice that I don’t always hear when I’m busy with the demands of parenting and work. I take 10 minutes several times a week to do some free writing, during which I sit down with my journal or a blank Google Doc and just write about whatever comes to mind. I always feel much better and more connected after those sessions. The easiest way to do this is to schedule a few writing times into your calendar over the next few weeks. Then, simply open a blank document and use prompts like: “This year I hope to…” “One thing I’ve learned this year is…” or “My prayer for the world is…”

4. Reassess your schedule.

One thing I’ve learned about myself over the pandemic is that I thrive with more downtime. As such, I am entering this year with the intention and awareness that becoming “too busy” — even with good things — takes me away from feeling my most grounded and healthiest, and it also creates unnecessary pressure in my family. Use Elul to consider what you can take on this year, and what you can say no — or “not yet” — to.

Continued on opposite page

PHOTO: JORGE GUERRERO/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Reader says this recipe will change my mind about honey cake

JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

Around the High Holidays last year, I opened my heart and my belly to subscribers to the Morning Light email, admitting that I’m just not into this whole honey cake phenomenon. Many readers sent in messages of support. One reader, Rivka Dushoff-Tobin, who is the proud grandmother of 13 and a member of U City Shul, went so far as to not only give me her support against honey cake, but offer up a new take on the dessert that she says might work for me.

“I thought I was the only one who felt this way,” wrote Dushoff-Tobin in an email. “I agree, traditional honey cake is heavy and dry. I have a recipe from a Russian friend that incorporates sour cream and is light and delicious (obviously I use pareve sour cream for yom tov meals.) Also, very easy to make.”

So, while I try to re-discover my baking skills, of which I have none, I thought I’d share this recipe with you all.

From 1991-1996, Dushoff-Tobin was living in San Jose, Calif. She was working to establish a small Jewish school called Eitz Chaim Academy. And to get a new school off the ground, they needed creative fundraisers.

“There were no kosher establishments in the entire Bay Area – from San Francisco, down to Palo Alto, to Berkeley on the east side of the Bay, and San Jose at the southern edge,” said DushoffTobin. “One of our activities was a restaurant night called ‘Gourmet Kosher Goes to…’ We would choose a country, get authentic recipes, decorate in that theme, etc. Customers came from quite some distance. We had candles, music, and wine – we wanted it to be a ‘get away’ for adults, so we did not offer a discount for children.”

When it came time for “Gourmet Kosher Goes to Russia,” the group used recipes from a member of the community who had emigrated recently from there.

“Irina Pevzner brought out her grand-

Continued from opposite page

5. Include your family!

If your kids aren’t back to school yet, they are probably busy savoring the end of summer. In other words, Rosh Hashanah probably feels very far away. But you can bring your children into your Elul practice in fun, gentle ways. If you’re out enjoying nature, for example, take a moment to mention Rosh Hashanah, the world’s birthday, and invite them to share what they’re most grateful for in the natural world. Bring out your favorite Rosh Hashanah books and start reading them now (I also have a new set of plays that would be fun to read as a family — visit https://bit.ly/HHD-plays). This social story (visit https://jkidaccess.org/tag/social-story/) can be especially helpful for children with intellectual disabilities to know what to expect on the holiday. If your kids enjoy art, start making some homemade cards to send to family and friends.

I hope that this month brings you and your family many opportunities for connection and growth!

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer is a passionate Jewish educator and author. She serves as the Chief Program Officer at Jewish Learning Venture (jewishlearningventure. org). Gabrielle teaches online writing workshops at the intersection of creative writing and spiritual growth.

mother’s recipes, written in Russian of course, and we translated to English. I found out at the last minute that her honey cake needed sour cream – pareve of course since we were serving fleishig. (Meat: This includes everything made from meat or poultry, including their schmaltz.) There was one kosher store for the entire Bay area and they had barely enough pareve sour cream for us to make the recipe,” remembers DushoffTobin.

Its name in Russian is Myedovic.

“Whenever I serve it or take it to a friend’s house to share, people who hate honey cake take one cautious bite, then eat the entire slice. Even though I have to use pareve sour cream. It is light like regular cake, and you can definitely taste the honey. It is more delicious with real dairy sour cream, but then I can’t have it on my yom tov table,” said Dushoff-Tobin.

Russian Honey Cake (Myedovic)

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a loaf pan, and also some cupcake pans – there will probably be some extra batter.

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup margarine softened

¾ cup sugar

½ cup honey

½ cup raisins

3 eggs

1 cup pareve sour cream

2 tbsp oil

½ tsp baking soda

Approximately 2 cups flour

DIRECTIONS:

Cream the sugar with the margarine. Add everything except the flour. Continue to mix while adding flour until it is the consistency of thick sour cream. (I find that the amount of flour does vary; Irina insisted this is the way to do it, not to measure an exact amount of flour.)

Pour into loaf pan. If the pan is more than 2/3 full, your cake will split on top. The extra makes wonderful cupcakes.

Bake 45-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Cupcakes bake 20-25 minutes. This cake freezes very well.

With the growing threat of a war with Hezbollah, we can’t ensure this Rosh HaShanah will usher in a peaceful year. But with a new campaign to add 300 urgently needed ambulances to MDA’s fleet, we can save lives no matter what 5784 brings.

Make a donation today or contact us about how you, your family, or synagogue can provide the ambulances MDA will need.

Visit afmda.org/give or call 866.632.2763.

As Israelis rejoice in the sound of the shofar, we’re also preparing for the wail of the siren.

JEWISH LITE

JEWISH CROSSWORD PUZZLE — ROSH HASHANAH EDITION

By Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com | ‘Rosh Hashanah Activities’ Difficulty:

Find answers to this puzzle online at

Across

1. Villain in Samuel

5. Former Rams rec. who got hurt in the Super Bowl

8. Chef’s assistant, at times

13. ___ Jews (Nigerian natives)

14. Ewe’s “yo”?

15. Truly love

16. Rosh Hashanah activity for Han Solo?

18. Makes like a cantor

19. Feeling 20. City near Jaffa

22. Problems 25. Lot, spot, or or a plot

30. Mardi ___

https://bit.ly/0906-crossword

32. Metrical stress, in poetry

58. Blues, for one

59. Ben-Gurion airport, once

60. Root canal, in dentist-speak

61. Omens

62. Let the ball go through your legs

63. College bigshot

Manageable

10. Big industry meetup, perhaps

11. Thus

12. What Jews should do on Rosh Hashanah

17. It can give you away

21. Top left comp. button

23. Not as much

41. Baby bronco

42. Rosh Hashanah activity for Ralph Kramden?

45. Common seltzer flavoring

46. Often evil ruler, once

47. Birds of prey in the USA

50. Tent option

54. His belt twinkles in the sky

55. Bygone Rosh Hashanah activity for Don Corleone?

Down

1. “Mine!”

2. Look at longingly

3. Abba of note

4. Says some Lashon Hara

5. First half of a Jedi first name

6. Not allow

7. Hockey great Jaromir

8. Colorful African garments

9. Simply foolish

24. It might keep an eye on the nanny

26. Rabbi Kaplan or Adventures

27. Making like the Shomrim

28. Classic Asimov book

29. Soviet work camp

30. “November Rain” band, casually

33. Fa-la

Holiday: Seven sweet facts about Rosh Hashanah you may not know

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

It is a custom to abstain from eating nuts during Rosh Hashanah for a couple of reasons. According to the Shulchan

Aruch, one of the most consulted Jewish law books written by Joseph Caro in the 16th century, nuts not only increase the production of saliva and phlegm in our mouths (a lovely thought) but could perhaps hurt our pronunciation of words recited during services. As any young Jewish child knows, services are already extremely long on Rosh Hashanah, therefore, anything that hinders our ability to pray should be avoided!

The shofar is an integral part of our High Holiday season, although it’s never blown on Shabbat!

You heard me! As mentioned previously, one of Rosh Hashanah’s Biblical names was “Day of Sounding the Shofar,”

and only two details are included in its observance as written in the Torah: to hear the shofar and to abstain from work. Shofars are horns taken from kosher animals and can vary greatly in size, color and shape. It also takes a skilled musician to make a decent sound — trust me, I’m not one of them!

The shofar is an ancient instrument of communication (figure our modern TV or cell phone alert) and had a multitude of purposes: to declare battle, welcome Shabbat and a New Moon, announce the reign of a new king and so on. Nowadays, one can hear the shofar blown after morning services every day (excluding Shabbat) in the month of Elul, the month preceding Rosh Hashanah — except for the last day, the day before Rosh Hashanah.

The unique sound of the shofar reminds us of an alarm, a reflective wake up call.

Maimonides reasoned that the sound awakens our souls and calls to our attention our actions of our past and what we want to change in the future. We are tasked to analyze our relationship with God, ourselves and others and to change for the better.

As for the reason for abstaining from blowing the shofar on Shabbat, that’s due to the fear of carrying the instrument itself! The Talmud explains that it was not the actual sounding of the shofar that was forbidden, but the worry of an inadequate shofar blower carrying their shofar to an experienced shofar blower for help and training on Shabbat that was prohibited. If that is not the most Jewish reason for anything, I don’t know what is!

Wishing you and your family the most healthy, happy, fulfilling new year ahead with blessings abound, Shanah Tovah!

FUNDED BY & ADMINISTERED BY

Mazel

to the 2023 Staenberg Family Foundation

Anything Grant Recipients!

$60,750 in grant funding is being awarded to the following Jewish organizations in St. Louis. Organizations are responsible for matching the grant award amount thereby doubling the impact to our community.

Agudas Israel of St. Louis

Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County

Chesed Shel Emeth Society

Congregation B'nai Amoona

Congregation Shaare Emeth

Congregation Temple Israel

Esther Miller Bais Yaakov

Maryville University Hillel

National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis

Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Congregation

Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School

Temple Emanuel - STL

Traditional Congregation of Creve Coeur

U.City Shul

Vaad Hoeir – Tomchei Shabbos

Young Israel of St. Louis

Anything Grants Review Committee Thank Y

to the Staenberg Family Foundation and Jewish Federation of St. Louis for providing this funding opportunity to the Jewish community.

Stacy Abeles

Sam Gallup

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Ben Kraus

Erin Schneider

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For more information visit JFedSTL.org/staenberg-family-foundation Questions? Contact Lori Kabrun-Berry at LKabrun-Berry@JFedSTL.org.

How Adam Sandler’s new film ‘You Are So Not

Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ imitates real life

BY SHIRA LI BARTOV JTA

To prepare for their role in creating Adam Sandler’s latest movie, crew members hit the Toronto bar and bat mitzvah circuit.

Production designer Perry Blake and set decorator Julia Altschul, guided by a local consultant on the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony, crashed 10 parties within a matter of weeks.

“We saw how amazing and big and outlandish and extravagant they were,” Blake told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “With a movie, you usually set your sights high — bigger than the real world. But that was like, wow, the real world is really amazing.”

The team borrowed several features from the events they attended, from 30-footwide videos honoring the bar and bat mitzvah celebrants to costly DJs to fanciful lighting displays. All of those led to the lavish sets in “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah,” which hits Netflix on Friday.

One circus-themed party inspired the dazzling Carnivale-themed bar mitzvah that opens the film, complete with a fire-breather and stilt walker.

“We actually hired one of the people who was working at this circus bar mitzvah to be in our movie,” said Altschul. “She was a stilt walker and she had different outfits. So at the circus bar mitzvah she was a bearded lady and then at ours, she was this really amazing, flamboyant butterfly girl.”

The world of extravagant, euphoric and angst-charged parties for 13-year-olds is the setting of Sandler’s new comedy, a coming-of-age drama that is also an onscreen vehicle for his real-life Jewish family.

