Jewish Light Digital Edition: Oct. 4, 2023

Jewish baseball fans share memories of Sportsman’s Park

SEE PAGE 1B

NJT’s latest play hits home for its director

Here’s why Rebekah Scallet chose ‘The Immigrant’ for her NJT directorial debut

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

Rebekah Scallet would like to tell you a story. To do so, she will direct a show for the first time since becoming artistic director of the New Jewish Theatre just over a year ago.

For Scallet, the show she is directing, Mark Harelik’s “The Immigrant,” provides her the perfect platform professionally and personally.

The play tells the true story of the playwright’s grandfather, Haskell Harelik, who came to America in 1909 as part of the Galveston Project, which from 1907 to 1914 helped divert Jews fleeing the pogroms of Russia and Eastern Europe away from East Coast cities and toward the interior of the United States. Haskell Harelik made his home in Hamilton, Texas where he was taken in by a local couple.

For Scallet, “The Immigrant” is the perfect play and the perfect story to make her NJT directorial debut.

“It is a very deeply Jewish story and one I relate to because of my family’s immigrant experience in coming

to St. Louis,” she said.

Scallet’s great-reat-grandfather, Morris Cohen, arrived in America in 1903. He eventually made his way to St. Louis, where he collected discarded tools and repaired

See

‘The Immigrant’

WHEN: Oct. 12-29 on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.

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

HOW MUCH: $27-$58

MORE INFO: Tickets are available at 314-442-3283 or online at newjewishtheatre.org.

Missouri adopts IHRA antisemitism definition

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

Dozens of members of the St. Louis Jewish community were on hand in Jefferson City on Sept. 20 as Missouri adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and recognized September as Jewish American Heritage Month. The month was chosen to coincide with the High Holiday season.

“Missouri’s own Harry S. Truman was the first world leader to officially recognize Israel as a legitimate Jewish state, and we continue our proud support for members of the Jewish faith today,” said Missouri Gov. Mike Parson at a gathering that Wednesday to announce two new initiatives.

Until today, Missouri was one of approximately 20 states that had neither a legislative act nor a gubernatorial proclamation endorsing the IHRA Working Definition of antisemitism.

On hand for the ceremony included Brian Herstig, president and CEO of Federation; Francis Levine, Interim Director of the Kaplan Feldman St. Louis Holocaust Museum; Jordan Kadosh, ADL Heartland regional director; Rabbi Yosef Landa, regional director of Chabad of

See MISSOURI on page 6A

ABOVE: David Wassilak (left) and Dustin Petrillo star in New Jewish Theatre’s upcoming production of ‘The Immigrant.’

PHOTO: ETHAN AYLESWORTH

Members of the St. Louis Jewish community meet with Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and his staff on Sept. 20 as Missouri adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and recognized September as Jewish American Heritage Month.

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NCJW prepares for annual Couturier event

A few weeks ago, I landed the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket of local fashion: an exclusive, behind-thescenes peek at nearly all – and I do mean more than 20,000 pieces – of the merchandise that will be for sale at the 59th Couturier sale, running Oct. 18-21.

For those unfamiliar, the annual Couturier sale at the Resale Shop, a charitable project by the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis, features racks and racks and cases and cases of gently used, high-quality, designer clothes and accessories for women, men and children, as well as home décor items at about a third, or less, of the retail value. These are the crème de la crème of a year’s worth of donations, saved specifically for this four-day event. Proceeds from Couturier go to fund NCJWSTL’s various community service and advocacy projects that work to improve the lives of women, children and families in the St. Louis community.

As one who every year counts down the days to this sale – at which I’ve procured some of the niftiest outfits in my closet – I was more than a little enthused when my idea to preview the fashion merchandise and explain how it comes together drew a thumbs-up from NCJWSTL’s Jessica Duneman.

As Retail Operations Director, Duneman rules Couturier’s roost. And while she graciously granted me permission to see what it takes to ready all the merchandise for the annual sale, it was with one condition: I never, ever, disclose where all the goods are kept before they make their way to the floor of the Resale Shop for Couturier. Trust me, she wasn’t joking, though she did stop short of demanding my first born should I violate our agreement. We locked pinkies instead.

Let’s just say “massive” doesn’t begin to describe the overall space where the merchandise is housed and processed. Racks and racks chocked full of designer dresses, pants, suits, blouses, sweaters, coats, furs, athletic wear and more cover what appears to be miles of floor space while see-through bins packed with designer purses, jewelry, scarves and shoes are stacked neatly against the walls.

My heart began to race at the sight of this style smorgasbord. I was like a kid in a candy store except I wasn’t allowed to sample (or try on) any of the sweets. To calm myself and quell my excitement, I gently patted a Stella McCartney dress.

What stood out, besides the seemingly endless abundance of high-end designer duds, was how organized it all was. Every item had been sorted and separated either by designer/brand or type of merchandise and size before being affixed with a hot pink Couturier tag, hung on a hanger and placed on a rack.

Duneman explained that collecting for Couturier begins as soon as last year’s sale ends, so the Resale Shop essentially gathers inventory for 365 days.

Every donated item first gets inspected by Donation Center Manager Karen Rieger and her team to decide whether it should be saved for Couturier or go to e-commerce (the shop’s online business), the Resale Shop or recycling.

“Not everything that is designer is saved for Couturier,” Duneman pointed out. “It’s important to know that these same designers can always be found at the store throughout the year. At no time when you come to the Resale Shop are you not going to find Eileen Fischer or Michael Kors or Lululemon. They are consistently on our sales floor.”

She said that 15 pairs of Lululemon leg-

gings could come in one day and maybe one will be saved for Couturier.

“That’s determined by the condition they come in, or it might be because they have a unique pattern, or they are just loud and fun,” Duneman said. “People come to Couturier wanting to find something that’s unique or different and reflects their personality. We try to pick pieces that scream personality.”

Occasionally, you may run across multiples of the same item at Couturier. Duneman says that sometimes happens when the donation comes from a store.

“We have boutiques in town and other stores that support us throughout the year with donations,” she said. “Sometimes during a season, they might give us five of the same shirt. It depends on their inventory and what they are trying to move out.”

More often though, pieces selected for Couturier have been donated with their original labels still attached, having never been worn. Duneman says most of the shoes donated for the sale are brand new as are all the children’s clothes.

For pricing, Duneman, Rieger and their team rely on several sources, including their own historical data from past sales. They store all the pricing information in a purple binder, aptly named “Karen’s Pricing Guide.”

“Say a pair of St. John black knit pants comes in. We know from year’s past we priced them at $65, so we’ll likely go off what we historically priced them at,” said Duneman. “But there are other factors, too. We try to determine the age of the garment as well as if it’s a limited edition, or certain style or material. We consult eBay, Poshmark and other resale sites to match our item as closely as possible and determine its current selling price. Then we make sure we are significantly less than others.”

Google Lens is another tool the pricing team uses, especially for handbags.

“Let’s say I want to know the price of a particular

Louie (Vuitton) bag,” said Duneman. “I’ll take a picture using Google Lens and it will find every one of those Louies listed online. Google Lens will help us identify the name of that particular bag. I can then research the bag better once I know the name, which allows me to find out the age, material and its value.”

Duneman said all of these tools help with consistent pricing. But she is quick to note that similar items by the same designer aren’t always priced the same.

“A piece might be a limited edition or in perfect condition with its original price tag, so it might be priced a little higher,” Duneman said. “Or it might have certain buttons or other embellishments that affect the price.”

And in case you were wondering, no one at the Resale Shop or NCJWSTL is allowed to buy any Couturier item until the sale officially begins.

“We joke that if you touch one of Karen’s racks, we will know,” said Duneman, laughing. “They are off limits.”

Typically at Couturier, jewelry and handbags are the most sought-after, with shoppers receiving a line number for their turn at those counters. Some popular brands, like St. John, Eileen Fisher, Chanel and Lafayette 148, for example, usually have an entire rack or two dedicated to the designer.

Duneman, who will mark her 13th Couturier sale this year, is savant-

See NCJW on page 9A

NEWS & SCHMOOZE

News and Schmooze is a column by Jewish Light Editor-in-Chief Ellen Futterman. Email Ellen at: efutterman@stljewishlight.org.

Louie (Vuitton) bag,” said Duneman. “I’ll take a picture using Google Lens and it will find

Jessica Duneman, director of Retail Operations, holds up a favorite Tory Burch handbag, which will be for sale at Couturier.

Local Student raises her voice to win antisemitism essay contest

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

In the late 19th century, as the number of Eastern European Jews immigrating to the United States continued to rise, many found a sense of familiarity and community in their new country by joining landsmannschaften, immigrant benevolent organizations formed and named after the members’ birthplaces or hometowns. By 1914, New York City was home to more than 500 of these organizations.

One such group remains active to this day. The Fraternal Order of BendinSosnowicer (FOBS) is a landsmannschaft founded by early Jewish immigrants from the Zaglembie region in Poland. Its home base is in Woodbridge Township, N.J.

“After World War II, with the influx of Holocaust survivors from our towns, FOBS played a key role in helping to heal the survivors,” said Sandy Pensak, a sec-

This year, FOBS, now made up of first-, second- and third-generation members, decided to create interest among its growing fourth generation by holding an essay writing contest called Raise Your Voice.

“We felt that they could reflect upon present day manifestations of antisemitism and discuss the importance of standing up to bigotry and hate,” Pensak said. “The target age groups for the essay contest are well aware of how the Holocaust decimated their families and the impact that antisemitic rhetoric and events are having today.”

Little did FOBS know, a young student from St. Louis, Ashlyn Cooley, was waiting for just such a chance to share her experiences with antisemitism.

Ashlyn learned about the FOBS contest through her Great-Aunt Sharon Berry and submitted her essay while she was in the fifth grade (she is now in the sixth grade).

“I always believed that if we can raise

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pened to her in fourth grade.

When Ashlyn’s essay entry arrived from St. Louis, Pensak and FOBS almost didn’t accept it because they didn’t realize she was connected to the organization. But after a bit of research, they found that Ashlyn was the great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivor and longtime St. Louisan Ben Fainer. Fainer, who survived five Nazi death camps, was born in Bedzin, Poland. Sam Finkel, the husband of Fainer’s Great-Aunt Malka “Molly” Urman, immigrated to the U.S. in 1907 and was an early board member of FOBS. Fainer died in 2016, but his daughter Sharon Berry remains a member of FOBS and informed her great-niece of the contest.

Ashlyn said her great-grandfather was a major inspiration as she wrote the essay.

“I always wanted to make my great-grandfather proud of me,” Ashlyn said.

The essay contest was for students in the

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Ashlyn’s essay won first place.

“It was very well written, she was very reflective, citing a personal experience that made her aware of the importance of being an upstander, and her quote at the end was so poignant,” Pensak said. “It was very mature for a student who only just completed fifth grade.”

Ashlyn said she hopes her words resonate with readers and inspire others to raise their voices.

“I hope people take away one major thing, no matter their age,” she said. “It’s important that we each find our voice and continue to talk about antisemitism so never forget the lessons of the past.”

Ashlyn Cooley’s winning ‘Raise Your Voice Essay’

Growing up, I was always aware of the existence of prejudice and discrimination in the world. However, it was not until I experienced it firsthand that I truly understood its impact. I remember a particular incident in fourth grade last year that inspired me to speak out and raise my

It was a typical day at school, and I was walking to my classroom when I noticed something out of the ordinary. On the wall next to the bathroom, I saw that someone had drawn a large swastika. At first, I was so stunned, I almost fainted. I could not believe that something like this could happen in my school! As I looked around, I noticed that some other students had also seen it and were also shocked.

I felt a mix of emotions — anger, sadness and fear. As a great-grandchild of a Holocaust survivor, I knew that the swastika was a symbol of hate and violence toward my community. Seeing it displayed in such a public and prominent way made me feel vulnerable and targeted. It quickly became a topic of conversation in classrooms and hallways, although most students seemed to have dismissed it as a harmless prank.

For me, this incident was a wakeup call. It made me realize that we cannot afford to be complacent in the face of hate and prejudice. We cannot afford to dismiss these incidents as harmless or insignificant. Every act of hate, no matter how small, has the potential to escalate and cause real harm — like the Holocaust did, and other genocides.

Since this day, I have been more aware of the impact of hate and antisemitism on individuals and communities. I have also been more vocal in speaking out against acts of hate and bias. I have learned that even small actions can make a big difference in promoting tolerance and understanding.

This experience was a pivotal point for me. It taught me that apathy is the wrong response. We must all work together to create a more inclusive and accepting world for everyone.

“In thinking we were less than human, the Germans had lost their own humanity. They treated us like animals, but this had not snuffed out our own humanity.” — Ben Fainer from his memoir, “Silent for Sixty Years.”

Rest in peace my dear grandpa.

Sixth-grade student Ashlyn Cooley won an essay contest she entered in the fifth grade.

Rabbi Hersh to be honored at Interfaith Partnership’s annual dinner

Interfaith Partnership will recognize Rabbi Elizabeth B. Hersh of Temple Emanuel and Dr. David Oughton as the honorees of the organization’s Annual Dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at St. Louis University’s Wool Ballroom.

The Interfaith Partnership event aims to celebrate unity and understanding among different faiths. Come together with people from diverse backgrounds to foster dialogue, build relationships and promote interfaith cooperation.

Each year the Interfaith Partnership event honors one or two members of the interfaith community for their steadfast commitment to deepening relationships across lines of difference. As awardees, these individuals are recognized for bravely bringing people together, for actively building an interfaith community that is responsive and resilient, for working towards collective transformation, and for being a friend to many. Visit https://bit.ly/InterfaithPartnership-2023 to purchase tickets for the event.

Celebrating Sukkot

Doug and Caryn Rudman have celebrated Sukkkot with a special family tradition for 29 years—a sukkah that transforms to a different theme. In 2022, the Rudman sukkah had six points, an homage to the Magen David. The 2023 version takes its inspiration from Spain and Doug’s family’s Sephardic roots. The structure is full of symbolism. For example, inside the sukkah, the Rudmans placed 12 candles on the table to represent the 12 tribes of Israel.

LOCATED IN THE LADUE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh

PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN

MERS Goodwill announces new coordinator for Jewish Community Employment Services

MERS Goodwill has hired Daniel Sentell as the new coordinator of its Jewish Community Employment Services, a MERS Goodwill program supported by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

“I am truly excited to help people in the community find impactful employment,” Sentell said in a statement. “Not just a place where they show up each day, but a place that enriches their lives and contributes to their personal and professional growth.”

Sentell is responsible for recruiting individuals within the Jewish community who seek

employment and help provide strategies to search for and secure jobs. Sentell networks with different agencies such as Federation and Jewish Family Services. Additionally, he works with top employers around the area to build relationships with them and provide them with qualified candidates for various skilled positions available.

Before his new role with MERS, Sentell served as a consultant in the St. Louis area, offering strategic marketing and communications services to various clients. An alum of Yeshiva University in New York, Sentell was

formerly a director of marketing and communications for Broad Financial.

The Jewish Community Employment Services offers people who are unemployed or transitioning into a new career with career counseling, job development, job leads, resume and cover letter writing, job searching skills and interviewing strategies.

The office is located at the MERS Goodwill Lippman Center at 2545 South Hanley Road. For more information about the program, contact Sentell at 314-646-2257 or jewishemployment@mersgoodwill.org.

Daniel Sentell

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

Greater St. Louis; Rabbi Chaim Landa, co-director, of Chabad of St. Charles County; Rabbi Michael Rovinsky, director of the Jewish Student Union; and Rabbi Ze’ev Smason, chairman of Coalition for Jewish Values in Missouri. Wanting to put Missouri ‘on the map’ of those states that endorse IHRA, Smason worked to get the governor to act.

“I reached out to a friend, accomplished attorney and longtime activist on behalf of the Jewish community Harvey Tettlebaum, to ask about placing a proclamation before Missouri’s governor endorsing the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, including the contemporary examples of antisemitism set forth within,” Smason said.

At left, Rabbi Ze’ev Smason is Chairman of Coalition for Jewish Values in Missouri.

Together Smason and Tettlebaum crafted a draft based on similar proclamations from other states. Tettlebaum got the draft in front of Parson, who last week announced he would sign it on Sept. 20.

The IHRA definition reads: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred towards Jews. Rhetorical and physical

manifestation of antisemitism are directed towards Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions, and religious facilities.”

“We want to take this opportunity to unequivocally reject antisemitism towards Jewish people and bigotry of any kind. Today and every day, we say hate and discrimination have no home in Missouri,” Parson said.

The governor’s proclamation comes on the heels of a recent Anti-Defamation League report showing antisemitic incidents doubled in Missouri between 2021 and 2022.

“The governor spoke of how his many trips to Israel changed his perspective, and you got a profound feeling that he loved and respected the Jewish people, and he and the state were committed to protecting the Jewish people and supporting

them,” Smason said.

“The governor’s proclamation is especially noteworthy because it recognizes the contributions of Jewish Americans and sets guidelines for tolerance at a moment when antisemitic activity is the highest it’s ever been,” said the ADL’s Kadosh. “We would like to thank Governor Parson for bringing us into early discussions on this effort and for honoring the cultural contributions of all Missourians.”

In remarks to the group after the governor spoke, Smason said the significance of the proclamation is that it is directed to all minorities in Missouri.

“The rising tide lifts all the boats. We are making a stand against all hate. This proclamation is significant to the Jewish community, but to all minorities as well,” said Smason.

Above, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson greets ADL Heartland director Jordan Kadosh in Jefferson City on Sept. 20.

‘Being Jewish in St. Charles’ focus of new exhibit

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

The date was October 22, 2021, when a new Facebook page went online called “Being Jewish in St. Charles.” The page was part of a storytelling project created a collaboration between Foundry Art Centre, Humans of St. Louis, and the Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County.

The project set out to meet, interview and highlight their stories in the “Humans of” style or storytelling created by Lindy Drew, co-founder and lead storyteller of Humans of St. Louis

At the time many in the St. Louis Jewish community were not aware that an estimated 6,000 Jews called St. Charles County home. The Jewish Light can say this because of the massive reaction from the local community when we published “Who knew? 6,000+ Jews call St. Charles County home, on April 10th, 2022.

“The goal is to share as many stories from Jewish folks who live or work in St. Charles, with the project culminating in an art exhibition at the Foundry Art Centre,” said Lindy Drew, co-founder and lead storyteller of Humans of St. Louis, in an interview with the Light in November of 2022.

Being Jewish in St. Charles exhibition

Now, that exhibition is ready to debut. The Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County will be hosting an opening reception and awards ceremony for the Being Jewish in St. Charles exhibition on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, 520 N. Main Center.

The first exhibition of its kind, the selection of portraits and stories showcases Jewish people living and working in St. Charles County.

The exhibition is divided into three sections: “People, Places, & Things,” “A

Deeper Perspective,” and “From the Beginning,” and features photographs from Drew, Colleen Smyth, Jewish Light contributor Bill Motchan and David Hazan. Hazan’s photographs were taken in anaglyph 3D and require 3D glasses to be viewed.

Each section of photos provides a unique gateway into the minds and hearts of the Jews of St. Charles, one photo and story at a time with the simple goal of allowing people to get to know each other better.

“If you give people the time and space to tell their story, you allow a conversation to expand. Storytelling is an art. And through it, we get to experience and share the unexpected,” said Drew.

The opening will also be a celebration of more than three years since the founding of the Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles

Being Jewish in St. Charles

WHEN: Oct. 6 to Nov. 18

WHERE: Foundry Art Centre, 520 N Main Center in St Charles

HOW MUCH/MORE INFO: Exhibit is free. For more information about the exhibit, visit https://bit.ly/Jewish-St-Charles.

OPENING RECEPTION: An opening reception will take place 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 11. Reception tickets are $75 a person (RSVP atJewishStCharles.org/Reception)

County and awards will be presented to St. Charles Mayor Dan Borgmeyer, Dr. Monroe and Cindy Ginsburg and the Wallis family.

“This is just a small way to recognize some of the lead individuals who have been

A photography exhibition of portraits of Jewish people who call St. Charles home, as part of the Being Jewish In St. Charles Project.

vital in helping create a space for, and giving voice to, the Jews of St. Charles,” said Rabbi Chaim Landa, who, together with his wife Bassy, directs the Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County. “We are now seeing many hundreds of St. Charles Jews re-engage and re-explore their Judaism, proudly and openly.”

The exhibit is a collaboration between the Foundry Art Centre, Humans of St. Louis and the Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County, and made possible with a significant grant from the picturehouse+thesmalldarkroom and the Feldman Education Institute of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. The historical component of the exhibit was researched and assembled in collaboration with the St. Charles County Historical Society.

PHOTOS: DAVID HAZAN

Next NJT season: Classic dramas and hilarious comedies await St. Louis theater audiences

The New Jewish Theatre has announced its 2024 season lineup. The season — its 26th — will celebrate some of the NJT’s most beloved playwrights while also bringing new works to St. Louis audiences with two regional premieres.

The season will kick off on March 21, with Arthur Miller’s searing classic “All My Sons,” one of the most iconic dramas of the 20th century. Miller won the first Tony Award ever given for Best Author (now known as Best Play) for the premiere in 1947.

The next play will be the regional premiere of “We All Fall Down” by Lila Rose

Kaplan, opening May 30. Directed by NJT Artistic Director Rebekah Scallet, the play tells the story of one family’s attempt to come together for a Passover dinner with hilarious and heartbreaking results.

Next up will be “Red” by John Logan, opening July 25. Another Tony Award winner for Best Play in 2010, it is an introspective look at abstract expressionist painter (and Latvian-born Jewish immigrant) Mark Rothko at the height of his fame. As he takes on his largest commission to date, he also takes on a new assistant who challenges his work and ideals.

Next is another regional premiere:

JCA Charitable Foundation seeks grant applications; deadline to apply is Nov. 20

The JCA Charitable Foundation is seeking grant applications for the 2024 year for new and creative community programs and activities that support the needy Jewish elderly in the Metropolitan St. Louis area. The foundation is looking to focus efforts on educational and health care programming and services that would be of benefit to this vulnerable population.

The JCA Charitable Foundation’s mission includes the support of nutritional, religious, social and cultural programs

related to Judaism as well as projects which address the financial and emotional needs of older adults. Applications related to these activities are welcome. The grant is intended to support new initiatives dedicated specifically to providing a positive and material difference in the lives of seniors in the Jewish community.

To receive a grant application, e-mail a request to mangej@msn.com. Applications must be submitted by Nov. 20.

Once We Were Slaves: A Multiracial Jewish Family in Early America

Presented by the Adam Cherrick Lecture Fund and the Department of Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies

An obsessive genealogist and descendent of one of the most prominent Jewish families since the American Revolution, Blanche Moses firmly believed her maternal ancestors were Sephardic grandees. Yet she found herself at a dead end when it came to her grandmother’s maternal line.

In this talk, Professor Leibman overturns the reclusive heiress’s assumptions about her family history to reveal that her grandmother and great-uncle, Sarah and Isaac Brandon, actually began their lives as poor, Christian, and enslaved in Barbados. Leibman traces the siblings’ extraordinary journey around the Atlantic world, using artifacts they left behind in Barbados, Suriname, London, Philadelphia, and, finally, New York.

While their affluence made them unusual, their story mirrors that of the largely forgotten people of mixed African and Jewish ancestry that constituted as much as ten percent of the Jewish communities in which the siblings lived.