Sandler plays the befuddled, uncool dad Danny Friedman to Stacy and Ronnie Friedman, portrayed by his real-life daughters, Sunny and Sadie Sandler, while his wife Jackie Sandler has a smaller role as the mother of Stacy’s best friend Lydia.

The friendship between Stacy and Lydia makes up the backbone of the film, which is based on Fiona Rosenbloom’s 2005 book of the same name. The two girls start out planning their dream bat mitzvah parties together, but a rift over Hebrew school stud Andy Goldfarb (Dylan Hoffman) threatens to destroy both their friendship and their Jewish rites of passage.

Sandler has previously appeared in movies with Jewish themes, including the comedy “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan,” about a legendary Israeli soldier who dreams of becoming a hairstylist, and acclaimed dramas “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)” and “Uncut Gems.” (The Jewish actress Idina Menzel starred opposite Sandler in “Uncut Gems,” a crime thriller about the diamond busi-

ness, and again plays his character’s wife in the new film.)

But none of those stories portrayed a centerpiece of Jewish family life so thoroughly, and so earnestly. “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” shows Stacy practicing her Torah portion; agonizing over her “mitzvah project,” a service initiative that many congregations encourage; and meeting with her hipster, often-onthe-treadmill rabbi, played by comedian Sarah Sherman. (The movie, directed by Sammi Cohen and written by Allison Peck, filmed in part at a real Toronto Conservative synagogue, Beth Tzedec.)

For Stacy, Lydia and their friends, the point of the milestone is the party. The

movie explores the intense pressure that families, especially in affluent communities, can face to throw the best-ever bash. Bar and bat mitzvah parties in the United States can cost between $10,000 and $40,000, or upwards of $100,000 for families in New York City and Los Angeles, according to The Bash, an event-planning platform — though the price tag can easily rise higher for families that choose pricey venues and entertainment. One 2015 celebration in New Jersey that featured teen idol Nick Jonas reportedly topped $1 million.

Sandler’s character battles back against the pressure. After Stacy demands a private yacht on the Hudson River and pop star Olivia Rodrigo on a jet ski, her father

Above, Adam Sandler’s daughters Sunny and Sadie Sandler star in ‘You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah.’

At left, Idina Menzel, Adam Sandler’s co-star

responds: “When I got bar mitzvahed, we had a party in Grandma’s basement. We all split this giant matzo ball. That was the fun. You know what the theme was? Being Jewish!”

The greatest challenge for crew members was packing all the splendor of real sprawling festivities into brief shots, said Altschul.

“A real bar or bat mitzvah is hours,” she said. “So we’re trying to get people to see all the bits and pieces — speeches, a video, the grand entrance, candle-lighting, the swag, the full picture — in a quick minute or two.”

Continued on opposite page

United Hebrew Congregation

Wishes you a good and sweet New

May 5784 be a wonderful year for you and your families, filled with good health, abundant joy, and many blessings!

Shanah tovah u’metukah!

To participate in live stream services and other programs, please visit unitedhebrew.org/hhd

in “Uncut Gems,” reunites with him for ‘You Are So Not Invited ...’

PHOTO: SCOTT YAMANO/NETFLIX

One coming-of-age party in particular fueled the crew’s imagination: star Sunny Sandler’s real-life bat mitzvah, which took place in Los Angeles just a few months before the film started shooting. Blake attended the ceremony and the celebration along with Cohen and Peck.

“That was Adam Sandler’s daughter, so it was pretty over-the-top, too,” said Blake.

The event was notable not only for its famous attendees, including Jennifer Aniston, a close family friend, and Jewish director Judd Apatow, who is Sandler’s former roommate. Like the fictional party at the climax of the film, Sunny Sandler’s bat mitzvah was Candyland-themed. Blake took photos of its impressive candy buffet and pinkand-purple color scheme, which directly inspired the movie set.

The crew worked with Heather Glowinsky, the proprietor of Rockpaper Events in Toronto, to sample other glitzy celebrations. But though the crew had fun building elaborate party scenes, they said they also sought to convey the significance of a ritual that unites Jewish families.

“The coolest thing was just seeing that it’s so much about family,” Blake said. “Just seeing the old grandma table with one kid there, or the parents all hanging out and they just know each other, and all the kids know each other from going to Hebrew school.”

Altschul, who has a Jewish father but did not have a bat mitzvah celebration herself, said the bar-and-bat-mitzvahcrashing season made her rethink her own connection to Jewish tradition.

“I realized how much I know about being Jewish,” she said. “I really didn’t consider myself so Jewish, and then I realized that my grandma and my dad had actually instilled so many things in me. So that was a nice discovery.”

Holiday: Seven sweet facts about Rosh Hashanah

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

known as yoma arichta, “a long day” lasting 48 hours. Ask any Rosh Hashanah host at the end of the second day, and I believe you’ll find that “yoma arichta” is the perfect description!

Apples and honey aren’t the only traditional foods.

Because Rosh Hashanah is a rather serious holiday filled with introspection, repentance and self-improvement, our traditional foods symbolize those themes as well. In Ashkenazi tradition, apples are dipped in honey for the delight in literal sugary sweetness and the hope for a fulfilling year ahead. But that’s hardly the only traditional Rosh Hashanah food: There’s also round challah, as opposed to braided challah, which represents the yearly cycle and God’s crown or majesty.

Fish heads are traditional in Sephardi Rosh Hashanah feasts — “better the head than the tail” is what I was always taught! (“Rosh” is also the Hebrew word for “head,” and therefore, there is a literal connection to beginnings.) Pomegranates are in season during this time in Israel, and are another traditional Rosh Hashanah treat. They were once thought to contain 613 seeds, the same number of mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah — just don’t tell my daughter, she just started counting!

But, strangely, it’s tradition to avoid nuts!

It is a custom to abstain from eating nuts during Rosh Hashanah for a couple of reasons. According to the Shulchan Aruch, one of the most consulted Jewish law books written by

Joseph Caro in the 16th century, nuts not only increase the production of saliva and phlegm in our mouths (a lovely thought) but could perhaps hurt our pronunciation of words recited during services. As any young Jewish child knows, services are already extremely long on Rosh Hashanah, therefore, anything that hinders our ability to pray should be avoided!

The shofar is an integral part of our High Holiday season, although it’s never blown on Shabbat!

You heard me! As mentioned previously, one of Rosh Hashanah’s Biblical names was “Day of Sounding the Shofar,” and only two details are included in its observance as written in the Torah: to hear the shofar and to abstain from work. Shofars are horns taken from kosher animals and can vary greatly in size, color and shape. It also takes a skilled musician to make a decent sound — trust me, I’m not one of them!

The shofar is an ancient instrument of communication (figure our modern TV or cell phone alert) and had a multitude of

purposes: to declare battle, welcome Shabbat and a New Moon, announce the reign of a new king and so on. Nowadays, one can hear the shofar blown after morning services every day (excluding Shabbat) in the month of Elul, the month preceding Rosh Hashanah — except for the last day, the day before Rosh Hashanah.

The unique sound of the shofar reminds us of an alarm, a reflective wake up call. Maimonides reasoned that the sound awakens our souls and calls to our attention our actions of our past and what we want to change in the future. We are tasked to analyze our relationship with God, ourselves and others and to change for the better.

As for the reason for abstaining from blowing the shofar on Shabbat, that’s due to the fear of carrying the instrument itself! The Talmud explains that it was not the actual sounding of the shofar that was forbidden, but the worry of an inadequate shofar blower carrying their shofar to an experienced shofar blower for help and training on Shabbat that was prohibited. If that is not the most Jewish reason for anything, I don’t know what is!

Wishing you and your family the most healthy, happy, fulfilling new year ahead with blessings abound, Shanah Tovah!

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

OPINIONS

D’VAR TORAH — PARASHAT NETZAVIM-VAYELECH

ABOUT THE OPINIONS SECTION

Viewpoints expressed in letters, commentaries, cartoons and other opinion pieces reflect those of the writer or artist, and not those of the Light. We welcome submissions of letters and commentaries to: news@stljewishlight.org

Do the teshuvah you wish to see in the world

BY RABBI JAMES BENNETT

Is it possible to change? Can we actually make the world, or others, or even ourselves better?

A well-known folktale from our Jewish tradition tells of a king who had a wayward son. In anger and frustration, the king banishes his son from the kingdom. As one might expect, after some time has passed, the king regrets this decision, and sends messengers to ask the son to return home. Sadly, the son, embittered and hurt, refuses. Hearing this response, the king then sends the messengers once again, this time with the message, “Return as far as you are able, and I will come the rest of the way to meet you.”

In Parashat Netzavim-Vayelech, this week’s Torah portion, we read Moses’ message to the ancient Israelites, urging them to change: “should you then return to the Eternal your God, and you and your

children heed God’s command with all your heart and spirit…then the Eternal your God will restore your fortunes and take you back in love.”

Our tradition teaches that return is always possible, and thereby change is always possible as well. In Hebrew, returning is “teshuvah,” or “repentance.” This returning, this repentance, is the foundation upon which our rapidly approaching High Holidays are built.

I don’t love the fact that the king in our story banished his son out of frustration, and I don’t love the fact that the king thought that he could simply send messengers to bring him back. I do admire, though, his ultimate humility and his willingness to recognize that, if he wanted his son back, it would be he who must do the repentance.

We cannot simply will another to do teshuvah. We can ask, implore, plead and hope. But this tale lets us know that, “if it is

Making connections, not comparisons, nor a competition

BY. FRANCES LEVINE

At the heart of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum is a philosophy of connection, not comparisons, nor a competition among incidents of hatred or genocide. This principle drives our educational approach — spotlighting the singular enormity of the Holocaust while gleaning insights from the choices made during that era, the vulnerability of democracy, and the consequences of unchecked hatred. It’s a principle we maintain through both the permanent Holocaust exhibition and the Impact Lab.

I write this letter in response to Galit Lev-Harir’s Aug. 23 letter in the Jewish Light. Titled “No historical equivalent,” the letter critiqued an event hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council and the museum.

Allow me to correct the record in response to this letter.

The event in question, “The American Dream Deferred: One Family’s Incarceration During WWII,” was orchestrated by the Jewish and Asian American Dialogue Group, a program of the Newmark Institute at the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis. This event included a tour of our museum and a lecture by Robin Hattori from the Japanese American Citizens League, although the lecture was not held at the museum.

We are proud to have co-sponsored this event alongside JCRC, opening the Museum to the program’s attendees. Robin Hattori’s account of her family’s internment resounded as a vital reminder that the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII must be reckoned with. It’s a call to jointly combat oppression, foster equality, and nurture compassion and historical inquiry.

Frances Levine is the Interim Executive Director of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and a Member of the Newmark Institute of the Jewish Community Relations Council.

Hattori took pains to make it clear that she wasn’t drawing parallels between the Holocaust and Japanese internment. What transpired was a weaving of connections, not a forced comparison. We extend our gratitude for Hattori’s considerate and personal presentation.

Forging these connections, whether on a historical plane or a personal one, is a central tenant of our museum. We keep our doors wide open to many individuals in hopes of fostering discourse about our initiatives, teaching methodologies and curriculum.

Rabbi James Bennett serves Congregation Shaare Emeth and is a past president of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light

to be, it is up to me.” If I want things to change, I must do the work and reach out and make the difference. Gandhi is said to have taught that one should “be the change you wish to see in the world.” In fact, though Gandhi probably never said this exactly, what he did say is “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.” If we could

acknowledge with humility our own need to change, to return, to do teshuvah, the world around us would be transformed. Change is possible. It is simply up to us.

This, I believe, is what our approaching High Holy Days are all about. These days are not about the rote recitation of prayers, litanies of sins, nor about public declarations and pronouncements of our faith. These sacred days, with all of their pomp and circumstance, are about each of us, as individuals, taking stock of our own lives, doing a “Cheshbon Nefesh,” a “spiritual accounting” and making change in ourselves. Transforming from within.