Laura Arnold Leibman is Professor of English and Humanities at Reed College. Professor Leibman is the author of The Art of the Jewish Family: A History of Women in Early New York in Five Objects (Bard Graduate Center, 2020) which won three National Jewish Book Awards, and Messianism, Secrecy and Mysticism: A New Interpretation of Early American Jewish Life (2012), which won a Jordan Schnitzer Book Award and a National Jewish Book Award.

Tuesday, Oct. 17

5 p.m. in the Umrath Lounge at Washington University

Visit jimes.wustl.edu/events

Email jimes@wustl.edu

The Adam Cherrick Lecture Fund in Jewish Studies at Washington University was established in 1988 by Jordan and Lorraine Cherrick of St. Louis, Missouri in memory of their son. Its purpose is to advance Jewish Studies at Washington University. Since its inception, the Fund has benefited both the University community and St. Louis at large by bringing world-renowned scholars to speak on campus.

“Trayf” by Lindsay Joelle, opening Sept. 12. It is the story of two young men excited to drive their first Chabad “Mitzvah Tank” around 1990s New York City and perform good deeds, but find their lives irrevocably changed by exposure to the secular world.

And for a dose of holiday romance, NJT will present a romantic musical comedy by Austin Winsberg, Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner called “First Date,” opening Nov. 21, 2024. When blind date newbie Aaron is set up with serial-dater Casey, a casual drink at a busy New York restaurant turns into a hilarious high-stakes dinner.

“This is my first time putting together the

New Jewish Theatre season, and I couldn’t be more excited about the plays we have in store for 2024. It’s a wonderful mix of classic and new work, comedies and dramas, and even a musical rom-com,” said Scallet. “Representing Jewish playwrights, values and historical figures, the season’s plays each ask how we stay true to ourselves in an ever – evolving and challenging world.” The shows will premiere at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. Subscriptions go on sale on Nov. 30, and single tickets will be available on Feb. 1. Tickets are available by phone 314-4423283 or online at newjewishtheatre.org.

New Jewish Theatre: Directorial debut with ‘The Immigrant’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

them at his shop on Fifth Street and Delmar Boulevard. He went on to create St. Louis-based Central Hardware. His son Isadore is the father of Norma Cohen Scallet, Rebekah’s grandmother.

On her mother’s side, Scallet’s great-grandmother, Sadie Ghertner, arrived in St. Louis from Romania in 1907, the same year Abe Kutten emigrated from Ukraine. The two were married in 1920. Their daughter Estelle Kutten married Nathan Perlstein, who came to St. Louis from Poland with his family when he was 8 years old. Perlstein, who like Cohen was an entrepreneur, went on to open Perlstein Furs in downtown St. Louis at 707 Washington Ave. Estelle and Nathan Perlstein are Scallet’s maternal grandparents.

When Scarlet was a child, her parents, Madelon and Andrew Scallet, z”l, moved their family to Little Rock, Ark.

“I also really connect with this play by sharing that ‘fish out of water’ experience that these characters have as the only Jews in this small town of Hamilton, Texas,” she said. “What a uniquely southern Jewish experience, and one I got to live firsthand.”

New Jewish Theatre plans special programs to complement production of ‘The Immigrant’

To honor the play’s subject matter, NJT is working with multiple local groups assisting local immigrants, hoping to bring awareness to current issues facing immigrants and refugees in St. Louis. They include:

• A “needed item” drive in collaboration with the International Institute will take

place throughout the showings.

• On Oct. 4, the Jewish Community Relations Council will host a virtual program at noon. A panel will discuss topics such as immigration resettlement while sharing stories from people who have immigrated to the United States.

• On Oct. 21 after the 4 p.m. performance, a panel discussion will feature members of the Central Reform Congregation Resettlement Chavurah.

• On Oct. 22 after the 2 p.m. performance, members of the Shaare Emeth Congregation Resettlement Group will host a discussion.

• Finally, a welcome neighbor dinner will take place at the J between the 4 and 8 p.m. performances Oct. 28.

New Jewish Theatre Artistic Director Rebekah Scallet

Jewish Women’s Circle announces Spa for the Soul honoree

The Jewish Women’s Circle announced its honoree for the Woman of Valor award, at the 8th annual Spa for the Soul highlight event, to be presented Marianne Chervitz. The award is presented each year to a woman who has proven to be a leader in the community. Stemming from a hymn in the Book of Proverbs, this woman is recognized as an openly giving and compassionate person.

Chervitz started her engagement with the Jewish community as a young mother and volunteered with the Jewish Community Center’s Family Center. When a position opened up, she joined the staff, and in the past 13 years, she has held leadership positions in the Jewish community at the J, Women’s Philanthropy at the Jewish Federation, the Mirowitz Center and the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community

School. As a volunteer, Chervitz has served on the boards of the J, Nishmah, JProStl and her congregation, Shaare Emeth, and held many committee positions at those organizations as well as with Chabad of Chesterfield.

Currently, she works as the senior associate director of advancement for student affairs at Washington University.

“We couldn’t think of a more deserving honoree,” said Chanala Rubenfeld, co-director of Chabad of Chesterfield. “Marianne so generously and graciously gives so much of herself, her time and her creativity to helping create a stronger sense of community, always with a smile.”

The Spa for the Soul event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22 at the AC Marriott Hotel in Chesterfield. The event offers women

Class will explore history of Jewish-Muslim relations

Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh will lead a 10-session Melton School course on “The Star and the Crescent: A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations.” The course takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, starting Oct. 26 and ending Jan. 11 (no class on Nov. 23 or Dec. 28). Classes can be attended in person at Temple Emanuel or online via Zoom.

“The current friction often felt between Muslims and Jews was not always the norm throughout history,” the course description reads. “Following the emergence of Islam, it was far better to be Jewish in a Muslim country than in a Christian one, and often, people of both faiths have found ways to coexist peacefully and productively. In this course, we’ll delve into this history and prior periods of enmity to gain a more nuanced perspective. Over 10 sessions, we’ll examine the commonalities between Jewish and Islamic culture, as well as the sources of tension between these two

monotheistic communities, challenging our assumptions and broadening our understanding.”

The cost of the course is $295. However, those who have taken this class before should contact rabbijanine@testl. org before registering. For those who are taking this class for the first time, register at www.meltonschool.org/st-louis.

Confidential scholarships are available by contacting rabbijanine@testl.org. In addition, a special tuition rate of $50 is available for any full- or part-time professionals working at Jewish organizations, including teachers and staff in St. Louis Jewish preschools, religious schools, day schools and youth groups.

All scholarships and special tuition rates are thanks to the Borow Endowment for Jewish Education and the Libby Needle Memorial Fund, managed by Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Email rabbijanine@testl.org for the coupon codes.

Traditional to offer Hebrew Ulpan classes

Always wanted to learn modern Hebrew? Or brush up on your skills?

Now’s your opportunity. Traditional Congregation will offer an interactive Hebrew Ulpan program for learning to speak, read and understand modern Hebrew, taught by native Israeli Ophira Nitzan Melnick.

Weekly classes will be offered in beginning modern Hebrew (level one and two) as well as intermediate and advanced lev-

els. Classes will be held on Monday or Wednesday evenings, some in person at Traditional in Creve Coeur, some online via Zoom. Fall sessions begin on Oct. 16 and Oct. 18 and will be held for 12 weeks. Tuition is $108/person for the entire session (plus the cost of a textbook). Register at: https://bit.ly/3ZkVShe. For additional information, contact Marian Gordon at traditionalcong@gmail.com or 314-5765230.

an inspiring and transformative experience that blends self-care, introspection and a celebration of the multifaceted identity of the Jewish woman.

The event will include a brunch and dessert buffet as well as workshops covering a range of themes including personal growth, resilience and the profound teachings of Jewish traditions. There will be a “Self-Care Oasis” with spa treatments, guided meditations and inspirations, and rejuvenating sessions.

Lecturer Amanda Spiro will provide a keynote address on “Maintaining Optimism & Finding Inner Strength. A personal tale of hope and inspiration.”

Tickets are available online at: bit.ly/ spa4thesoul. The cost is $65. Sponsorships are available.

NCJW: Annual Couturier event

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3A

like when it comes to knowing how many pieces can fit on a rack and how many racks are needed if she has, say, 300 pieces from one designer (answer: two large circular racks). She and her team also arrange the racks so that signage is easily visible, with Shop Manager Peggy Levin providing video snippets throughout the sale alerting shoppers to where certain merchandise is displayed in the store.

“The Couturier sale is a well-oiled machine,” said Duneman, adding that each year it passes the sales goal of the year before. “We have practices for everything, and organization, well yes, that is key.”

On Monday, Oct. 9, the Resale Shop

will begin its “clear the racks” sale, with all merchandise 20% off, to make way for new Couturier merchandise. On Oct. 10, the discount goes to 30% and continues increasing through Saturday, Oct. 14, with 75% off. On Monday, Oct. 16, every item left in the store will be $1 or less.

The shop will be closed Oct. 17 to prepare for the Couturier, which begins at 1 p.m. Oct. 18 for 50 lucky VIPs who purchased a $75 ticket after they went on sale last month (they sold out in 20 minutes). Shoppers can line up outside the shop at 295 N. Lindbergh Blvd and pay $10 for entry on Oct. 18 between 4 and 8 p.m.

The Couturier sale continues with no entry fee Oct. 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to https://bit.ly/ Couturier2023.

CHESED SHEL EMETH SOCIETY memorial wall

Reserve a spot on the memorial wall located in our new pollinator garden. Each panel can be used to remember or honor the people you cherish.

Marianne Chervitz will receive the Jewish Women’s Circle’s Woman of Valor award at the 8th annual Spa for the Soul event on Oct. 22.

NEWSMAKERS

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

Rabbis Karen and Daniel Bogard, Maharat Rori Picker Neiss and Russel Neiss will receive the Landres Courage for Dignity Award at Keshet’s OUTstanding! 2023 awards gala on Nov. 9 in Boston. Keshet is a national organization that works for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and their families in Jewish life. The awards recognize “champions of change whose leadership strengthens our community and bolster our hope.”

The Bogards founded Camp Indigo Point, a camp for trans, gender-expansive and LGBTQ+ kids that brings together more than 150 campers from 30-plus states for two weeks each summer. They are leaders in an interfaith organization led by Missouri clergy aimed at stopping bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community. The Bogards serve together on the rabbinic team of Central Reform Congregation.

The Neisses are advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Jewish community and against anti-trans legislation in Missouri and across the country. They have testified frequently in Jefferson City and Washington, D.C., together with their 12-year-old son, about the experiences of trans youth and the impact of hateful laws. Their efforts have been featured in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times. Picker Neiss is the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, and Neiss is the senior product engineer at Sefaria. The Neiss family attends Bais Abraham Congregation.

Mendel Rubenfeld, son of Rabbi Avi and Chanala Rubenfeld (Chabad of Chesterfield) became a rabbi by receiving smicha, rabbinical ordination, from Yeshiva Achei Tmimim Lubavitch in Brooklyn. Rabbi Rubenfeld will continue his studies this coming year and will

graduate from Achei Tmimim with a Bachelor of Arts in June 2024.

BelleAnne and Andy Curry will be celebrated as the Bride and Groom of the Torah at Congregation B’nai Amoona on Sunday, Oct. 8 during Simchat Torah services. They were chosen because of the

time and dedication they give to help enhance the music at B’nai Amoona. For example, the Currys lead minyan, chant haftarah and lead Shabbat services. Andy Curry is the composer-in-residence and

TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Rabbis Karen and Daniel Bogard SECOND ROW: Maharat Rori Picker Neiss and Russel Neiss.

ABOVE: Rabbi Mendel Rubenfeld is shown with his parents, Rabbi Avi and Chanala Rubenfeld.

created and leads the in-house band, Harif.

Jennifer Bernstein will join an American Jewish Committee (AJC) task force to help implement the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. The task force will work closely with more than 50 AJC staff members to ensure that the whole-of-society recommendations contained in the plan released by President Biden in May are put into action. Bernstein, a member of B’nai Amoona, is the advocacy manager of NCJWSTL.

Angela Hochman received the Employee of the Year Award from STL TV at its Jewel Awards event. The TV channel is available on the internet at stltv.net, on Charter Digital Cable (channel 992) in the city of St. Louis, or on AT&T U-Verse (Channel 99) in the St. Louis area. Hochman is the host of “In the Kitchen” and “What’s the 314?” A TV host, acting coach and actress, Hochman belongs to Central Reform Congregation.

Jewish Family Services school-based therapist Melani Saito is adding a new title to her role: school-based services supervisor. Since joining JFS six years ago, Saito has provided counseling to children and families at JFS, empowering them to establish healthy relationships and achieve their goals. In her new role, Saito will supervise the team of therapists as they develop into skilled clinicians.

Nava Kantor is one of 32 individuals selected for the fall 2023 cohort of FOCUS St. Louis’ Women in Leadership. The program offers professionals the opportunity to refine their leadership competencies, gain a deeper understanding of the St. Louis region, and connect with women from diverse backgrounds. Kantor is a director with Gladiator Consulting where she works toward a world centered on equity, connection, healing and sustainability. She attends MaTovu.

Harvey Brandvein has joined the board of Memory Care Home Solutions. He is vice president, Business Development U.S. Individual Health at Reinsurance Group of America and a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

The Dorie Sher Gallery opened on Clayton Road in Ladue. It features the artwork of Dorie Sher and Emily Fidell. Sher, a certified medical exercise personal trainer and owner of Gateway Mobility & Fitness

Associates, created the gallery/public painting space for those who minimize their creative abilities but need an escape from everyday stress and anxiety. Fidell is a student at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and her genre of art is abstract realism. The gallery is her first foray in a public showing. Both artists are offering commission pieces and prints of their pieces.

Ellen Soule is the new associate director of advancement for the Sam Fox School of

TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Jennifer Bernstein, Angela Hochman, Melani

SECOND

Design and Visual Arts at Washington University. She is responsible for managing donors and prospective donors for the school and serves as the liaison to the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum in developing strategies to increase membership and dollars raised among Kemper Circle members. Soule was previously the Professional Society and Corporate Partnerships officer for the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. She is a member of Central Reform Congregation.

Saito and Nava Kantor.

ROW: Harvey Brandvein, Dorie Sher, Emily Fidell and Ellen Soule.

BelleAnne and Andy Curry

OPINIONS

SIMCHAT TORAH

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

‘Turn it, turn it, turn it’

BY RABBI BRIGITTE ROSENBERG

This week we joyously celebrate the bounty of our lives during the festival of Sukkot. Even though most of us are not farmers, we think about the cycles of nature and, more specifically, the harvest season.

If we were farmers, while focusing on the harvest at hand, we also would be thinking about the next year, the next growing season, as nature is a never-ending cycle. Farmers and even gardeners look ahead, learning new tricks, gaining new insights, buying new equipment that will help them reap greater benefits from what they sow.

Email

Welcome addition to the Light

Michael Staenberg joining the Board of Directors of the Jewish Light as president is a win-win for all concerned because of his wisdom, work ethic and warmth. I have read the Light for the last 52 years and now know that the Jewish Light’s light will shine ever brighter with him on board.

A grateful reader,

Lois Perryman St. Louis County

Readers respond to story on Jewish history of Mo. town

Bill Motchan’s story on the small town of Louisiana, Mo. leaves out a critical part.

In 1979 our parents moved there to start a family. Both from Jewish families on the east coast, they believed opening the full-time dental office in the small town would be great for a family. They were extremely active in the area: Karen, writing the history book on Pike County (“People, Places, and Pikers”) and working as editor of the local paper. Howard, a full-time dentist, avid as a Rotary and school board member — every week traveling to Quincy, Ill. for temple. They have three kids: myself, Emily and Brian. Howard Greene and wife Doris, grandparents, moved to the town about nine years after our parents and also went on to be very active in the community, too. As a correction, Emily was not the only Jewish family going to elementary and high school there, Brian and I did too! Thanks for highlighting this wonderful town, for a long time it has been great collection of diverse people, and those people contributed to make it a unique and great place to live.

Stuart Schwadron Oak Park, Ill.

We were pleasantly surprised to see this week’s (Sept. 20, 2023) article about the Gates of Peace Cemetery in Louisiana, Mo. Thank you for sharing it with the wider community.

On our way home from a trip up to Missouri Amish country about 10 years ago, we happened to come upon this lonely testament to the Jewish presence along the Mississippi River. Being curious, we parked outside the gate and went to explore the cemetery. Fortunately, the gate was unlocked, and so we gathered stones to pay our respects and make our visit known.

The grounds were obviously tended to at some point, though the overgrowth made accessibility to some graves difficult. As we walked among them, leaving our tributes atop every headstone, we gained a real appreciation for the history of the place and the contributions of Jews

So, too, is it with Torah. At the end of this week, on Simchat Torah, we will finish reading the Torah and start reading, once again, from the beginning. According to our tradition, the Torah reading cycle never really comes to completion. We finish the book of Devarim/Deuteronomy and then immediately reroll the Torah and start Bereshit/Genesis from the very beginning.

Like nature, Torah is a never-ending cycle. By rereading the Torah year in and year out, our tradition teaches that there are always new things to learn.

In Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Ben Bag-Bag said, “Turn it over

A CARTOONIST’S VIEW

beyond St. Louis.

The only problem we have with the article is its sloppy editing. The Light is a Jewish community publication, and it would be expected that a proofreader or editor with knowledge of Hebrew would have the responsibility of ensuring the accuracy of spellings, transliterations and translations. What a shanda it was to see the Hebrew name of the place laid out backwards. And the incorrect transliteration of Sha’arei (gates) to Rodef (pursuit) only added further insult. Please make a greater effort to avoid such embarrassments again.

David and Sara Cohen Maryland Heights

Thanking the rabbi who officiated at interfaith wedding

On Sept. 18, my husband, James, and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary. We got married in a little banquet hall in my hometown and continued the celebration at the Third Degree Glass Factory. Like most brides, I had a vision for my wedding (and a number of Pinterest boards to get me to that vision). As an interfaith couple, it was also important that we had elements reflecting both of our identities and backgrounds. My husband was more than supportive of incorporating any and all of the beloved Jewish wedding traditions into our big day. However, I knew there was one Jewish element I sadly wasn’t able to incorporate — having my rabbi officiate.

Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg serves United Hebrew Congregation and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light.

and over for everything is in it” (Avot 5:22). The text does not change from year to year, but we do, as through living we have gained new insights, experiences and knowledge, and maybe we even have new questions. Just as a farmer or gardener may bring new life to their soil, we bring new life, each year to Torah.

As we enter a new cycle of Torah, may each reading produce new nuggets of wisdom, infuse our lives with marvelous insights and be as sweet as honey in our mouths.

Our Conservative synagogue has always gone above and beyond to make us feel welcomed during services and events. My husband, who was raised Catholic, has no interest in converting, but I am reminded constantly that he does find Jewish spaces — both sacred and social — meaningful and spiritually fulfilling. I could go on all day about how wonderful it is to feel as connected as we do to our community, but I am just as frequently reminded that we are othered in those same spaces.

About two weeks before our anniversary, I read the Jewish Light’s coverage of the Conservative Movement continuing their ban on officiating interfaith weddings. I was taken back to 2016 when I had to reluctantly accept that my Conservative rabbi was not able to marry us and start looking for another. It didn’t take long for us to move forward with Rabbi Randy Fleisher of Central Reform Congregation. The social justice work, community efforts, and interfaith partnerships CRC and Rabbi Randy do have always stuck out in my mind. Additionally, the meetings James and I had with Rabbi Randy leading up to our wedding day were invaluable in preparing us for life as a married couple. We will always be indebted to Rabbi Randy for all he did for us during that time.

But it’s still sad to see the ban hold true seven years later. I have faith that Conservative rabbis will think of creative and lovely ways to engage interfaith couples on all of their life’s journeys, but I still cross my fingers that one day, this ban will be lifted.

Rachel Bray

Hazelwood

The never-ending cycle to Torah continues

By rereading the Torah year in and year, out our tradition teaches that there are always new things to learn.”

CARTOON: STEVE GREENBERG

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Remembering the Yom Kippur War

BY DANIEL S. MARIASCHIN

On that day 50 years ago, I was in the parking lot of my synagogue in Keene, N.H., taking a break from Yom Kippur services. Someone had the car radio on and tuned to the news. I heard that Israel had been the victim of a surprise attack on our holiest day.

Like millions of others, my heart sank.

The news sounded ominous. I worried first for our relatives who lived on a kibbutz in the Jordan Valley, not far from the Syrian border. As the news dispatches came in, it only got worse. The existential threat to the Jewish state was coming from both north and south.

At the time, I was working at the Jewish Community Council of Boston, my first job out of graduate school. Among my assignments were Israel and Middle East issues, which I followed as closely as possible in those pre-internet days. As the news continued to arrive, the question was how this could be happening when, following the miraculous victory over Israel’s Arab neighbors only six years before, the Jewish state had seemed invincible.

Back at my desk after Yom Kippur, I was invited to be a member of a war task force, which met each morning in the conference room at the headquarters of the Jewish Federation in Boston. The group was a mix of community leaders, organization professionals, academics and students.

At the conclusion of the war, we were joined by Benjamin Netanyahu, Uzi Landau (later, a longtime Knesset member and cabinet minister) and Yossi Riemer (who became an executive in the Israeli food industry). They had returned from serving in the war to work on graduate degrees at MIT. They formed a pop-up think tank, producing background papers and issue analyses that were delivered— before breakfast—to the front doors of the news media and opinion-makers in the

Boston area.

In the midst of the war, I would return to spend weekends with my parents in New Hampshire. Sometime during Sukkot, we returned from synagogue, and I went to get the mail. Among the letters was a familiar green and white aerogram from our cousin Chaya at Kibbutz Beit Zera. I had a feeling the news would not be good.

It wasn’t. Her 22-year-old son Boaz had been killed on the third day of the war in an armored personnel carrier on the Golan Heights. It was a terrible blow to the family and symbolic of the dread we all felt in the first weeks of the fighting.

Meanwhile, the task force in Boston worked tirelessly until December on the hasbara (communications strategy) front. The daily breakfast meetings produced detailed discussions about the impact of the war on the ground, as well as the inter-

national diplomacy then underway in Washington, Jerusalem, Cairo, Amman and Damascus. The lessons learned about “getting the word out” early and often would serve us well in the years and decades to come.

Daniel S. Mariaschin is the International CEO of B’nai B’rith. His commentary was distributed by Jewish News Syndicate (JNS. org).

Ultimately Israel’s fortunes brightened with the American airlift of arms to the IDF. Then Ariel Sharon’s forces crossed the Suez Canal on Oct. 16, 1973, and encircled the Egyptian Third Army. By Oct. 25, the war was mostly over. The human cost in dead and wounded over those fateful weeks was tremendous, but the victory was Israel’s.

Still, the trauma of the war stayed with us for years. Yehoram Gaon’s achingly moving song, “Ani Mavtiach Lach,” with its line “I promise you, this will be the last war,” still reverberates in my ears. It was written during the war and sung to soldiers in the field. The recent release of the motion picture “Golda” on the 50th anniversary of the war reminds us, in a compelling way, of the stressful weeks when modern Israel’s future hung in the balance.

Only four years after the Yom Kippur War ended, Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat was greeted at Lod Airport by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and his entire cabinet. Only after Sadat addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem did the cloud of October 1973 begin to lift. We thought better days might indeed be possible.