Imagine the world we could create if we would all do this together, all at once. A world seemingly out of control, spiraling into oblivion and chaos, would be created anew. We can make the change. It is up to us. Shanah Tovah — may this be a good year, a year of change.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email news@stljewishlight.org

Readers react to letter objecting to recent event

Regarding Galit Lev-Harir’s Aug. 23 letter to the editor, “No historical equivalent”: Although I appreciate Ms. Lev-Harir’s passionate support and defense of the Jewish people and Israel; I wish she had actually attended the event. Rather than seeking equivalence; the guest speaker, Robin Hattori, explicitly distinguished the Japanese internment from the scope and horror of the Shoah. Rather, she humbly told the story of her family from emigrating to the United States for a better life, to the tragedy of the internment, and how that experience shaped the lives and perspectives of her relatives. It was an enlightening and moving experience.

Moreover, the event brought a large number of Asian Americans to the Holocaust museum, where they had the opportunity to learn and feel the impact of the Holocaust. Visits like that are critical to preserving the memory of the martyrs, highlighting the continuity of antisemitism and building bonds of understanding between the Jewish people and diverse others. If we are to preserve our security as Jews and build a world of mutual respect; we must also learn to elevate and respect the tragedy of others. That is part of the important work of the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Newmark Institute and the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum

Barry Rosenberg St. Louis

On Aug. 20th I was honored to give a presentation about my Japanese American family’s incarceration during World War II. The program was planned by the Newmark Institute at the JCRC in partnership with the Japanese American Citizens League and hosted at the Holocaust museum, which provided a docent-guided tour. The gathering came about as a result of the L’Chaim Teahouse initiative, a Jewish-Asian American dialogue group which formed last year to share culture, cultivate community, and unite us as allies against prejudice and social injustice.

A remarkable diversity of young and older people attended, including Asian Americans, Mexican Americans and even some of my Jewish

friends who had never visited the museum. Our guides instilled the horrors of the Holocaust with poignancy, honesty and responsibility. I daresay they even imparted a sliver of hope as they shared stories of survivors who became incredible community leaders and of others who stood up against the Nazis, sometimes at the cost of their own lives, even in the darkest times.

The first line of my talk was that I was not trying in any way to compare the Holocaust with the Japanese American experience. The segregated Japanese American 552nd Field Artillery Battalion rescued thousands of Jewish people at Dachau, and we are all too aware that our time behind barbed wire could have been much, much worse. That does not mean, however, that there is no room for empathy.

Hate is insidious and comes in many forms: from racially motivated shootings in Black churches to assaults on Asians during COVID-19 to a 100% rise in antisemitic incidents in Missouri since 2021, there is still far too much for us to say that further awareness and education is no longer necessary. Too many examples of inhumanity checker our collective past and present, and it is more important than ever to do what we can to understand one another.

Robin A. Hattori University City

In the 8/23/23 Letter to the Editor re: the JCRC program “The American Dream Deferred: One Family’s Incarceration During WWII + Holocaust Museum Tour” the writer accuses JCRC’s Jewish Asian American dialogue group of suggesting an equivalence between the experience of Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII and the Jews who suffered under Nazi occupation. I attended the program; the writer did not. No equivalency was drawn. The speaker, Robin Hattori, told her family’s story, which elicited common threads between the two very different experiences. Most notably for me was the theme that injustice can be committed by governments against people that is entirely “legal” and when the majority community stands by and does nothing.

Continued on opposite page

BY RABBI ELIZABETH HERSH

What does Rosh Hashanah mean to you?

The story of the stonecutter was originally about Rabbi Akiva, who was not satisfied with the lessons of the great masters. He challenged the material and questioned his teachers.

This parable is also about my life and approach to each new year.

“Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said, ‘I will give a parable. To what is this matter similar? It is like a stonecutter who was chiseling away in the mountains. One time he took his pickaxe, sat upon a mountain, and began cutting away small pieces of stone. People came up to him and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ ‘ He replied, ‘I am uprooting the mountain so I can throw it into the Jordan River.’ They said, ‘You will never be able to uproot the entire mountain.’ The stonecutter continued until he came upon a large rock. He got underneath it, uprooted it and placed it in the Jordan. He said to the rock, ‘Your place is not here (on the mountain), but here (in the river).’ This is what Rabbi Akiva did to Rabbi Eliezar and Rabbi Yehoshua.”

Dr. Ruhama Weiss suggests that the mountain is “…his master’s teachings. This is the scholarly mission – to uproot that which previous generations proposed and offer fresh innovations.” It can be painful to cut away what “is.” I suggest we never settle.

This is what Rosh Hashanah means to

me. It is the process of cutting away all that once was to become and create a fresh beginning. This is what it means to be Jewish. The learning, the meaning, the essence is in the struggle. I approach this holy time of year and cut away to rebuild my soul. I examine the question of what it means to be Jewish.

Stephen Prothero was quoted in “What is Israeli Judaism.” His definition of what Judaism is resounds within my heart and mind. “Judaism begins and ends with a story. To be a Jew is to tell and retell a story and to wrestle with its key symbols: the character of God, the people of Israel, and the vexed relationship between the two.” It is to tell the story and make it your own. It is to wrestle with ourselves and with God.

This is the meaning of Rosh Hashanah. It is the beautiful reminder that we are a community. All Jews are responsible for one another. To save one life is to save the entire world. Our hearts weep when there is discord in the world. We cannot close our ears and eyes to the cries of humanity.

Judaism is a celebration of life. Psalm 100 reads, “Worship God in gladness.” Our religion is filled with opportunities to laugh. We embrace balance, because for everything there is a time.

Jewish law gives our life structure. It touches upon every aspect of our lives. It is consistent and open to discussion. We are commanded to treat one another with justice and compassion.

We are people who pray. We pray alone

American and Jewish communities, I commend JCRC for initiating a dialogue group for these two communities and for organizing programs that benefit them both.

CONTINUED FROM OPPOSITE PAGE

I must address the disrespectful and dismissive characterization the writer makes of the Japanese American war incarceration. People were stripped of their homes, all their belongings but what they could carry, their livelihoods, and their dignity for up to four years. Japanese Americans died in the camps due to malnutrition, inadequate medical care, and shootings by military guards. Accurate information can be found at Densho, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preservation and education of the experiences of Japanese Americans during WWII (https://densho. org/). The government did this to 120,000 people with the full weight and authority of the law. The Supreme Court case justifying the incarceration of these innocent people stands to this day. If we do not learn from history, we are at risk of what is precedent. Discussing the injustice committed against Japanese Americans does not diminish the gravity and significance of the Holocaust. Attacking efforts to educate on both historical events diminishes the lessons we can all learn.

It is vitally important to hear the stories of others without comparing them to one’s own or feeling threatened by them. In doing this, we cultivate empathy between communities. Empathy breeds solidarity, which, in a time when we are experiencing rising antisemitism and anti-Asian hate, is what we need to work toward a safer and more secure future. As a person who lives at the intersection of the Asian

Amy Hammerman Creve Coeur

‘Life is a treasure’

Regarding “Life is a Treasure”, by Rabbi Ze’ev Smason and Barbara A. Olevitch in the Aug. 23 issue, I agree with the authors’ statements that every moment of life is indeed a treasure even in cases of terminal illness with real/perceived lowered quality of life. I will share a personal experience I had as an internal medicine resident in 1976 that continues to resonate within me today.

We were summoned to a “Code Blue” of a woman who had surgery earlier that day and found to have widespread cancer in her abdomen with a prognosis of a few weeks to months at best. Unknown to us at this moment was that she had had a small heart attack around the time of surgery, resulting in cardiac arrest for which we were called. We successfully resuscitated her, despite a staff physician coming to the scene, reading the chart and recommending a “Code Beige,” i.e., to limit the amount of time and effort in view of her dismal prognosis.

She continued to improve and was soon discharged home. One day, in the cafeteria, a man sat down beside me. He asked me if I was the doctor who had treated his wife three weeks earlier. When I told him I was, he said, “Doctor, I want you to know that these past three weeks have been the happiest three weeks of our married lives togeth-

Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh serves Temple Emanuel and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light

and we pray together, each to his or her own greater soul, we humbly call God. The rabbis of the Talmud said, “One’s prayer is not heard until one places one’s heart in one’s hands.” Real prayer is difficult. We believe in a God who knows who we are and loves us. Our God is unconditional.

When Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, needed God, he would go to a particular place in the forest where he lit a fire, recited a particular prayer, and asked for a miracle to save the Jews from the danger that threatened them. Because of the Holy Fire and faithfulness of the prayer, the miracle was accomplished, averting the tragedy.

Later, when the Baal Shem Tov’s disciple, the Maggid of Mezrich, had to intervene with heaven for the same reason, he went to the same place in the forest and told the Master of the Universe that while

er.” I was stunned, reinforcing my belief in the value of life even in its final stages.

Eliot Katz, M.D. St. Louis

Only on rare occasions do I happen to read the St. Louis Jewish Light. But, I can’t begin to express my delight when I was skimming your recent edition and came across “Life is a Treasure,” by Rabbi Ze’ev Smason and Barbara Olevitch. Traditional Jewish values emphasize that life is our greatest treasure, and that every moment is priceless. In the face of the tragic spread of physician-assisted suicide in America and other countries, it was refreshing to read such an important and well-researched essay. Kudos to the Light for printing this magnificent opinion piece.

Steven Finer St. Louis

Praise for theater

This letter is in response to Nancy Kranzberg’s theater article from Aug. 9. There is a great theater down the street from the Jewish Light that she failed to mention. That theater is the Westport Playhouse, an intimate 240-seat theater with state-of- the-art audio and a new 40-ft. video wall. They bring in a variety of shows ranging from off-Broadway to local musical acts to comedy groups and so much more. Recently, they even hosted a comedy pet theater, the Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre. There are shows for everyone at the Playhouse. The theater re-opened in 2022 after being shuttered due to COVID-19. This gem is enjoying a fabulous resurgence, which will be greatly enhanced by the new

he did not know how to light the fire, he could still recite the prayer, and again, the miracle was accomplished.

Later still, Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sasov, in turn a disciple of the Maggid of Mezrich, went into the forest to save his people. “I do not know how to light the fire,” he pleaded with God, “and I do not know the prayer, but I can find the place, and this must be sufficient.” Once again, the miracle was accomplished.

When it was the turn of Rabbi Israel of Rizhyn, the great grandson of the Meggid, who was named after the Baal Shem Tov, to avert the threat, he sat on his armchair, holding his head in his hands, and said to God, “I am unable to light the fire, I do not know the prayer, and I cannot even find the place in the forest. All I can do is tell the story. And this must be enough.”

This tale sustains me. My Judaism is not the same as past generations of my family. Mine is not yours, nor yours mine. This sacred time of year encourages us to sort priorities. We emerge from the cave and depth of our souls with renewed passion for life and enlightened perspectives.

It is Rosh Hashanah. Light a fire. Light one for someone else. Tell the tale. Incorporate the story into your being. Move a mountain stone by stone, or even one. Build a bridge. Compose a song. Say “Heneni” — I am present. We are creators of our own faith and rituals. Lift your chisel and create. And then begin anew.

developments going on at Westport Plaza.

At Rosh Hashanah: ‘Cutting away all that once was to become and create a fresh beginning’ LETTERS

It is a shame that it fell under the radar when Nancy Kranzberg did her article. How was this missed? The Playhouse has a great history here in St. Louis. It is centrally located, in a great entertainment district, which is only going to grow and be more successful.

I hope more people will check out the Playhouse and see all the different shows and entertainment it has to offer.

Sharyn Altman St. Louis

Columnist showed ‘thoughtful moderation’

I want to applaud Marty Rochester for his column on book bans (Aug. 23 issue), indicating that both the left and right engage in this practice. He also decries other forms of censorship, again, on the part of both the left and the right.

I believe that current efforts along these lines reflect a more fundamental problem in today’s politics, namely the accentuation of extremism, on the part of both the left and the right. It should be noted that, on the left, extremism has given us such “gifts” as Fidel Castro, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong, while the right has produced the likes of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Jair Bolsonaro. (I’ll leave current U.S. politics out of the discussion.)

It seems that thoughtful moderation has gone out of style.

Harry Toder University City

CHAI LIGHTS

YOUR CALENDAR OF ST. LOUIS JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

FRIDAY | SEPT. 8

Rabbi Andrea Goldstein’s silver anniversary celebration

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 starts 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.

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.

NJT 25th Anniversary Event

Join New Jewish Theatre from 4:30-6 p.m. at the J’s Performing Arts Center for a look back on 25 years of NJT and raise funds for the future. The evening will feature a retrospective video, performances from some of NJT’s past favorite productions and a season announcement from Artistic Director Rebekah Scallet sharing what’s in store for the 2024 season. For tickets and more info, go to https://give.jccstl.org/event/new-jewish-theatre-25th-anniversary-celebration-tickets/e498518

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 be led and instructed by Chanala Rubenfeld, co-director of Chabad of Chesterfield. The cost for the yearly course is $360. For more information and to register, visit: bit.ly/batmitzvahmilestone.

TUESDAY | SEPT. 12

Mirowitz Center presents ‘The Week That Was’

Do you find yourself talking at the TV when listening to daily news reports? The news can be upsetting, controversial, and exciting. So, if you would like to discuss issues with others (instead of talking at the TV), join community facilitators Harvey Gerstein and Sheldon Enger from 10-11 a.m. to share your thoughts and opinions on some of the important and topical headlines of the day. This online Mirowitz Center program is provided with FEL (Friends Enjoying Life), the Mirowitz Center men’s organization. Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_ MirowitzCenter or call 314-733-9813.

Mirowitz Center presents the ABCs of Judaism

Judaism has its own “ABCs,” with teachings to guide your life. On the second Tuesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m., join the engaging and inspiring Rabbi Ze’ev Smason at the Mirowitz Center for a different topic with a Jewish theme. September’s topic – just in time for the Jewish High Holidays – is “The Perfect Apology: What Ingredients Matter Most?” Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or call 314-733-9813.

WEDNESDAY | SEPT. 13

NHBZ Chesed Committee

Coffee Social: How JFS Can Help Enjoy coffee, light refreshments and a special presentation from 2:30-4 p.m. from Jewish Family Services representatives Alexandra Burchardt and Sarah Levinson. They will introduce you to a brief overview of the comprehensive range of services available through their department, Older Adult Services, including how to help older people remain independent and connected to the community. They will also discuss how to reduce hunger and how to empower children to thrive. This event is free of charge and open to all members of the Jewish community. RSVP’s are welcomed but not necessary. For more information, call 314-9912100, ext. 2.

THURSDAY | SEPT. 14

Reflections From the Past: Making The Met, 1870–2020

Elana Kaplan, museum educator and lecturer for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, is back for another online tour of The Met’s world-renowned collections from

10-11 a.m. online. Journey through this thought-provoking 150th-anniversary retrospective, which features superlative works of art, from visitor favorites to fragile treasures that can only be displayed from time to time. Part 1 of 3 – attend all three sessions or just one. Prior attendance is not required. Register online at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or call 314-733-9813.

TUESDAY | SEPT. 19

Fighting Bigotry & Hatred: The Impact Lab

Join Helen Turner, director of education at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum for a detailed look into the museum’s Impact Lab and how it impacts the lives of visitors. This free online Mirowitz Center program, at 10 a.m. online, is co-sponsored by ADL Heartland, Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis, and St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. Part of continuing “Fighting Bigotry & Hatred” series, and provided with FEL (Friends Enjoying Life), the Mirowitz Center men’s organization. Register online at http:// bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or call 314733-9813.

STARTING | SEPT. 19

Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis plans New Year series

Let It Ripple: A New Year Tikkun Middot Series with Rabbi Andrea Goldstein and Eve

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.

Dyson will take place Tuesdays, from 7-8:30 p.m., Sept. 19, 26, and Oct. 3. Tikkun Middot combines musar (ethical) study with mindfulness practices to bring deeper meaning to our daily lives and expand our understanding of what it means to be human. A middah is an ethical quality, and this session we will be exploring qualities that can help us manifest the commitments we make during the High Holy Days. This offering is free, though registration is required. Participants must be able to attend all three sessions. Questions? Contact Rabbi Goldstein at agoldstein@ sestl.org.

WEDNESDAY | SEPT. 20

Breast and Ovarian Cancer Support Group – The Hamsa Wellness Community

This monthly group provides support, connection and education to women in the community who have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer and are anywhere along their treatment path – before, during, or post-treatment. Facilitated by Kathy Bearman, licensed clinical social worker, this group meets from 5:30 – 7:15 p.m. on the third Wednesday at the J near Creve Coeur. Newcomers are always welcome along with female family and friends. Light kosher dinner will be served. The Hamsa Wellness Community is a program at the J and a community partner of the national, not for profit Sharsheret organization. This program is free but pre-registration is requested to Debbi Braunstein at 314-442-3266 or dbraunstein@jccstl.org.

THURSDAY | SEPT. 21

NCJWSTL Lunch & Learn

Suicide by guns claims the lives of nearly 25,000 people in America every year. We must address this public health crisis to reduce gun violence in this country. Though gun violence conversations tend to focus on homicides, nearly six out of 10 gun deaths in the U.S. are suicides. For September’s Lunch and Learn, which coincides with Suicide Prevention Month, NCJWSTL welcomes Pat Harkins, who lost her 21-year-old son to suicide in 2009. She joined the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and served as the board’s recording secretary for 12 years. She now serves on several committees and is the Healing Conversations Coordinator for the state of Missouri. Register at https://bit. ly/NCJW-0921. For more information, email Jen Bernstein at jbernstein@ncjwstl.org or call 314-993-5181.

Rabbi Andrea Goldstein

Joshua David Robinson & Firdous Bamji, The Lehman Trilogy

The Huntington 2023 Photo Credit: T Charles Erickson Photo

SUBMIT YOUR SIMCHA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FREE!

Harvey Kornblum Foundation

BAR MITZVAH: TUCKER ALTMAN ABELES

Tucker Altman Abeles, son of Jenny and Zach Abeles of Clayton, became a bar mitzvah Sept. 2, 2023 at Congregation Temple Israel.

Tucker is the grandson of Jane and Mark Tucker, and Bette and Ron Abeles, all of St. Louis. He is the great-grandson of the late Lorraine and Sam Tucker of St. Louis, the late Ann and Lee Richards of St. Louis, the late Ilse and Frank Altman of St. Louis, and the late Margaret and Alfred Abeles of Amherst, Mass.

Tucker has one sibling, Sam Abeles, who is 14.

An eighth grader at Wydown Middle School, Tucker is a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan and loves following all sports. He also enjoys playing golf, managing his fantasy teams and hanging out with his friends.

BAT MITZVAH: ORLI ROTH

Orli Roth, daughter of Jane and Boaz Roth of St. Louis, became a bat mitzvah in August 2023 at Traditional Congregation.

Orli is the granddaughter of Miriam Roth of St. Louis, Frank and Lynette Ballard of St. Louis, and Andrey Roth and Vanessa Gourdine of Franklin Lakes, N.J. Orli has two siblings, Liat Roth, who is 23, and Sela Roth, who is 20. A seventh-grade student at Thomas Jefferson School, Orli led a women’s mincha service at Traditional Congregation. Her d’var Torah on Re’eh focused on the need to “see” the problem of homelessness in St. Louis and to address this community issue in ways that concretely benefit unhoused people.

Orli spent the summer creating bags of food, water and personal hygiene supplies to hand out at intersections around town. She challenges all of us to do our

KOLKER-MAI ENGAGEMENT

Dani Kolker, daughter of Doug and Stephanie Kolker of St. Louis, and Mitchell Mai, son of Dan and Maria Mai of St. Louis, have announced their engagement.

Dani is the granddaughter of Larry and Joyce Kolker, and Lois Young, all of St. Louis.

Dani received a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Kansas, and is currently working as a Healthcare Planner at Page.

Mitchell earned a Bachelor of Science in recreation and sport management from the University of Arkansas and a Master of Business Administration from Maryville University. He currently works as an Assistant Director of DevelopmentAnnual Fund at the University of Texas.

Mitchell proposed on the beach in Naples, Fla. and surprised Dani with her family and friends being there (hiding behind palm trees)! A July 2024 wedding is planned.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT: COLE MAXWELL LEGENZOFF

Sophie and Zach Legenzoff of St. Louis would like to announce the birth of their son, Cole Maxwell Legenzoff, on May 19, 2023, weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces.

Cole is the grandson of Stacey and the late Burt Newman of St. Louis, and Terri and Kevin Legenzoff of Wildwood. He is the great-grandson of the late Bessie and Marcel “Max” Newman of St. Louis, and the late Grace and Jack Harvey of Kansas City, Kan.

RIMERMAN-CHABOT ENGAGEMENT

Claire Hope Rimerman, daughter of Susan and Shawn Rimerman of St. Louis, and Matthew Chabot, son of Victoria and Michael Chabot of St. Louis, have announced their engagement.

Claire is the granddaughter of the late Sidney and Doris Stone and the late Robert and Yetta Suffian Rimerman, all of St. Louis.

Matthew is the grandson of the late Martha and Richard Hunter of Michigan and the late Ernest and Therese Chabot of New Hampshire.

Claire attended the University of Missouri and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology. She works as a real estate appraiser for Missouri Value Appraisers and teaches pilates at TruFusion.

Matthew attended the University of Miami (Florida) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He works in KPMG’s consulting practice as a manager. They met on the dating app Hinge in 2021 and currently live in the St. Louis area. A May 2024 wedding is planned.

BAR MITZVAH: MICAH JADEN

Micah Jaden Freistein, son of Justin and Valerie Freistein, became a bar mitzvah Aug. 26 at Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Micah is the grandson of Linda and Bill Levin of Chesterfield, Peggy and Ken Brown of St. Louis, and Larry Freistein and Susie Wilhauk of Chesterfield. He is the great-grandson of the late Irving and Mildred Lerner, the late Mike and Ruth Levin, the late Thelma Balk and the late Clara Brown.

Micah has one sibling, Jeran Freistein, who is 10 years old.

part by creating our own bags and carrying them in our cars to distribute to those we encounter.

TRIBUTES

IN

HONOR OF

MICHAEL STAENBERG — Millstone Foundation

Congratulations on your installation as Board Chair for the Jewish Light!

— Steven Rosenzweig

BETHE GROWE

Thank you for your leadership of the Jewish Light!

— Steven Rosenzweig

Micah is a seventh-grade student at Parkway Central Middle School. For his mitzvah project, Micah volunteered at Challenger baseball helping and teaching kids to learn the game of baseball. Micah plays baseball and football currently. He also enjoys playing golf. He also enjoys cooking, traveling, going to baseball

IN HONOR OF ROBERT

A. COHN

Happy birthday Bob Cohn!

— St. Louis Jewish Light Staff and Board

NEIL DUNSKI

L’Shana Tova

— Shirley Heiman

games, computers, coding and anything technology related.

IN MEMORY OF STACEY

WERNICK

May you rest in peace. Love, Reed

— Reed Wernick

GEORGE MARKUS

What a special person George was. All of us will miss him. Love, Adinah and Heschel Raskas

— Adinah & Heschel Raskas

RUBE, ELLIE & SCOTT CHODEN

To my beloved father, mother and brother with love.