The peace treaty with Egypt signed on the White House lawn in 1978, the subsequent treaty with Jordan and the agreements with the Abraham Accords countries have pointed the way towards what we hope will become a region of peace and stability. This was a goal we never thought was achievable in those dark days of October 1973. The 50 years since have not been without war and terror. Still, the effort to achieve peace between Israel and its neighbors has met with not insignificant success. Is Israel-Saudi normalization next?

A half-century has passed quickly since the Yom Kippur War, but the painful memories linger. May we soon see the realization of “Ani Mavtiach Lach”—“This will be the last war.”

Crown Heights visit offers lessons in living for us all

BY MARTY ROCHESTER

You may recall that New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently said that “the migrant crisis will destroy the city,” given the wave of illegal immigrants now descending upon the city and the millions of dollars being diverted to shelter, feed, educate and care for them.

Having spent a couple weeks in New York City last month, I can report that it is alive and well, especially Crown Heights in Brooklyn where I spent the bulk of my time. If you have never been to Crown Heights, the epicenter of the Lubavitch Hasidic sect, it is reminiscent of a 19th-century European shetl, dominated by men with black hats and beards and women dressed modestly in full-length clothing (even in summer) pushing baby carriages.

The visage of the Rebbe, the late Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, the patriarch of the religious order, is everywhere.

I was visiting my Lubavitch son and his family as they were celebrating the engagement of my eldest grandchild, Leah, who will be married in November. I was exposed to a number of rituals that are worth commenting on, partly because they probably would be considered somewhat strange to the average person, including the average Jew, and partly because they arguably represent positive alternatives to our current cultural norms.

Leah, who is 20 years old, returned in June to Brooklyn after spending two years at a seminary in Israel. No sooner did she

arrive home than she started “dating” a guy named Schloime. One must understand that, as is typical in Lubavitchville, Leah had never dated anyone in her life or socialized in any way with the opposite sex because boys and girls are commonly separated in schools and other venues. Now that she had reached what was considered marital age, the “marital clock” had begun.

The normal routine is to be fixed up with a potential mate through a matchmaker who gathers information on the couple’s compatibility and then facilitates their continued dating by checking out whether both wish to continue seeing each other. The couple are careful to meet in public places with no direct physical contact. As happened in Leah’s case, it can take fewer than a dozen dates for a couple to decide to become engaged.

But the engagement was not official until the two families met at the Ohel, the cemetery on Long Island where the Rebbe is buried and prayed for a blessed marriage by scribbling a note on a piece of paper, tearing the paper and throwing it into the Rebbe’s crypt.

Only then were Leah, the oldest of seven children, and Schloime, the youngest of nine, engaged.

The following evening, they held a L’Chaim, a boisterous, lively party where hundreds of relatives and friends helped celebrate their pending nuptials.

I should note that Schloime is a product of the same local yeshiva schools that my own grandkids have attended. There are

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

legitimate questions that can be raised about whether the boys receive adequate secular education, but there is no question that the schools are exceptionally rigorous and demanding. My grandsons Mendy and Sholom attend school from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. daily, including Sunday, with only Saturday and a half-day Friday off. This is a grueling schedule, one that runs counter to trends in public schools today where, increasingly, homework and other requirements are being relaxed.

I found Schloime to be a truly wonderful, decent, down-to-earth young man, not surprising given the strong values taught in Lubavitch households and schools. Mendy, for example, spent the entire Rosh Hashanah weekend at Allenwood prison, a high security federal penitentiary in Pennsylvania, where he and classmates led religious services for two dozen Jewish and non-Jewish inmates, including some serving life sentences.

Of course, much of life in Crown Heights

revolves around Shabbos: buying Shabbos table bouquets at street corner flower stands; purchasing kugels and other delicacies at places such as Dovid Malka, a local caterer; lighting Shabbos candles and attending services; and serving meals to large gatherings. Who said the nuclear family is a thing of the past?

There is an incredibly strong sense of community in Crown Heights. Much of my son’s neighborhood shares the naches surrounding Leah’s and Schloime’s engagement. There is relatively little class consciousness, with Jews living alongside West Indians and African Americans. My son, a bankruptcy lawyer, lives next door to a lovely 80-year-old Black woman and across the street from Section 8 housing, whose Lubavitch occupants attend the same school and are in the same carpool as my grandsons Yossi and Eli.

I should add that I did take the subway into Manhattan to visit my son’s office in midtown. While walking I did not see a single homeless person or migrant, although no doubt many are to be found in other parts of the city. In any case, I can confirm that New York City is not close to death.

Crown Heights, in particular, seems to be as vibrant as ever, with families celebrating Shabbos and the strong ties that bind the community together. As with most faiths, Lubavitchers are not perfect (e.g., there is an element of sexism in some practices). But at a time when we hear constantly of alienation and stress throughout society, there is much we can all learn from them.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan (left) with injured field commander and war strategist Ariel Sharon (center) during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. PHOTO: THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES ARCHIVE PIKIWIKI ISRAEL/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

OBITUARIES

MELFORD “MEL” BERNS, September 21, 2023

Beloved husband of Suzan Rae Berns for 56 years.  Dear father of Julie Lipson and the late Sherry and Rebecca “Becky” Berns.  Loving grandfather of Tyler and Tanner Lipson.  Beloved brother of Aileen (Jimmy) Tucker and the late Robert “Bob” Berns.  Dear brother-in-law of Joie (Michael) Greenstein and Stanley (Judy) Plocker.  Beloved son of the late Charles and Ethel Berns.  Our dear uncle, cousin and friend.

A graveside service was held Sunday, September 24 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road.  Contributions in his memory may be made to Children’s Tumor Foundation, Mail Code: 6895, P.O. Box 7247, Philadelphia, PA 19170.

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SAMUEL BERNSTEIN, PHD, February 1, 1928

– September 16, 2023

Beloved father of Lee (Elise) Bernstein, Mark (Barbara) Bernstein, and Bruce (Jill) Bernstein; brother of Dolores (Saul) Davis; grandfather of Rachel (Sam) Kallison, Daniel (Emily) Bernstein, Elissa (Josh) Bernstein Usem, Stacy Bernstein, Jordan Bernstein, and Scott (Rachael) Bernstein; great grandfather of Jonah Kallison, Brandon Kallison, Lena Bernstein, and Ari Bernstein; stepfather of Carole Goodman and Kaywin Goodman. Preceded in death by Ruth Lebowitz Bernstein, Ellen Goodman Bernstein, and Barbara Rosenberg Bernstein.

Sam was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, lived briefly in Chicago, and moved to Saint Louis in 1960. He served both in the Marine Corps and in the Army Reserves. He earned his bachelor degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his PhD from Southern Illinois University. He spent his career working as an executive admin-istrator for notfor-profit social service organizations including B’nai Brith, Jewish Employment & Vocational

Service, the Human Development Corporation, the St. Louis County Juvenile Court, and Metropolitan Employment and Rehabilitation Services. Later in his career he worked as a vocational expert witness.

Sam was gregarious and held friendships with many (including those whose politics were opposite of his); he was a regular for many years at a Saturday morning gathering in Bonita Springs, Florida. In his youth he was an avid runner competing in multiple marathons.

To his last days, Sam remained positive and responded to most inquiries with “I’m OK”. He never wanted to be a burden.

He will be missed by his family and friends.

Semper Fi!

A celebration of Sam’s life will be held at a future date. Tribute donations should be directed to Goodwill/MERS or the Urban League

CAROL ANN (KADUSHIN) BLUME, 75, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on September 21, 2023, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. She was born on June 29, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, to Ella Eisen and the late Alvin Kadushin.

Carol Ann Blume is survived by her loving daughter, Michelle Blume, and her devoted son, Robert Blume. She is also survived by her mother, Ella Eisen, her sister Nancy Hantler (Charles), her brother James Kadushin (Cathryn), her nieces Jennifer Barfield and Diane Ricker (Jacob), her nephews Michael Hantler (Tali), Benjamin Hantler, and Daniel Kadushin (Rachel), as well as five great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Alvin Kadushin.

Carol had a remarkable life filled with accomplishments and dedication to her family and profession. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1970, Carol taught at North Farmington High School, where she had also been a student. Following her passion for

OBITUARIES INDEX

Berns, Melford Bernstein, Samuel Blume, Carol Ann Bornstein, Alex

Brasch, Rosalie Brown, Robert Cohen, Dennis Dobinsky, Ray

journalism, Carol moved to Washington DC and joined National Public Radio as a producer for the early version of All Things Considered. Seeking new challenges, she later established her independent news bureau called Capital Broadcast News which provided news clips to numerous television stations across the nation.

Driven by her desire to help those in need, Carol decided to become an attorney. She obtained her J.D. from Catholic University in Washington, DC and focused her practice on public defense. Carol provided legal services to destitute individuals who were unable to afford an attorney.

Despite her successful career, Carol considered her most significant achievement to be raising  her two children, Michelle and Robert. As a single parent, she dedicated herself to ensuring their happiness and success.

Carol will be remembered for her strength, independence, and unwavering dedication to her family and the pursuit of justice. Her legacy will continue to inspire and resonate with those who had the privilege of knowing her.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, September 26 at Berger Memorial Chapel, 9430 Olive Blvd, followed by interment at B’nai Amoona Cemetery. Visit bergermemorialchapel. com for more information.

Donations are encouraged to: Hydrocephalus Association, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 905, Bethesda, MD 20814-4447 (hydroassoc. org), the Jewish Federation, or to the charity of your choice. Berger Memorial Service

ALEX BORNSTEIN, September 22, 2023

Alex was born on August 27, 1950, in St. Louis, Missouri, to the late Ely and Dena Bornstein.

Alex was preceded in death by his beloved brother, Michael Burns Bornstein.

Alex is survived by his partner of many years, Susannah Fuchs; children: Andrew (Megan) Bornstein, Marion Bornstein, Douglas Fuchs, and Jonathan Fuchs; grandchildren: Eleanor Bornstein and Lillian Bornstein; sister Mindy (Alan) Berkowitz; nephews: Benjamin Avi Berkowitz (Emma Sham-Ba Ayalon) and Jacob Elior Berkowitz (Anya Liad).

Alex loved to swim. He also enjoyed listening to music and collecting stereo equipment. Alex was a talented gardener and loved chocolate, art, and photography. He was also a proud member of the ‘Goofballs’.

For many years, Alex was a social worker and therapist. He also served as a board member for Earth Day International, Clayton Parks and Recreation Commission and Missouri Inventors Association. He was proud to be the founder of the EarthWays Home and Matrix Alternative High School, and author of Tao Te Teen.

Per his wishes, Alex was donated to Logan University in Chesterfield, Missouri to help the advancement of medicine and education.

All services for Alex will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider making a donation in Alex’s name to the EarthWays Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri.

ROSALIE BRASCH, September 4, 2023

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Rosalie Brasch on September 4, 2023 at home with family.

Rosalie was born on January 31, 1930, in St. Louis, the youngest child of three. Her parents were Meyer and Etta Klayman, and her siblings were Lois and Martin. She was the adored little sister and everyone called her “Tootsie”. Their home was full of family – her uncles lived with them and they hosted a teenage Polish refugee during the war.

Rosalie married David Gers on November 27, 1949, and remained so until his untimely death in 1964. They had two daughters, Ivy and Hollie. As

Galor, Dorit Haspiel, Franklin Kram, Estelle Ann Pearl, Robert A.

Robbins, Irving Towerman, Stanford

a young widow, single mother and breadwinner Rosalie completed her bachelor’s degree in Early Education at UMSL while working as a private secretary.

Rosalie was re-married on September 4, 1968, to Jerome Brasch, who pre-deceased her in 2020. Rosalie gave much of her time to not-forprofit organizations including:

Channel 9, St. Louis Public Radio, Reading is Fundamental, Shriner’s Hospital, OASIS, The JCA, Jewish Federation, The Brodsky Library, The St. Louis Holocaust Museum, MO History Museum, United Hebrew Congregation, The Jewish Book Festival, St. Louis County Juvenile Detention Advocacy, Bnai Brith, Hadassah, Craig School and Delmar Harvard School.