— Susan Plattner

PHOTO: AMY KETTLESON

PHOTO: YANA HOTTER/SPOONFUL OF SUGAR PHOTOGRAPHY

FREISTEIN

SUNDAY, SEP. 17

SUNDAY, SEP. 17

THE FALL 2023 ARTS + EATS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE:

FALL ARTS GUIDE

BY PATRICIA CORRIGAN SPECIAL TO THE

When summer comes to an end and the downhill slide to the turkey begins, fill your fall calendar with special events galore. Expect art fairs, museum exhibits, seasonal festivals, theater performances, lots of live music for every taste, comedy acts, dance presentations, opera and yes, even more.

Like what? A beloved balloon race, a “citywide symphony Shabbat,” a tribute to Tina Turner, a visit from Jerry Seinfeld, a “reimagined circus,” a six-hour bus tour of historic Jewish sites, the compelling Best of Missouri Market and an evening with Ringo Starr. In our guide, you’ll find plenty to do for all ages for the rest of the year. Don’t miss a minute!

SEPTEMBER

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis season opened Sep. 5 with the highly acclaimed “The Lehman Trilogy,” billed as “an epic tale of one family’s passionate pursuit of the American Dream and the piercing cost of greed, excess and unbridled power.” Performances run through Sept. 24 at the Loretto-Hilton Center. Tickets cost $25-$75. For show times and prices, see repstl.org

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The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will bring “The Hits, The History & Dirt Does Dylan” to the Sheldon Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7. Tickets, available at Metrotix (314534-1111 or metrotix.com), range from $55.50-$80.50. For more information, see thesheldon.org/events/nitty-gritty-dirt-band 

The 8th annual Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis is on for Sept. 7-17, with performances of “Suddenly Last Summer,” a show said to be “drenched in Southern Gothic humidity, sex, passion, and insanity.” Performances will be on stage at COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre. For performance times and ticket information, call 314-517-5253 or see twstl.org

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Schlafly Beer will sponsor the 19th annual Art Outside Festival Sept. 8-10 at Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. Expect art interpreted in acrylic, ceramics, glass, jewelry, metalwork, oil, pastel/ pencil/charcoal, pen/ink, photography, stonework, tempera, textile/fiber, watercolor and woodworking. For times and more information, see schlafly.com/ events/artoutside

The architectural identity of St. Louis will be referenced in two new exhibits opening Sept. 8 at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. One is “Sarah Crowner: Around Orange,” a painting installation “nearly as long as a tennis court” that represents Crowner’s “intergenerational visual dialogue” with the late Ellsworth Kelly. The other exhibit is “Urban Archaeology: Lost Buildings of St. Louis,” which presents 25 artifacts from the National Building Arts Center. For details, see pulitzerarts.org/ art/barbara-chase-riboud

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Three new exhibits are scheduled to open Sept. 8 at the Contemporary Art Museum: “Hajra Waheed: A Solo Exhibition,” “Dominic Chambers: Birthplace” and “Justin Favela: Ruta Madre.” All three are on display through Feb. 11, 2024. For information on related special events and museum hours, go to camstl.org

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Though we weren’t there the night in 1956 when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins showed up for an impromptu recording session at Sun Records in Memphis, we promise being in the audience for “Million Dollar Quartet” is almost as good. The lively show, presented at Stages St. Louis, will be performed Sept. 8-Oct. 8 at the Ross Family Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. Tickets range from $51 to $76. For performance times, see stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. 

Now marking its 30th year, the St. Louis Art Fair will fill the streets of downtown Clayton Sept. 8-10 once again, promising “high-quality” artists, music, food, fun and activities for children. See saintlouisartfair.com 

“Jewish in St. Louis” is the theme of a six-hour bus tour Sept. 9, sponsored by the Missouri History Museum. Participants will learn the history of the Jewish population in St. Louis, with “an overview of significant sites and organizations important to the community’s history and development.” The tour will include a visit to the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. Tickets cost $80 for museum members; $90 for non-members. For more

Continued on page 36

More than 100 arts events you can look forward to between now and December

JEWISH LIGHT

From left, Firdouss Bamji, Joshua David Robinson and Scott Wentworth in The Rep’s production of ‘The Lehman Brothers Trilogy,’ which runs through Sept. 24. PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON/THE REP

The St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum will be among the sites visited during a Missouri History Museum bus tour of Jewish St. Louis history. FILE PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN

information or to register, see mohistory. org/events/jewish-in-st-louis

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Move over, Cardinals — Guns N’ Roses will take the field at 6 p.m. Sept. 9 at Busch Stadium with special guests the Pretenders. For tickets, see livenation. com/event/vvG1bZ9P3XqbB8/guns-nroses 

Music at the Intersection, presented by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, will fill multiple stages Sept. 9-10 in the Grand Center Arts District. This celebration of music and heritage — now in its third year — will feature St. Louis-based musicians and national acts “spanning musical genres such as blues, jazz, soul, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop.” For information on ticket packages, see musicattheintersection.org

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On Sept. 10 — and every Sunday — families are invited to explore galleries and take part in a hands-on art activity from 1 to 4 p.m. at the St. Louis Art Museum. Admission is free. For more information, visit slam.org

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The Ozark Mountain Daredevils top the bill at 7 p.m. Sept. 10 at the KSHE Klassic Car Show Concert at The Factory. Tickets start at $39.50 and do not include admission to the car show outside. See thefactorystl.com/event/ozark-mountain-daredevils

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Eric Clapton and special guest Jimmie Vaughan are doing a short tour this year — and St. Louis is on the calendar. They will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Enterprise Center. Tickets range from $46.50- $372. See enterprisecenter.com or ticketmaster.com

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Jewish singer/songwriter Noah Kahan and special guest Ruston Kelly will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 13 at St. Louis Music Park in Maryland Heights. For tickets, see centenecommunityicecenter.com/events/ detail/noah-kahan 

“The Cemetery Club,” tells of three Jewish widows who meet once a month for tea before going to visit their husbands’ graves. Ida is sweet tempered, Lucille is feisty and Doris (played by 2023 Jewish Light Unsung Hero Helene Meyer) is priggish and judgmental, particularly when Sam the butcher enters the scene while visiting his wife’s grave. The play, at Washington U’s South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Rd., runs Sept. 14-24 (no show Sept. 15). Tickets are $15-$25 and available by calling 314-721-9228 or at simpletix.com/e/the-cemetery-club-tickets

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The annual Balloon Glow starts at 5 p.m. Sept. 15 on Emerson Central Fields in Forest Park and the festivities end with

fireworks, which start at 9:15 p.m. The next day, the field opens at 2 p.m. for activities that lead up to the Great Forest Park Balloon Race. The opening ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m. and the “Hare” is expected to launch at 4:30. Both events are free. For details, see greatforestparkballoonrace.com/schedule-of-events

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Ain’t no mountain high enough to keep us from seeing the incredible Diana Ross when she performs her greatest hits and more at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Grand Center. Tickets range from $76 to $251 and are available at metrotix.com.

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The Old Webster Jazz & Blues Fest will fill downtownWebster from noon to 11 p.m. Sept. 16, promising non-stop jazz and blues from two stages, food and drink from area restaurants, street entertainers and events for kids. Admission is free. See

oldwebsterjazzfest.com

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The Big Muddy Dance Fest will take place Sept. 16-18 in Grand Center. Classes for individuals at all dance and fitness skill levels will be available, and you can enjoy a showcase performance at 7:30 Sept. 16 at The Grandel Theatre. For a full schedule and more info, go to thebigmuddydanceco.org/dancefest/showcases

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The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis opens its 15th season at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 with “Romancing the Baroque,” featuring conductor Nicholas McGegan at the 560 Music Center in University City. For ticket information, call 314-941-6309 or see chambermusicstl.org/concerts/ romancing-the-baroque

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Two nights only: Let loose with Midnight Company’s Joe Hanrahan in “Professor

ABOVE:

LEFT:

Sunshine’s Traveling Post-Apocalyptic Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival” with the Divided House Band, on stage at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20 and 8 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Blue Strawberry, 364 North Boyle. Tickets cost $25-$30. For more info, see bluestrawberrystl.com or call 314-256-1745.

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Pack a picnic and bring a blanket for the St. Louis Symphony’s annual free concert from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 21 on Art Hill in Forest Park. Expect a fireworks display as well! For details, go to slso.org

Gather up the kids and grandkids! Hosted by Mickey and Minnie, Disney on Ice will present “Frozen & Encanto, ” with visits to both Arendelle and the Casita Madrigal. Presenters say, “Sing along and celebrate the power of love at Disney on Ice,” with daytime and evening performances Sept. 22-24 at the Chaifetz Arena Tickets range from $29.50-$114. See chaifetzarena.com/events/detail/disney-on-ice 

Jazz guitarist Norman Brown will be in concert with Marion Meadows, Alex Bugnon and 3Central at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Tickets cost $55-$75. See www.touhill.org

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Continued on page 38

Music at the Intersection (photo above from the 2022 festival), presented by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, takes place Sept. 9 and 10 in the Grand Center Arts District. PHOTO: PHILIP HAMER/ @PHILLIP_HAMER_PHOTOGRAPHY

Taj Mahal will be among the dozens of artists and groups featured at this year’s Music at the Intersection.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra opens the season with a visit from violinist Hilary Hahn gracing the stage. One of the world’s leading soloists, Hahn returns to St. Louis after 21 years to perform Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto” at the Stifel Theatre. Stéphane Denève conducts. Concerts will take place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 and at 3 p.m. Sept. 24. For prices and tickets, see shop.slso.org/7687

Remember the Beatles? Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band (featuring Warren Ham, Edgar Winter, Steve Lukather, Hamish Stuart, Colin Hay and Gregg Bissonette) will take the stage at 8 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Fox Theatre. Tickets cost $55$250. See fabulousfox.com/events/detail/ ringo-starr

Margaret Cho will bring her “Live and Livid” tour to St. Louis at 8 p.m. Sept. 24 at The Pageant. The five-time Grammy and Emmy nominee also has chops as a comedian, actor, musician, advocate and entrepreneur. Tickets start at $35. See thepageant.com/event/margaret-cho-092423

The St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra are partnering for “Holocaust Composer Stories: Pavel Haas” at 7 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 26 at the museum. Helen Turner, director of education and interpretation for the museum, will discuss Haas’ tragic experience during the Holocaust, followed by a performance of Haas’ String Quartet No. 3 played live by musicians of the SLSO. The hour-long event is free, but RSVPs are requested. Seating is limited. Visit slso. org for more information.

Tony Award-winning actor (and hometown theater hero) Norbert Leo Butz will celebrate the release of his latest album, “King of Hearts,” in concert with Devon Cahill in “Special Notes From Home” at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at The Sheldon. Tickets cost $35. See thesheldon.org/events/nobert-leo-butz-23

Fiber arts aficionados: “Aso Oke: Prestige Cloth from Nigeria” will be on display Sept. 29 through March 10 at the St. Louis Art Museum. The free exhibit will feature textiles created by Yoruba weavers in southwestern Nigeria that were fashioned into clothing for celebratory and ceremonial occasions from the early 19th to late 20th century, selections from the Museum’s permanent collection, recent acquisitions and mid 20th-century cloths from a local collector. See slam.org/exhibitions/ aso-oke-prestige-cloth-from-nigeria

OCTOBER

Touring behind the release of his album “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” Bob Dylan and his band will bring the tour of the same name to the Stiefel Theatre on Oct 4. Tickets range from $66.60 to $142 and are available at ticketmaster.com

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The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis will present “Twisted Melodies,” Kelvin Roston Jr.’s one-man show about St. Louis soul icon Donny Hathaway. The play is on stage Oct. 4-22 at the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA in University City. Tickets cost $25-$75. For show times and prices, see repstl.org/events/detail/twistedmelodies

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Lavonne Byers and Midnight Company’s Joe Hanrahan will perform “The Lion in Winter” Oct. 5-21 at the Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s .Zack Theatre at 3224 Locust. For performance times and tickets, see metrotix.com or midnightcompany.com

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Stray Dog Theatre will heat up the stage Oct. 5-28 at Tower Grove Abbey with a stage adaption of “Saturday Night Fever.” For performance times and ticket prices, call 314-865-1995 or see straydogtheatre.org/saturday-night-fever-oct-2023

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On Oct. 6 — and the first Friday of every month — museums and galleries in the Grand Center Arts District are free and stay open until 9 p.m. For participating locations at First Fridays each month, see grandcenter.org/firstfridays

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The St. Louis Ballet will partner with the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis to present “Giselle” Oct. 6-8, with evening and matinee performances at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. For tickets, see metrotix.com

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Joy to the world — Three Dog Night, with special guest Chris Trapper, will play at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at The Factory in Chesterfield. The legendary music icons are celebrating nearly five decades of success. For ticket prices, see thefactorystl.com/ event/three-dog-night

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Don’t miss the Best of Missouri Market, where our state’s vendors will offer arts, crafts, food and beverages Oct. 6-8 at

the Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets run $8-$16, with discounts for garden members. For hours and other details, see missouribotanicalgarden.org

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Just across the street from the Garden, on Oct. 7-8 the 31st annual Shaw Art Fair will take over Flora Place at Tower Grove Ave. You’ll meet artists from around the country. Admission is $8 in advance or $10 at the gate for adults and free for children 14 and under when accompanied by an adult. At-the-gate ticket is $1 off with canned food donation. For hours and more details, visit https://shawstlouis. org/attractions-amenities/historic-shawart-fair

Continued on page 40

A scene from the Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Garden in 2019.

PHOTO: MAYRA SHERMAN/MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN

Violinist Hilary Hahn performs with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on Sept. 23 and 24.

PHOTO: DANA VAN LEEUWEN/DECCA

ARTS + EATS

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Lucinda Williams and her band bring the “Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets Tour” to The Pageant at 8 p.m. Oct. 8. Tickets start at $51. Though she can’t play her guitar after suffering a stroke in 2020, she still sings with the best of them. thepageant.com/event/lucinda-williams-100823

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“Bill Maher: Live on Stage” will spend “real time” with St. Louis at 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Fox Theatre. Tickets cost $47.50$135. See fabulousfox.com/events/detail/ bill-maher

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“The Immigrant” will open at New Jewish Theatre Oct. 12 and run through Oct. 29 at the Jewish Community Center’s Staenberg Family Complex. Mark Harelik’s play tells the true story of a young Russian-Jewish immigrant — the playwright’s grandfather — who comes to America in 1909 and settles in a small town in rural Texas. Tickets for matinee and evening performances cost $27.02$58.37. See newjewishtheatre.org

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Hear St. Louis native Peter Martin — acclaimed jazz pianist, educator and founder of Open Studio — and his famed trio (Rueben Rogers on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums) Oct. 18-22 at the Bistro at Jazz St. Louis’ Harold and Dorothy Stewart Center for Jazz. For show times and ticket prices, call 314-571-6000 or visit jazzstl.org

A special display of the work of artist Ellsworth Kelly opens Oct. 20 and continues through April 7, 2024, on the South Terrace and in Roxanne H. Frank Galleries

255 and 257 at the St. Louis Art Museum

Admission is free. Expect “paintings, sculpture, drawings and prints” that showcase Kelly’s work from six decades. For more information, see slam.org/exhibitions/ellsworth-kelly

In celebration of its 50th year producing top-quality theater for families, Metro

Theater Company’s Fall Family Festival

Oct. 21-22 will offer free theater, educational activities and fun for families and young people in the Grand Center Arts District. Expect other arts and education partners to be on hand, as well as food trucks. The weekend will include performances of Metro’s “Maddi’s Fridge” and “Eddie & Vinnie.” For details, see metroplays.org/family-festival 

The kids and grandkids may enjoy “A Zoo Called Earth,” presented at 3 p.m. Oct. 22 by the St. Louis Symphony and the St. Louis Zoo at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. “You’ll hear creatures ranging from fish and dinosaurs to kangaroos and elephants come to life from the

perspective of an extraterrestrial tourist” — and kids are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes. Tickets range from $15$20. See shop.slso.org/7934/7935

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The son of Mexican, Argentinian and Jewish immigrants, Daniel Weingarten (maybe you’ve seen him on Comedy Central) specializes in comedy that touches on “culture, family, relationships and everything in between.” See him at 8 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Helium Comedy Club. Tickets range from $27-$37. For audiences 18 and older. Go to https://st-louis.heliumcomedy.com/shows/226702

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See Aerosmith’s farewell tour at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at Enterprise Center, featuring special guests The Black Crowes. Tickets start at $56.95. See ticketmaster.com

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Attend “Citywide Symphony Shabbat at The J” at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at the J’s Staenberg Family Complex, when St. Louis Symphony’s Kevin McBeth will lead a performance of music by Jewish composers such as George Gershwin, Ben Steinberg and Ernest Bloch. Guest singers Rabbi Amy Feder and Cantor Ronald Eichaker will perform sacred and secular selections. The concert is free, but RSVPs are requested. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors for the concert open at 5 p.m. To register, see https://shop.slso.org/7930 

Metro Theater Company’s production of “Eddie & Vinnie,” about an unstoppable artist with a uniquely beautiful mind and

his gecko best friend, is featured at the Grandel Theatre from Oct. 27-Nov. 5. This play is 70-minutes long with no intermission and best suited for ages 6 to 12. Tickets range from $20 to $38. For tickets and more information, go to metroplays.org/eddie-vinnie

NOVEMBER

The Queen’s Cartoonists perform music from cartoons at 8 p.m. Nov. 2 at Lindenwood University’s J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts. Watch your favorite classic cartoons characters interact with the musicians on the stage and expect the unexpected from the “golden age of animation,” cult classic cartoons and modern animated films. Tickets run from $25-$55 and are available at luboxoffice.universitytickets.com

Hear thrilling music from around the globe at “As We Speak: Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer and Rakesh Chaurasia,” on stage at 8 p.m. Nov. 3 at The Sheldon. Tickets range from $45-$55. See thesheldon.org

Metallica’s “M72 World Tour” comes to the Dome at America’s Center Nov. 3 and 5, featuring show openers Pantera & Mammoth WVH on Friday and Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kill on Sunday. Tickets start at $92 for a two-show pass. See ticketmaster.com

Continued on page 42

From left, Peggy Billo, Robert Thibaut, Michelle Hand, Gary Wayne Barker starred in the New Jewish Theatre’s 2011 production of ‘The Immigrant.’ NJT is revisiting the play with a new production, on stage Oct. 12-29. FILE PHOTO: JOHN LAMB

Peter Martin, a St. Louis native, returns to his hometown for performances Oct. 18-22 with Jazz St. Louis.

From Nov. 3-5, the Fox Theatre will present “Come From Away,” an uplifting, funny and poignant show that tells the true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them on Sept. 11, 2001. A promo for the show states: “Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.” For performance times and ticket prices, see fabulousfox.com/ events/detail/come-from-away

The 45th annual St. Louis Jewish Book Festival is on for Nov. 4-20 at the Jewish Community Center’s Staenberg Family Complex. Rebecca Minkoff, author of Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success,” and Mitch Albom, author of “The Stranger in the Lifeboat” and “Tuesdays with Morrie,” will be featured, along with authors writing about “business, cooking, economics, family, fiction, history, music, religion, sports and more.” For a schedule plus tickets and information about passes, call 314-442-3294 or visit stljewishbookfestival.org

Comedian Kathleen Madigan brings her show “Boxed Wine & Tiny Banjos” to the Stifel Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4. For tickets, ranging from $31.75 to $56.75, see stifeltheatre.com/events/detail/kathleen-madigan-3

The 32nd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival will take place Nov. 9-19. Expect in-person and virtual events plus independent films, documentaries, international films and short films screening at local theaters. For details, ticket prices and available packages, see cinemastlouis.org/sliff/festival-home

Comedy will reign Nov. 9-11 at the 6th annual Flyover Comedy Festival, featuring standup comedy showcases, improv workshops and performances, plus sketch and storytelling shows. Expect more than 100 performers in more than 30 events, all on several stages in The Grove neighborhood. For single ticket prices, packages and venues, check out flyovercomedyfest. com

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Here’s more funny business, times two: Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan will be on stage at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Enterprise Center. Tickets, ranging from $32 to

$496, are available at enterprisecenter. com or ticketmaster.com

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Benny Benack III celebrates the release of his album “Third Time’s the Charm” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Blue Strawberry, 364 North Boyle. Known as “a fiery trumpet player,” Benack was recognized by the 2022 Downbeat Critics Poll as both the #2 Rising Star Male Vocalist and a top Rising Star Trumpeter. Tickets cost $30-$45. For more info, see https://bluestrawberrystl. com/ or call 314-256-1745.

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On Nov. 11, Dance St. Louis presents Trinity Irish Dance Company at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus, featuring performances “ranging from those displaying virtuosic footwork to a hybrid of Irish step and American tap to original, classic pieces by founding artistic director Mark Howard that reflect his unique fusion of vibrant Irish traditions with ever-evolving American innovation.” The event will include live music by a band led by singer/songwriter Brendan O’Shea. At 6:30 p.m. there is a free pre-show talk with representatives from Trinity Irish Dance Company,

Dance St. Louis welcomes Trinity Irish Dance Company on Nov. 11 for a performance with live muisc at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

PHOTO: LOIS GREENFIELD

stljewishlight.org STL JEWISH LIGHT followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45-69, available at metrotix. com/events/detail/dsl-trinity.

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The St. Louis Symphony will present “Opera in Concert: Cavalleria rusticana” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and 3 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Stifel Theatre, with James Gaffigan (no, not the previously mentioned Jim Gaffigan) conducting. For tickets, see https://shop.slso.org/7692

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“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” showcases the life and times of the dynamic music star whose early career included gigs in St. Louis and East St. Louis. See this Broadway megahit Nov. 14 – 26 at the Fox Theatre. For ticket prices and show times, see fabulousfox.com/events/ detail/tina

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Funny man, actor and MOT Michael Rapaport brings his stand-up to City Winery, located at the City Foundry, on Nov. 17-18, with two shows each night, at 7 and 10 p.m. Tickets range from $35 to $55 and are available at citywinery.com/stlouis

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Winter Opera presents Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 E. Monroe Ave. For single ticket prices and more info, see winteroperastl.org/performances 

The annual Garden Glow will light up the night in a most festive way from 5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 18 through Jan. 6 at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Plan to spend about 1.5 hours. Prices vary for Bargain Nights and Family Nights and for members and nonmembers. For details and tickets, see https://glow.missouribotanicalgarden.org

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Budding ballet dancers will thrill to St. Louis Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” on stage Nov. 25-26 and Dec. 15-23 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Tickets range from $36-$84. Younger fans may appreciate the shorter version, with performances Dec. 15-19, also at the Touhill. Tickets cost $27-$42. See metrotix.com/events/venue/saint-louis-ballet

The New Jewish Theatre boldly follows Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine on their musical journey “Into the Woods,” with performances Nov. 30-Dec. 17 at the J’s Staenberg Family Complex. The Tony Award-winning musical about favorite fairy tale characters is known for surprising, delighting and touching audiences. Tickets range from $52.97-$59.45. For tickets for matinee and evening performances, see newjewishtheatre.org

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Stray Dog Theatre will present Christopher Durang’s hilarious play “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You” Nov. 30-Dec. 16 at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Ave. Amid the laughs, expect to hear “sharp truths about human nature and religion.” For performance times and ticket prices, call 314-865-1995 or go to straydogtheatre.org

DECEMBER

St. Louis Actor’s Studio presents “Barrymore,” which depicts actor John Barrymore (played here by John Contini) a few months before his death in 1942 as he is rehearsing a revival of his 1920 Broadway triumph as Richard III. The play runs Dec. 1-11 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 N. Boyle. For tickets and other info, go to stlas.org.