The rest of her time was devoted to her family and friends.

She is survived by daughters Ivy Gers Chrisler and Hollie Smith (Michael), grandchildren Courtney Chrisler (Steve Malter), Erin Chrisler Bonner (Nathaniel), Joshua Chrisler, Ariel Furst (Tim Mui), David Furst (Sami) and Elliott Chrisler, and great-granddaughter Anya Furst. A graveside service was held Sunday September 10 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Rd. 63124. Memorial contributions preferred to a charity of your choice. Visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

ROBERT JACK BROWN, July 5, 1934

- September 23, 2023

Beloved husband of Roberta

“Bobbie” (Levin) Brown. Dear father of Craig (Kristi) Brown, Pam (Craig) Bohon and Cindy (Dan) Heymann. Loving grandfather of eight and great-grandfather of six.  Beloved brother of the late Al (Ruth) Brown and the late Jerry (Pam) Brown.  Dear uncle, cousin and friend.

Bob was born in 1934 to Sam and Rose Brown and grew up in St. Louis, MO. He attended Soldan - Blewett High School where he met the love of his life, Bobbie, and they married in 1955. Bob studied mechanical engineering at Washington University. He served in the Coast Guard. He worked his entire career for HandiCraft Company and his job took the family to Bonne Terre where they lived for 35 years. Upon retirement, Bob and Bobbie returned to St. Louis. Bob was an entrepreneur and co-inventor of Dr. Brown’s Baby Bottle.

A graveside service was held Wednesday, September 27 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road. Contributions in Bob’s memory may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association-Missouri Chapter, 16100 Chesterfield Parkway W, Suite 125, Chesterfield, MO 63017 (www.apdaparkinson.org); or The Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Avenue, St.. Louis, MO 63110 (www.hsmo.org).

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DENNIS E. COHEN, September 17, 2023

Beloved husband of the late Sharon Cohen; dear father and father-in-law of the late Todd Cohen, Lindsay Cohen (David) Schneider and Chad (Bridget) Cohen; dear grandfather of Charlotte Cohen and Gabrielle Schneider; brother and brotherin-law of Marlene (Sheldon) Kane, Lorie Jacobson and Stuart (Marcia) Shanker; Special companion to Beverlee Slaton.

Funeral service

Thursday, September 21, 11 AM at United Hebrew Congregation.

13788 Conway Rd. 63141. Visitation from 10:30 until the time of the service. Interment follows at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Rd. Memorial contributions preferred to the Jewish War Veterans Heritage Post 644 Chuck Sandroff Scholarship Fund (jwvstl.org) or a charity of your choice. Visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com for more information.

Berger Memorial Service

RAY FRANK DOBINSKY passed away on August 24, 2023 in West Palm Beach, FL after a short illness.

Ray grew up in University City and graduated from University City High School.  She had many lifelong friends, some since elementary school.  Ray was very active in the volunteer community in St. Louis as a lifelong member of Temple Emanuel, a life member of NCJW St. Louis, and very active at Grace Hill Settlement House and Tappmeyer House in Creve Coeur.  She was a Master Duplicate Bridge player, and along with her husband Paul, would play with their long standing bridge group.

Ray cherished her family, her daughter Cathy (David) Einhorn, and her grandchildren Andrew (Jamie) Meyer and Margie Meyer, as well as her great grandson, Tobey Meyer.  She was the daughter of the late Maurice Frank and Selma Pachter Frank.

There will be a private memorial service at the graveside. Contributions may be made to NCJW St. Louis, 295 Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63141 or to Temple Emanuel, 12166 Conway Road, St. Louis, MO, 63141.

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DORIT GALOR, September 23, 2023

The core and foundation of our family, Dorit Galor, beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 on September 23, 2023. She was, until the very end, a confidante, cheerleader and guiding light for her children, Orit, Daniel and Aviva, their partners, Gideon and Helen, her grandchildren, Talya, Danny, Doron, Adam, Rebecca and Alex, their partners, Ashley, Stephen and Maddy and her great grandchildren, Ella and Milo.

Dorit was born in St. Louis, the youngest of her parents’ four children, on May 10, 1927. She inherited from her father, Leon Lander, a profound devotion to Jewish education and a deep love of the State of Israel. In November 1947, at the age of twenty, she made Aliyah. Dorit was living in Jerusalem during the siege of the city and the Israeli War of Independence. In 1955 she moved back to St. Louis with her husband, Shaul, where their three children were born.

In St. Louis Dorit immersed herself in the vibrant Jewish education community. Her love of the Hebrew language made her an inspired and inspiring teacher and her students ranged from kindergartners through seniors. She was recognized for excellence in teaching, and continued to teach with enthusiasm and creativity well into her 70’s.

Dorit’s life-long love of learning drove her to return to school to complete a masters degree in education and a degree in computer science. She also studied the texts of the Bible, the prayer books, and the Prophets with Rabbis throughout her adult life and at the age of 76 studied to be able to chant a Haftorah portion for a late-life Bat Mitzvah, something that was not available to girls when she was growing up. Dorit fought the status quo at Shaare Zedek synagogue and helped win the right for women to be counted in the morning Minyan which she began attending in order to say Kaddish when her father passed away.

Dorit was dedicated to women’s rights and civil rights but also took great pleasure in the simple things in life. She cherished time with her family, made friends wherever she went, loved a glass of wine and the daily crossword (and later, the daily Wordle), and took home a fresh stack of books from the library each week. She leaves a beautiful legacy which will live on in her family, and in all those who knew her.

Memorial donations can be made to St. Louis Meals on Wheels.

FRANKLIN HASPIEL, May 8, 1927 - September 24, 2023

Born in St. Louis, Frank was the son of the late Hyman and Ceil Haspiel; Loving husband of 63 years to the late Rachel Haspiel; Father of Joseph (Elizabeth) Haspiel and Aaron Haspiel; Grandfather of Sarah (Jonathan) Novack and Jacob (Carly Thanhouser) Haspiel; Great grandfather of Ari and Hannah Haspiel and Benjamin Novack; Brother to the late George Haspiel; Brother-in-law to Tobi Don and Dr. Irl (Carol) Don; Dear cousin, uncle, friend, and teacher of many.

Frank was a proud 1945 graduate of Soldan High School, Band leader of the Soldan Solid Senders high school jazz band, a Navy Veteran, he received an AB and MA in music education from Washington University. He was the band director at Pattonville High School for 30 years and gave private trumpet lessons to countless students.

His retirement was spent traveling the world with Rachel, discovering a love of painting and continuing to compose music for students. His final years were happily spent at The Brentmoor Retirement Community renewing old and forging new friendships.

Frank will be remembered for inspiring his passion for music in others.

His was a long life, well lived. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Graveside services were held Wednesday, September 27 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Rd., 63124.  Memorial contributions may be made to either Congregation Kol Rinah https://www. kolrinahstl.org/ or The St. Louis Artists Guild https://www.stlouisartistsguild.org/donations-1

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

ESTELLE ANN (ROUTMAN) KRAM passed away September 23, 2023. She would have been 94 years old on October 18. She was preceded in death in 2020 by her husband of 69 years, Morris Kram. She will be greatly missed by her children Sandy (Albert Croft) Weinstock, Dr. Kenneth (Marcia) Kram, Barbara Virgil and Randy Virgil (husband, deceased) and special daughter-inlaw Carol (Rick) Grosz.

Grandma was loved by her grandchildren Justin Ross, David Kram, Adam Kram (deceased), Emily Kram, Elizabeth Virgil and Stryker Virgil, as well as her greatgrandchildren Layla Kram and Brayden Kram.

Estelle was born and raised in St. Louis on October 18, 1929. She valued her husband, children, and grandchildren above everything and relished in making a Kosher home and childrearing.

She was a wonderful cook, and nothing gave her more pleasure than cooking family meals for the whole gang. Her daughter Sandy is lucky enough to be the recipient of her cooking knowledge and recipes.

Estelle took great pride in her family’s longstanding membership and participation at Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Synagogue. Estelle also enjoyed mah-jong, and shopping.

The family is forever grateful to and would like to thank Emily Wohlschlaeger, her caregiver for the past three years, who treated and took care of Estelle with the utmost love and care.

In recent years, she recovered from a broken hip and a broken knee. She was never the same after the passing of her husband and spoke of him daily, missing him beyond measure. She is finally at peace with him. We love you very much and will miss you forever.

Graveside services were held Wednesday, September 27 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road, 63017.  Memorial contributions preferred to Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Synagogue.  Please visit bergermemorialchapel.comfor more information.

Berger Memorial Service

ROBERT A. “BOB” PEARL, September 21, 2023

Beloved husband of Marti Pearl for 36 years. Loving father of Scott Michael (Lisa) Pearl, Barry (Tara) Pearl, the late Stephen Edward Pearl, and loving step-father of Matthew (Rebecca) Gober. Cherished grandfather of Zach, Riley, Jacob and Olivia Pearl and Levi and Jesse Gober. Dear brother of Rick S. Pearl. Best friend of Rick (Sharon) Safron. Beloved son of the late Lester and Anita Pearl. Our dear uncle, brother-in-law, cousin and friend to many.

Bob was born and raised in St. Louis. He graduated from Ladue High School and was a graduate of the University of Missouri in Columbia. He had three loves, family, the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Jewish community. Bob and Marti shared season tickets for many years with their best friends, Rick and Sharon. He was also an avid St. Louis Rams fan, seldom missing a game to cheer them on. Bob also enjoyed cruising in his Corvette and later in life his Mustang. He was a quiet man except when an opportunity arose that he could talk and brag about his six amazing grandchildren. He was so proud of each and every one of them.

He devoted his life to serving the Jewish community and later as a CFO of Community Living in St. Charles. He will be missed by those fortunate enough to have known him.

Private graveside services were held. Contributions in Robert’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 (https://donate.cancer. org).

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

IRVING LEWIS ROBBINS died peacefully at the age of 96 at his home in Houston on Sept. 7. A Houstonian since 1968, he was devoted to his family and community service, showing genuine kindness that made him the true embodiment of the phrase “never met a stranger.”

Irv was born July 8, 1927, in St. Louis, Mo., the son of Mark and Zelda Robbins, and grew up in St. Louis and Granite City, Ill. He graduated from Granite City High School and enrolled at the University of Illinois, but his time there was cut short by World War II. He enlisted in the Navy and served his country in both World War II and the Korean War as a medical corpsman. After his military service, Irv graduated from Washington University, lettering as a member of the track team. In 1951, he married the love of his life, Louise Stampfer Robbins, and they would be together for 57 years until her death in 2009. Irv had a career in the jewelry business that spanned more than 50 years. It started in his family’s jewelry stores in the St. Louis area and eventually led him to join the Gordon Jewelry Corp. in Houston. With Gordon’s, he rose to a position as a corporate vice president.

Irv was an active member of the Houston

Congregation for Reform Judaism and served as congregation president. In retirement, he became an avid gardener. He regularly shared the bounty of his vegetable garden with friends and neighbors and gave much of his time to Houston’s Urban Harvest organization. He was honored multiple times by Urban Harvest for his efforts to start and maintain community gardens. He also was honored by the Spring Branch Education Association for outstanding service to public education as a result of his work with the garden at Cedar Brook Elementary School.