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As part of its Guitar Masters Series, St. Louis Classical Guitar will welcome Adam Levin at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at the 560

ARTS + EATS

ling-bros-and-barnum-bailey

USA Today goes so far as to call Disney’s “Aladdin” an example of “Pure Genie-Us,” and you and the kids (or grandkids) can judge for yourselves Dec. 12-17 at the Fox Theatre. Expect songs from the animated movie as well as new hits penned by such established talents as Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin. For performance times and ticket prices, see fabulousfox.com/events/ detail/aladdin

Here’s something new when it comes to shape-shifting: Mrs. Doubtfire: A New Musical Comedy, on stage Dec. 26-Jan. 7 at the Fox Theatre. Critics have deemed the show “wonderful, heart-warming, and laugh-out-loud funny” and “a feel-good, family-friendly comedy that delivers.” For ticket prices and show times, see fabulousfox.com/events/detail/mrs-doubtfire

Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave. in University City. A prize-winning and Billboard top-charting classical guitarist and recording artist, Levin is a founding member of The Kithara Project, an organization that promotes “equitable access to the guitar for youth around the world.” Tickets cost $28-$35. See stlclassicalguitar.org

Circus Reimagined — that’s what Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® promise at “The Greatest Show On Earth®,” in town Dec. 9-10 at Enterprise Center

Expect “a spectacle of superhuman feats, pushing the limits of possibility and thrilling families and fans of all generations.”

Multiple performances are scheduled, with ticket prices starting at $20. See enterprisecenter.com/events/detail/ring-

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Ring in the new year with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Stifel Theatre. Norman Huynh — “a favorite of St. Louis audiences known for his humor and high spirits” — will conduct. Tickets cost $47-$127. Visit https://shop.slso.org/7773

‘Mrs. Doubtfire: A New Musical Comedy’ comes to the Fox Theatre Dec. 27-Jan. 7. PHOTO: JOAN MARCUS

From bar mitzvah prank to Hollywood success

Behind the creative journey of lifelong friends and St. Louis natives Danny Jacobs and Darren Grodsky

BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Midway through his 1992 bar mitzvah at Congregation Shaare Emeth, 13-year-old Danny Jacobs addressed the congregation.

“I’ve always wondered what it would be like to talk to G-d,” he began, cueing his friend Josh Friedman, who was sitting at the back of the sanctuary. Josh flashed the lights to simulate lightening and played a recording through the sound system. The voice was the almighty, through the magic of sound editing. It was actually audio dialogue edited from the movie “Oh, G-d.”

Danny: “G-d, can we talk?”

Voice of George Burns: “I’ll tell you what. You talk, I’ll listen.”

The congregation responded approvingly, with laughter and applause. It would not be the last time Jacobs captivated an audience with his humor and engaging personality. He now works in Hollywood, alongside his childhood best friend Darren Grodsky. As writer/directors, Jacobs and Grodsky, both 44, have two major motion pictures to their credit. Jacobs does triple duty as an actor.

The Writers Guild of America strike has put the brakes on some of their projects, but they continue to develop new concepts and now, they’re working on a popular podcast that traces Jacobs’ unusual family dynamic growing up in St. Louis County. As teenagers, Jacobs and Grodsky both loved movies and would often make video-based projects in school, but they didn’t harbor Hollywood dreams.

“One time Danny wanted to be a doctor, another time he was thinking about opening up offices and having people rent from him,” said Sandy Jacobs, his mother.

Gloria Grodsky, Darren’s mother (and a member of Central Reform Congregation) said she figured the two would have careers in tech.

“Danny is very smart,” she said. “I figured he could invent something and work with computers or in science. I thought the same about Darren.”

One of their best friends in grade school, Jeff Vines, saw something in the pair early on.

“Danny and Darren were always the smartest kids in the class, so of course I knew they’d be successful,” said Vines, owner of STL Style on Cherokee Street.

“They could’ve been rocket scientists or brain surgeons—and darn good ones too—but it’s cool to know that they stayed true to their shared creative interests.”

They graduated from Parkway North High School and remained close, even when attending college 2,300 miles apart. Grodsky studied writing, directing and acting at Northwestern University and Jacobs went to Stanford. He also studied improvisation at the original Second City theater in Chicago and at Los Angeles’ Upright Citizen’s Brigade.

After college, the two friends joined forces and forged a career in the entertainment industry.

“It sort of organically happened,” Grodsky said. “We wrote a screenplay during our senior year, and it was terrible, but we finished it, and we thought, ‘What if we moved to Los Angeles and just started making movies?’ Our heroes cinematically at that time were people who seemed very independently minded. It was something that was so foreign and impossible to us as suburban kids in St. Louis growing up, but suddenly it seemed there was a pathway to it. We decided to go for it with the utmost confidence.”

There are countless aspiring actors and writers in Los Angeles stuck working as baristas and waiters until they get discovered. Jacobs and Grodsky gained a reputation for their creativity and strong work ethic. That led to their first film in 2008, “Humboldt County.” Gloria Grodsky— who was visiting the set—remembers speaking with the late legendary director

“He came up to me the second or third day and said, ‘They are really talented, and they’re going to be very good,’” she recalled.

Bogdanovich was one of the talented cast members in Jacobs and Grodsky’s first film, which also included Jeremy Strong (who played Kendall Roy in “Succession”). They followed up with another film in 2015, “Growing Up and Other Lies,” which starred Adam Brody, Josh Lawson, Wyatt Cenac, Amber Tamblyn and Jacobs. It follows the main characters during a single day in New York City as they walk from the northern tip of Manhattan to the Battery.

In addition to their writing and directing credits, Jacobs played a lead role in Sony Pictures’ “The Cavern,” and he had recurring roles in two Showtime TV series: “Masters of Sex” and “Becoming a God in Central Florida.”

Jacobs and Grodsky love their career choices in spite of the fierce competition and challenges bringing a concept to the screen.

“I like the collaboration that what we do provides not just with Darren, but with the crews that we work on, with producers that developed projects with us,” Jacobs said. “I’m also an actor and I like my creative expressions. I like the opportunity to explore different parts of myself. I think the writer in me is the neurotic, the director is the daddy, and the actor is the child.”

Grodsky said he enjoys the process of writing and directing, which he equates to assembling a puzzle.

“It tickles my analytical brain, trying to figure out the story and figure out the arc with the vulnerable artistic expression of these things that are purely emotional and

trying to find that balance,” he said. “That is a reason to sit down at the computer every day.”

Since the Hollywood shutdown that began with the Writers Guild of America strike on May 1, followed by the Screen Actors Guild on July 14, there have no new gigs for Jacobs and Grodsky. They are continuing to develop scripts and treatments, but they are done “on spec,” meaning they may be able to sell them at some point, or even use them as sample work to get other jobs when the strike ends.

Meanwhile, Grodsky said, “We’re just like everybody else, eagerly waiting for this strike to end so that hopefully those projects or pitches we were about to do to get potential jobs. Hopefully those will still be there and we’ll progress.”

They are also keeping busy developing a podcast based on Jacobs’ childhood, which features a cast of characters including Sandy Jacobs, playing herself. The podcast, “How To Destroy Everything,” focuses on a larger-than-life character: Richard Jacobs, Danny’s late father, who was a complicated man.

The elder Jacobs could be by turns charming and cringe-inducing. He hacked emails, forged signatures and was banned from restaurants. Overall, Danny had a good relationship with him, but he fully understood his father’s idiosyncrasies. Those are on full display in the podcast, in which he and Grodsky reminisce, with humor and sometimes horror, about the weird Jacobs home life.

“There was warmth there,” Jacobs said. “I said at my dad’s funeral that he loved very deeply but did not understand a healthy way to love. And I felt his love and he would often have my best interest at heart. It would be the means by which he would go about that that would be ultimately sort of tragic. And so I loved him as a dad.”

In her role in the podcast, Danny’s mother Sandy is—as actors say—fully committed to the role.

“Danny wanted to make this podcast about my ex-husband and what it was like living with him and the craziness of that time,” she said. “I think it was good for both of us to do that because it kind of relieved some pressure, I guess, about what we were feeling, which we kind of blocked for a while.”

The podcast is compelling both for its storyline and the numerous St. Louis references. It also is done with professional production values, as one would expect from seasoned filmmakers. The pilot episode of “How To Destroy Everything” is receiving positive buzz, which motivated Jacobs and Grodsky to work on follow-up episodes, even after they’re back making movies again.

In order to defray expenses, Jacobs and Grodsky have established a platform on Patreon, a subscription service that aids content creators. You can support them at patreon.com/Howtodestroyeverything. In addition, they are searching for material for subsequent episodes. If you have an anecdote or memory of Richard Jacobs you’d like to share, you can do so anonymously at iknowrichardjacobs@gmail.com.

Peter Bogdanovich.

Danny Jacobs and Darren Grodsky on the set of their film ‘Growing Up and Other Lies’ (at left) and as young friends in St. Louis (above).

Morton Meyer: From Army intelligence agent to renowned St. Louis restaurateur

BY HARLEY HAMMERMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Morton Louis Meyer was born in St. Louis on Jan. 25, 1931. After graduating from Princeton University in 1952, he served in the army during the Korean War.

Because of his fluency in several languages, Meyer was sent to the U.S. Army language school in California, where he scored the highest mark ever on the school’s exam. He was shipped to Germany for training and then to eastern France as a counter-intelligence agent. While in France, Meyer developed a love for travel, art and French food.

On June 14, 1954, while still in the service, Meyer married Roxanne Harris of Highland Park, Ill. They would have three children — Nancy, Danny and Tommy.

Danny Meyer went on to become a renowned New York restaurateur. In his autobiographical book, “Setting the Table,” Danny looked back at his father’s life from an adult perspective.

“My parents, Roxanne and Morton Louis Meyer had spent the first two years of their youthful marriage in the early 1950s living in the city of Nancy, capital of the French province of Lorraine, where my dad was posted as an army intelligence officer,” said Danny Meyer. “In 1955, at the conclusion of my dad’s overseas military service, my parents were still very much in love with each other and with Europe. Their knowledge of and fondness for France in particular was a powerful bond between them. In St. Louis, my father parlayed his love of all things French into a career as an innovative and successful travel agent.”

Meyer joined the William H. Goldman Travel Agency, which was started by Goldman in 1919. In 1956, the agency was incorporated as the Goldman-Meyer Travel Agency, with Meyer as secretary-treasurer. When Goldman retired in 1958, Meyer became president of the firm. Meyer’s brother, Richard, would become vice president.

In 1960, as large commercial jets began transporting Americans overseas, Morton Meyer developed Open Road Tours. His agency, Open Road Tours, packaged customized driving trips, often in conjunction with Relais de Campagne, a network of lovely family-operated inns around France. His clients loved his attention to detail; his business thrived.

Meyer’s love for Europe extended into his home, enveloping Danny and his siblings.

Meyer lived life to the fullest, with a propensity for risk-taking.

“My father was unquestionably my childhood hero: a hedonist, a gastronome and a man who cherished and passionate-

ly savored life. He loved the excitement and risk of the racetrack and gave me a taste for it, even when I was too young to place bets legally,” said Danny Meyers. “Dad also took risks as a businessman. He was always coming up with exciting new ideas based on his love of travel and food, and on his constant drive to share his finds with others.”

Morton Meyer entered the Clayton real estate market in 1977 when a banker friend suggested he needed to shelter earnings from his travel business. His initial purchase was the Mortgage Building at 7730 Forsyth.