In addition to his wife, Irv was preceded in death by his beloved sister-in-law Sue Marcus and sister Lynn DeGroote. He was a loving fixture in the lives of his children Danny (Liz) Robbins, Cliff (Margie) Robbins and Patti (Kerry) Furman; a devoted grandfather to Tom (Gabrielle) Robbins and Bug Robbins, Matthew Furman and Jack (Alissa) Furman and Caroline Robbins, and an adoring great grandfather to Margot Elizabeth Robbins and Olive Georgia Robbins. He also was a special uncle to nieces and nephews Betsy Cohen, Douglas Heller, Fred Heller, Stan DeGroote Jr. and Carol Elkind. The family would like to extend the warmest thanks to caregivers Lucy Marin and Patricia Ekhuemelo. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Urban Harvest (www.urbanharvest. org) or the Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism. A memorial service and celebration of Irv’s life were held on Friday, Sept. 29, at Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism, 801 Bering Dr.

STANFORD BERNARD TOWERMAN, October 2, 2023

Beloved husband of the late Elaine Towerman; life partner of Arlene Goodman; dear father and father-in-law of Craig Towerman (the late Karen), Michael Towerman (Barbara) and Robyn Weiss (Dr. Michael); dear grandfather of Lauren Durrigan (Cassidy), Jill Cooper (Gary), Matthew Towerman (Amanda), Alison (loving companion, Brent Goldstein) and Katelyn Towerman (Jonathan Stern, fiancé), Ariella Glazer (Moshe), Tzipporah Sterns (Milech), Yisroel Weiss, and Nechama Spiro (Yossi); greatgrandfather (11), dear uncle, cousin and friend. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 4th, 10:30 AM at United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Road at Woods Mill. No visitation prior to service. Interment at United Hebrew Cemetery. Visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information.

Donations may be made to The Towerman Family Scholarship Fund For Youth Education at United Hebrew Congregation, to the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, or to Greater St. Louis Honor Flight Berger Memorial Service

American Flag symbol denotes a United States military veteran.

FEATURES

ARTS AND CULTURE FOOD HOLIDAYS LIFESTYLES

Hot dogs and Hall of Famers: Memories of Sportsman’s Park

to remember attending Cardinals games at Sportsman’s Park have particularly vivid memories of small details from games they attended nearly 60 years ago.

BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Exactly four months after my bar mitzvah, my dad took me to see the Cardinals lose to the San Francisco Giants in the final game played at Sportsman’s Park.

It was May 8, 1966, a sunny Thursday afternoon, and I witnessed Willie Mays hit a home run for the Giants in a game that featured three other future Hall of Famers on the field: the Cardinals’ Lou Brock and the Giants’ Orlando Cepeda and Willie McCovey. Pitchers Juan Marichal of the Giants and Bob Gibson of the Cardinals, two more future HOF inductees, didn’t play that day.

Four days later, the team moved to their new downtown home at Busch Memorial Stadium.

What I remember most was the smell of hot dogs. The aroma is special at a ballpark, especially a creaky old place like Sportsman’s Park. The ballpark was renamed Busch Stadium in 1953, the last year the Cardinals shared time there with the American League’s St. Louis Browns, who became the Baltimore Orioles in 1954.

The 2023 Cardinals team finished the season in last place in the Central Division, a rarity that bewilders St. Louis fans, many of whom can recite player stats and trivia from decades past. The lack of October baseball this year doesn’t alter the fact that the Cardinals have won 11 World Series titles — in three different ballparks. One of those was Sportsman’s Park.

So, we decided that as this disappointing season has wrapped up, we would take

look back at a part of St. Louis baseball history — Sportsman’s Park — and explore longtime fans’ memories of attending games decades ago.

Historic ballparks from that era are now down to just a pair: Wrigley Field in Chicago and Fenway Park in Boston. Visits to those ballparks frequently appear on the bucket lists of diehard baseball fans like Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham, senior rabbi at Congregation B’nai Amoona.

“There is something about the classic parks that gives you the sense of the history of the game and nostalgia as well,” Abraham said. “As a Yankees fan, while I can’t stand the Red Sox, seeing a game at Fenway Park just brings that feeling together of connecting the generations of baseball fans, l’dor va’dor, as we say in Judaism.”

Aaron, Clemente, Maris, Mays and Musial

In 1882, Sportsman’s Park, located at Grand Avenue and Dodier Street, became the first home of the St. Louis Brown

Stockings. The team changed its name to the Cardinals in 1900. They relocated down the street to Robison Field and, in 1920, moved back to Sportsman’s Park. Jewish St. Louisans who are old enough

Sam Goldstein, 71: “The main things I remember were two games. One was very unique. On Aug. 18, 1965, Hank Aaron hit a home run, but (Cardinals catcher) Bob Uecker said Aaron jumped out in front of the plate, so the umpire disallowed the homer. The other game was Aug. 7, 1965, when Willie Mays hit two home runs.”

Terry Taryle, 70: “I remember sitting in the upper deck. Stan Musial was playing left field. We kept yelling at him, and he eventually tipped his cap to us and we thought we were in seventh heaven.”

Joel Katz, 71: “My best memory was watching Maris and Mantle goof around right in front of us before the game playing catch, poking each other and waving up to all of us. Later that afternoon, both of them hit huge home runs over our right field grandstand.”

Johnny Goldstein, 75: “I remember seeing Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays

See SEASONS PAST on page 4B

As rough season for Cardinals fans comes to a close, here’s a look back at a different era in St. Louis baseball history

An undated photo of the exterior of Sportsman’s Park.

Dennis Brodsky said he went to Sportsman’s Park on Sunday afternoons with his grandfather, sitting in the $1 bleacher seats.

PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN

The former site of Sportsman’s Park — now part of the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club — pays homage to its baseball history.

Sam Goldstein

Terry Taryle

A Simchat Torah tradition: Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

BY ITTA WERDIGER-ROTH THE NOSHER VIA JTA

This story was originally published on The Nosher (online at thenosher.com).

Stuffed cabbage rolls are a traditional Simchat Torah food because two of the little rolls side by side look like a Torah scroll. Even if your cabbage rolls come out in various sizes, you can place a big roll next to a small roll, and together they’ll look just like a Torah at the end of the year, scrolled all the way to the end of Deuteronomy.

Like soup, stuffed cabbage rolls taste just as good (if not better) the next day. So this recipe can be made before Shemini Atzeret begins, and it will be delicious for Simchat Torah. It also freezes well, so it can be made well in advance.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

INGREDIENTS

1 sprig fresh rosemary plus 1 teaspoon

minced rosemary

3 sprigs fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon

minced thyme

4 large ripe plum tomatoes or 3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes

2 ½ cups water

3 cloves garlic

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup red wine (sweet or dry, your preference)

salt and pepper to taste

1 6oz can tomato paste

2 eggs

4 yellow onions

1 green cabbage, leaves intact

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For families that have a tradition to eat dinner after hakafot, like mine, cabbage rolls are great soul food to come home to after a raucous night of dancing. When you stumble through the door at midnight, what could be better than finding cabbage rolls simmering away and swimming in a rich tomato sauce?

2 lbs ground beef

1 cup short grain brown rice

4 Tablespoons grape seed oil

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DIRECTIONS

Make the Filling

Place the rice and 1 3/4 cups of water in a saucepan. When the water boils reduce the heat to medium and cook the rice until all the water has been absorbed. Al dente is ideal.

Meanwhile, mince the onions and saute in grape seed oil in a large heavy-bottomed, ovenproof pot until soft.

In a large bowl, combine half the sauteed onion with the ground beef, eggs, rice, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste, minced thyme and rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix with your hands until all ingredients are fully combined.

Prepare & Stuff the Leaves

$100*

Make the Sauce

on select styles

March 12–June 20, 2022

Remove the first few outer leaves of the cabbage, then place the entire cabbage in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Let boil for 10 minutes to loosen the leaves. (Alternatively, you can put the cabbage in the freezer for three days prior to beginning the dish, which also loosens its leaves.)

Remove the cabbage from the pot and start peeling off leaves, making sure not to tear them. Be careful not to burn yourself from the steam! If you’re having trouble removing leaves without tearing them, put the cabbage back in the pot and boil for another 5-10 minutes to loosen the leaves even more.

Once the soft leaves and filling are both ready to go, start placing spoonfuls of the filling inside each cabbage leaf. Roll each leaf up like a burrito, carefully tucking in the sides of the cabbage as you go. As each roll is finished, set it aside. Preheat the oven to 300 F.

Peel the garlic cloves, slice thinly, and add them to the pot with the second half of the cooked onions. Cube the fresh tomatoes and saute them with the garlic and onions for a few minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, and the rest of the tomato paste. Add the sprigs of thyme and rosemary, lots of freshly cracked pepper, and a bit of salt. Finally, add the wine.

Place the cabbage rolls one at a time in the pot of sauce, making sure all the rolls are completely covered in sauce. You can certainly add some water to make the sauce go further to cover all. Put the lid on and place in the oven. Cook for at least 3.5 hours, and up to 8.

On Simchat Torah eve, you can put your cabbage rolls in the oven, then go to shul, then another shul, and dance for hours knowing that your cabbage rolls are not drying out. Au contraire! They are simply improving.

STRIKING THE PERFECT BALANCE: JOIN US AT THE 'BETTER BALANCE TALK.

DR BETH TEMPLIN PT DPT GCS GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST

loved one has l within the last probably already ering it can be

Once you fall, your whole world changes Where you once felt comfortable and confident, you now start to doubt your abilities To avoid having another fall, you start to give up the things you love to do

When this happens, you become less mobile, and your strength and independenc e start to decline You begin to lose your confidence and everyday tasks such as going out to the grocery store can become too much to handle

If you or a loved one are caught in this downward spiral, you’re not alone There are ways to take control of your balance and regain your active lifestyle, again

Even though it s normal to experience some declines as you age, it is NOT normal to lose your balance and fall Fortunately, no matter what your age, physical therapy can help to improve your balance and make you more steady on your feet

If you're ready to live a life without the fear of falling, we can help Our Physical Therapy Team has helped hundreds of people right here in St Louis improve their balance and get back to doing the things they love

Unsure if Physical Therapy can actually help you to improve your balance? Then I invite you to attend our upcoming FREE Community Talk Better Balance"

During This Workshop You'll Learn:

Why people think falling is a "normal" part aging, when it's not

What you can do to decrease your risk of a fall right away

The 4 phases of the falling cycle

How to decrease your risk of injury with a fall

The top 6 balance exercises you can do at home Consequences of not being able to get up from the floor

When: Friday, October 13th at 2:30pm

Where: 3809 Lemay Ferry Rd, 63125

*Attend in-person or join us online from your home Call (314) 939-1377 to register Space is limited

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Look what Taylor made me do: Watch football

BY AMY FENSTER BROWN

I cannot stop watching football lately, but it’s only for one reason. Taylor Swift and her new boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce.

My husband recently overheard me playing a game clip on the computer and said, “Are we watching football now?” I answered “No, we’re watching Taylor Swift.”

The multi-award winning, chart topping singer has much of the world wrapped around her finger, so much so that non-football fans are suddenly watching the sport. Kelce is apparently one of the greatest tight ends of all time and, in this case, tight end is a football term, not a lascivious one.

Clearly, I’m a fair-weather fan or, as the kids say these days, a bandwagon. Well, if there is a Swiftie bandwagon I’ll happily take the driver’s seat. As a mom, I’ll probably also pack snacks for everyone on board. And there are tons of people on board.

Travis Kelce was introduced to many of us bandwagon fans when he played against his brother, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jason Kelce, in the Super Bowl earlier this year.

Usually, I care only about the snacks during the Super Bowl, especially the year I figured out how to make pigs in a gluten free blanket. I used kosher dogs, too, which made them extra delicious. I also pretended to not know what hot dogs are made of, which added to my culinary experience. Those Kelce brothers playing against each other made me mom-nervous. Thank goodness for my gluten free kosher pigs. Anxious eating at its finest.

That aspect of the Super Bowl was just like the time my sons, Davis and Leo, went head-to-head in a Little League game. Their coaches thought it would be hilarious to have Leo pitch and Davis as the leadoff hitter. Ugh, a punch right in Mommy’s ample gut. The game ended in a tie, even after overtime or extra innings or whatever they call it in baseball.