In October of 1979, Meyer plunged into the restaurant business. He opened Chez Louis at 26 North Meramec in Clayton. The storefront space in the 53-year-old Seven Gables Apartment Building had previously housed the Clayton Coffee Company.

Meyer owned Chez Louis with Bernard Douteau, who served as the restaurant’s chef and general manager. Douteau, born in a small town south of the Loire Valley, had worked as a hotelier in France, as well as in Ethiopia and Italy. In Italy, he managed two hotels for Meyer, whom he had met five years earlier in Paris.

Chez Louis featured white tablecloths with pastel napkins, heavy service plates and handwritten menus. Colorful prints and posters punctuated white plaster walls.

Chez Louis’ menu was small and changed frequently. Restaurant critic Joe Pollack provided an overview of the cuisine in his March 25, 1982 St. Louis PostDispatch review.

“The Chez Louis cuisine style is French, kind of a happy compromise between the truly haute cuisine, which can be overwhelmingly rich, and the truly nouvelle, in which a food processor grinds everything into the texture and taste of baby food.

Sauces are light, with a beautifully modulated touch of herbs and spices and a base that involves the reduced stock of the meat or fish. Vegetables are cooked quickly to retain color and flavor,” wrote Pollack.

In November of 1982, Meyer and Douteau opened a second restaurant, which they named Bernard’s. It was located adjacent to Chez Louis, in the 18 North Meramec space of the Seven Gables Apartment Building.

Bernard’s was an informal 50-seat French bistro. Its understated decor was much the same as Chez Louis, with cream-colored walls adorned with colorful framed posters from Paris art galleries. The ceiling was beamed and windows were trimmed with little cafe curtains. Seating was on plain bentwood chairs at

bistro-style marble-top tables, with a few dark blue banquettes.

Douteau wanted Bernard’s menu to be simpler than the more formal Chez Louis.

The one-page menu included onion soup, crepes, quiches, croque monsieur, salade Nicoise, terrines and charcuterie. There were at least two specials a day, which could include a hearty cassoulet of meat, lentils and flageolets, or a spicy veal stew simmered in white wine.

Douteau introduced the southern French specialty pan bania on Bernard’s menu.

The inside of a hard round roll or bun was scooped out and filled with Boston lettuce, olives, tomatoes, potatoes, hardcooked egg, capers and a vinaigrette dressing, with an anchovy option.

In December of 1983, Meyers and Douteau opened Bernard’s Food Boutique at 10 North Meramec. According to Douteau, the gourmet marked started out as a charcuterie.

The boutique featured an assortment of salamis, hams, smoked duck, smoked chicken, Canadian bacon and cheeses. The pastry counter offered a selection of cookies, tarts, pastries and other sweets. There were croissants, baguettes and assorted breads. Olive oil, teas, flavored vinegars and mustards were also available.

Bernard’s Food Boutique was short lived. It closed early in 1985.

Dr. Harley Hammerman’s Lost Tables website, losttables.com, is dedicated to celebrating the restaurants of our past. Hammerman and his wife Marlene are members of Congregation Shaare Emeth Read more online at losttables.com/louisbernards/louisbernards.htm.

Morton Meyer at left, and the Seven Gables Inn circa 1990. PHOTOS: LOSTTABLES.COM

From TikTok to Taylor: What’s on your playlist?

BY RORY LUSTBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Humans have notoriously short attention spans. Seriously, we’re impressed that you’re even reading this article.

It seems that simultaneous forms of entertainment are always occurring, whether it’s scrolling through Instagram while the TV blares in the background, or attempting to read a book while holding a conversation. Yet no matter the amount of chaos, music always offers comfort and versatility. It can set a mood, be listened to intensely or simply play in the background. It is essential, especially for summer activities.

So as summer ends later this month, we thought we might ask: what have you been listening to this summer?

We reached out to members of the St. Louis Jewish community with that very question. Their listening lists include podcasts, audiobooks and, of course, music. Here’s what they had to say:

• Rebekah Scallet, artistic director of the New Jewish Theatre: “Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of Michael Jackson with my kids. ‘Thriller’ was the first album I ever bought for myself, and it’s so much fun rediscovering it with my children.”

• Rabbi Rachel Bearman, Congregation

Shaare Emeth: “TikTok has influenced me, and I’ve been listening to a lot of Taylor Swift. … I feel like I’m discovering her music for the first time. I’ve also been listening to great audiobooks. Some of my

favorites have been ‘The Anthropocene Reviewed’ by John Green and ‘The Witches are Coming’ by Lindy West.”

• Andrew Goldfeder, executive director of Temple Emanuel: “This summer, I have been listening to Casey Kasem’s Classic American Top 40: The 70s and 80s on iHeart Radio.”

• Zachary Wexelman, musician and TikTok content originator: “It’s hard to narrow it down to one artist, but if I had to pick I’d say Calvin Harris. I’ve been obsessed with his album, ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2,’ particularly the song

‘Potion’ with Dua Lipa and Young Thug. There’s not a bad song on the album.”

• Benjamin Hochman, St. Louis PostDispatch sports columnist: “A lot of Beatles, including ‘Twist and Shout’ (or, as our 3-year-old daughter calls the song: ‘Shake it up baby now!’)”

• Mindy Horwitz , founder of MindyKnows, college concierge service: “We’ve been hanging out on a lake so I’ve been listening to an ’80s Yacht Rock playlist this summer. No artist in particular, just whoever shows up on Spotify.”

• Rick Recht, founder and executive

Lunch: 11am–2pm Express and To-Go: 10am–4pm mohistory.org/visit/dine

director of Jewish Rock Radio and Songleader Boot Camp: “I’ve been listening to Paul Simon — my favorite hiking music!”

• Patty Bloom, director of admissions and student life at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School: “I enjoy tunes from my teens, and also music my kids loved when they were in their teens. I recently created a running playlist that is a mix of upbeat tunes from those generations, and it includes these faves: ‘It’s a Beautiful Day’ (Michael Buble), ‘Drive By’ (Train) and ‘Chicken Fried’ (Zac Brown Band).”

• David Lazaroff, musician and one of the Brothers Lazaroff: “When not fielding requests for Taylor Swift in the car from my daughters, I’ve been enjoying live Grateful Dead shows this summer on Sirius XM Radio. Per my brother’s suggestion, our family has also enjoyed Harry Belafonte’s classic album ‘Calypso’ a bunch the past few months.”

• Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Congregation Shaare Emeth: “The newest podcast I’m listening to is ‘The Retrieval,’ which is about a scandal that took place at the Yale Fertility Clinic. It’s about women’s pain and how women are rarely listened to when trying to communicate about their own bodies — pretty timely given the current political climate in Missouri and our nation.”

• Peggy Goodfriend, director of broadcast promotions at Nine PBS: “I’ve been listening to Mary Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives’ newest, ‘Altitude,’ which was influenced by the Byrds’ ‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo.’ It’s one of those releases that sounds great straight through.”

• Ellen Futterman, editor-in-chief of the Jewish Light: “I’ve been pretty obsessed with Jason Isbell’s latest album, ‘Weathervanes,’ and really enjoyed his show at the Chesterfield Amphitheater earlier this summer. And, of course, Brandi Carlile, who was terrific to see again at the Evolution Festival.”

Top row, from left: Rebekah Scallet, Rabbi Rachel Bearman, Andrew Goldfeder, Zachary Wexelman, Benjamin Hochman and Mindy Horwitz. Second row: Rick Recht, Patty Bloom, David Lazaroff, Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Peggy Goodfriend and Ellen Futterman.

We’re cooking up something new.

Q&A Five questions for ‘Back to the Future’ screenwriter (and STL native) Bob Gale

BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

The 1985 hit movie “Back to the Future” captivated audiences and was a breakout role for actor Michael J. Fox. The film earned four Golden Globe nominations and received one Oscar for sound editing. Now, the story of Marty McFly has reemerged with “Back to the Future: The Musical,” which had a successful run in London and on Aug. 3 opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. The musical version is based on the original script by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. Gale, 72, a Jewish University City native, recently provided the Jewish Light with a glimpse into the making of a Broadway production.

“Back to the Future: The Musical” opened on Broadway one month ago. What was it like on opening night to experience your best-known work in a new medium?

It was extraordinary to actually be among 1,400 people in a major Broadway theater, but as heady as it was, that very first preview in Manchester was the most gratifying and euphoric because, although there was still work to be done, it was the very first audience to experience it, and those 1,800 or so folks in that theater loved every minute of it. It was an extraordinary high and it’s something I enjoy every time I attend a performance, as each new audience experiences it for their first time.

Both the movie and the stage version feature an iconic “Back to the Future” device—the Delorian and memorable music. Did this medium allow you to take advantage of the latter?

We wanted to tell the story of “Back to the Future” using the tools of musical theater, and I think everyone would agree that the result exceeded even our expectations. There’s nothing like live theater.

The movie used music to great effect in 1985, with hit songs like Huey Lewis’ “The Power of Love.” Was your intention with the stage version to take full advantage of that aspect of musical theater?

Four songs from the movie are in the show: “The Power of Love,” “Back in Time,” “Earth Angel,” and “Johnny B Goode.” The Huey Lewis songs are iconic to the movie, and the other two are actually part of the story. So there was no way those four songs weren’t going to be in the show.

Does “Back to the Future: The Musical” have any stage sets inspired by University City, like the lion statues at Lyon Estates in the movie?

The only U. City reference in the show is that, as in the movie, the Hill Valley High School sports team is called The Bulldogs, which was the team at Brittany Junior High School, which I attended. The show actually has a Bulldog chant and the Broadway version has a short “fight song” as well.

What advice would you offer to a University City teenager who aspires to work in the entertainment industry?

Learn how to deal with rejection because you’re going to get a lot of it — more than you can imagine.

SATURDAY • SEPTEMBER • 09

PETER MARTIN FT. DIANNE REEVES • NATE SMITH FT. JASON LINDNER AND TIM LEFEBVRE

KEYON HARROLD W/ PHAROAHE MONCH & STOUT • PHONY PPL

THE SUFFERS • DENISE THIMES • EARTHWORMS • MAI LEE • SIR EDDIE C JAZZ ST. LOUIS CELEBRATES WILLIE AKINS • ST. LOUIS BLUES & SOUL SHOWCASE FT. RENEE SMITH AND BIG MIKE AGUIRRE• DJ ALEXIS TUCCI AND THE HOUSE OF TUCCI SAGE FT. AGILE ONE, DJ NICO MARIE & MAKEDA KRAVITZ • UMAMI • MARK LEWIS • LUSID ERIC DONTÈ AND THE MAXI GLAMOUR EXPERIENCE • MO EGESTON ALL-STARS

HERBIE HANCOCK • THUNDERCAT • THE FEARLESS FLYERS

TAJ MAHAL • TANK AND TH E BANGAS • GRANDMASTER FLASH

THE TESKEY BROTHERS • ANDY FRASCO & THE U.N. • SAMANTHA FISH TH E BAD PLUS • SAY SHE SHE • MARQUISE KNOX BAND FT. FUNKY BUTT HORNS THE MIGHTY PINES •THE SHEDRICK MITCHELL COLLECTIVE FT. CHRISTIE DASHIELL BLVCK SPVDE & THE COSMOS • KENDRICK SMITH QUARTET • ROOT MOD • DJ P DJ NUNE IS LAMAR HARRIS • BIKO • PAIGE ALYSSA • ST. LOUIS MUSIC BOX W/ JANET EVRA, ANITA JACKSON, WILL BUCHANAN, ANDREW STEPHEN, DUSTY CARLSON, DUANE "JINGO" WILLIAMS, AND TIM MOORE

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Bob Gale, a University City native, is shown with the DeLorean used on stage in the ‘Back to the Future: The Musical.’ Gale and Robert Zemeckis wrote the original script of the 1985 film.

PHOTO COURTESY BOB GALE