That was the best scenario possible, not just for everyone’s emotions, not just to

quell the potential sibling rivalry, but because my little darlings made a secret deal that the winner could hold his athletic cup in the loser’s face while screaming, “Smell the victory!” I wish I were joking.

I can only guess how Mama Kelce felt at the Sibling Rivalry Super Bowl. She cheered on her sons equally, wearing a jacket custom made from half Chiefs logo fabric and half Eagles logo fabric. Then she went on to sports mom superstar status by filming a Chunky Soup commercial with the boys. Mama Kelce is not a regular mom; she’s a cool mom.

At a recent game, she hung out in a suite with Taylor, and the two were caught on camera kibitzing and high-fiving. Did the world’s eyes watching make Mama Kelce nervous or was she able to shake it off (see what I did there)?

I thought Travis reached peak adorableness when he hosted “Saturday Night

Live.” But this new headline-making romance with Tay Tay brings him to a whole new heartthrob level. It’s kind of like in high school when a guy likes you and he is only sort of cute, but then you get your friends to agree he is really, really cute, and suddenly he is a hot prospect. Taylor’s unfortunate love life resulted in heartbreak as well as in millions upon millions of dollars made from the songs she wrote about her failed romances. Can’t she just find a nice boy? Maybe she should cover the song “Matchmaker” from “Fiddler on the Roof,” or summon the ghost of Yente, originally played by Bea Arthur, to seal the deal on this one. So much pop culture and kitsch!

Taylor and Travis deserve each other, mensch to mensch. The singer recently

gave the entire crew from her tour bonuses to the tune of $55 million dollars.

Travis has his own foundation, 87 and Running, which provides resources and support to underserved children across the country.

He’s gorgeous, she’s gorgeous. He’s generous, she’s generous. They both publicly love their mothers. I bet they call their grandparents regularly, too. They could be our new Newman and Woodward, a modern-day Bogey and Bacall, Ross and Rachel before they took a break.

To make it clear, I’ve never before cared about football. I still don’t. It’s just that after so many breakup songs, I want Taylor to find everlasting love, and maybe Travis is her beshert

ABOVE LEFT: Travis Kelce in 2021. PHOTO: ALL-PRO REELS FROM DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, USA/CREATIVE COMMONS ABOVE RIGHT: Taylor Swift in 2019. PHOTO: © GLENN FRANCIS, WWW.PACIFICPRODIGITAL.COM/CREATIVE COMMONS

AMY FENSTER BROWN west county mall LOWER LEVEL NEAR JCPENNY we also buy antiques, art, paintings, swords, china, crystal, collectibles & rarities. for private or in - home appointments , call 314.691.2888

st . louis estate buyers store SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY EMAIL NEWSLETTER STLJEWISHLIGHT.ORG/ NEWSLETTERS 2023-10-04 page 02-03.indd 3 10/3/23 4:18 PM

Seasons past: Memories of Sportsman’s Park

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

play. They were both fast and would make incredible defensive plays, and they were fast on the bases. So it was always exciting seeing them.”

Family Days at the ballpark

Going to the ballgame was often a family affair. Baby boomers usually went to games with their parents.

Bob Daniel, 70 (Shaare Emeth member): “I remember going to a Sunday game with Mike Kahn, who lived down the street. We went with Mike’s dad, Bill Kahn, who was the executive director of the J. A great guy. We had tickets for a double-header. Mike’s dad drove this old beat-up Chevy II. You parked in a lot with cars in front of you and behind you. Mike’s dad told the parking attendant he was a doctor and he was probably going to be getting a call to leave early, so he had to give him a good spot. We did leave early and got out easily.”

Cheryl Martin, 70 (Central Reform Congregation member): “When I was a little kid, 4 or 5 years old, we went to Sportsman’s Park. I remember I was with my mom, and she happened to be opening her purse and a foul ball just fell right into it.”

Dennis Brodsky, 71: “My grandfather, Aubie Brodsky, would take us to home games on Sunday afternoons. We always sat in the bleachers. The tickets cost $1.”

Steve Alper, 68: “My dad Dave ran Marte’s Shoes at 14th and Washington for 40 years. He was the ‘shoe man of baseball’ and was good friends with all of the umpires. And I remember going into the umpires’ room, which was between home plate and third base. Umpires don’t rub baseballs anymore. The clubhouse attendants take care of it. But back then, the umpires would have to rub up 60 baseballs. They’d take mud and rub it into the baseballs. And I can remember rubbing baseballs with Al Foreman and Stan Landes, who were Jewish umpires.”

Joel Katz: “Sam Katz (Joel’s father, born in 1911) was a vegetable peddler to all the best restaurants and groceries stores. He seemed to always know a guy who knew a guy, and we got tickets whenever we wanted to go.”

Johnny Goldstein: “My grandpa and my dad were both baseball fans, so I was there maybe 15 or 20 times a year until I got into junior high school. Then, my mom and dad let me take the Redbird Express bus, and I was literally there 25 or 30 times a year. I mean, just all the time.”

1964 World Series

The New York Yankees have the most World Series titles in Major League

Baseball with 27, followed by the Cardinals with 11. The two teams met in the fall classic most recently in 1964. The Cardinals won the series in seven games.

Mick Weltman, 71: “My fondest memory was when my cousin Dan Katz and I went to the last game of the 1964 season. That was the day the Cardinals won the pennant. I was 12. Our parents let us take the bus by ourselves. We got first row general admission seats. At the end of the game, the crowd went crazy.”

Bob Susman, 72 (B’nai Amoona member): “The final game of the 1964 season, the Cardinals were in a three-way tie for first place. I really, really, really wanted to go to the game, but I had no tickets. It was Sunday morning. I was sitting in the auditorium at B’nai Amoona and my father walked in. He scored tickets for the game, and he took my brother and me.”

Steve Alper: “I can still remember what I wore to the sixth game of the 1964 World Series: white corduroy pants and red and white checked shirt.”

Terry Taryle: “I went to the 1964 World

Series game against the Yankees with my dad. We were in the bleachers. A friend of his slept outside the ballpark in line to get tickets. That was the game when Mike Shannon hit a home run off the scoreboard.”

Roy Wagman, 71 (United Hebrew member): “The seventh game of the 1964 World Series was on a Thursday. It was a day off for my father, who was a dentist. He somehow secured two tickets, and he took me out of school for the game, which was a real treat. He died only eight years later, and that day is still one of my fondest memories.”

Fine dining, for 25 cents

One of the culinary delights of going to a ballgame at Sportsman’s Park was a ballpark frank. Savvy fans knew where to get the best one: just outside the entrance.

Bob Susman: “The hot dogs and stale beer, that aroma can’t be replicated anywhere on earth.”

Dennis Brodsky: “We always got a hot dog across the street from where we went in. A hot dog and a soda for 25 cents. Inside the ballpark it was 35 cents.”

Steve Alper: “The best hot dog was right behind home plate, but not inside the stadium. It was at a parking lot right behind home plate. And I just remember eating that hot dog, which was obviously not kosher. You’d get that aroma starting there just walking in.”

Terry Taryle: “I remember the smell of hot dogs near the Carter Carburetor sign by the main entrance.”

Johnny Goldstein: “The first thing I think of is when you’d walk into the ballpark, the smell of the grilling hot dogs. That was compelling. But it was 600 of them grilling at a time that sent up a cloud of hot dog smell, which is a great thing.”

The catwalk

Two of the architectural highlights of Sportsman’s Park were the huge lights and a catwalk.

Bob Susman: “My recollection was the

whole ambience. It was really a neat place. There were big lights that stood out against the sky, and when a fly ball was hit at night, it would disappear in the lights and then reappear. There was also that big scoreboard.”

Steve Alper: “Obviously, people have told you about the catwalk. You’d be able to watch the players. That was inside baseball. It was so cool to see them walk from the dugout up over the walk into the clubhouse.”

Johnny Goldstein: “You’d walk right under this walkway and there would be players from both teams walking to the field. I remember as a kid getting a scorecard and standing under the walkway and handing cards up to the players to get autographs. And that was just the most amazing thing about that ballpark. It wasn’t a covered walkway. It was an iron railing and they could bend down and you could hand your scorecard up to them and they’d sign it.”

Terry Taryle: “From the visitor’s dugout to the clubhouse there was a metal walkway that went across the concourse. Billy McCool [career record: 32-42] was pitching for the Reds, and the Cardinals knocked him out early. We saw him on the walkway and my dad said, ‘There’s Billy McCool. Why don’t you go ask him for his autograph?’ I said, ‘Mr. McCool, can I have your autograph?’ and he replied gruffly, ‘Get away from me, kid!’ My dad busted out laughing because he knew McCool was not going to be in a good mood. I think that was a life lesson my dad taught me.”

Steve Alper

Mick Weltman

Johnny Goldstein

Bob Daniel

Bob Susman

my dad. We were in the bleachers. A friend of his slept outside the ballpark in

dentist. He somehow secured two tickets, and he took me out of school for the

Joel Katz

Biography looks at president who led scandal-weary nation with compassion

ROBERT A. COHN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EMERITUS

It would be easy to dismiss Gerald R. Ford as a footnote in history, whose ascent to White House after the Watergate scandal forced the resignation of Richard M. Nixon and who served as a Band Aid attempt to heal the gaping wounds of a major political crisis.

Thanks to Presidential historian Richard Norton Smith, we can read his first-rate biography of Ford, which proves that he helped the United States weather the storm.

Smith, former director of the Nixon Library, and author of biographies of Thomas E. Dewey, George Washington and Nelson Rockefeller, provides a schol-

JEWISH CELEBRITIES

arly analysis of the multifaceted career of Ford with the perspective of an all-seeing fly on the wall.

Smith exhibits both affection and respect for Ford as well as the institution of the presidency.

Ford is the only chief executive never elected either president or vice president. When Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned over an unrelated scandal, Nixon tapped the well-liked Ford for the post.

When Ford took office, he told the nation: “Our long national nightmare is over.”

Ford named former New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller for Vice President.

Ford also quickly asked Henry Kissinger to stay on as his Secretary of State. Kissinger was widely respected for his diplomacy in opening the door to China, dealing with the Soviet Union and the

Arab-Israel conflict.

Ford enjoyed an extensive honeymoon from the scandal-weary public, Congress and even the media. All of that good willcame to a screeching halt when Ford pardoned Nixon.

Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election, although Ford and Carter became close friends in the years ahead.

Gerald Rudolph Ford (1913-2006) was not an exciting president. In some ways he was bland and boring. But a Steady Eddie President was just what the doctor ordered after the chaos and drama of Watergate.

Smith’s magisterial book is a first-rate historical biography, which gives credit to the underappreciated Gerald R. Ford, an ordinary man who led the nation with extraordinary compassion.

Now streaming on Apple+, Hulu and the PBS app

BY NATE BLOOM SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

“Flora and Son” began streaming on Apple+ on Sept. 29. This musical comedy-drama film got very good reviews at the Sundance Film Festival last January and, soon after, Apple paid $20 million for the rights to show it.

Basic plot: Flora (Ewa Hewson), a single mother in Ireland, has trouble with her teenage son Max. He’s a rebellious petty thief. The police tell Max to find a hobby. Fiona digs out an old guitar and gives it to Max. Then, with the help of a Los Angeles on-line guitar teacher (JOSEPH GORDONLEVITT, 42) Max finds his “calling.”

Fun facts: Gordon-Levitt is really an accomplished guitarist and Hewson, who is Irish, is the daughter of Bono (born Paul Hewson), the very famous Irish lead singer for the band U2.

Last week, People magazine reported that the filming of “We are the Lucky Ones,” a limited Hulu series, had wrapped in June and won’t be affected by the actors’ strike. The series, which co-stars LOGAN LERMAN, 31, and JOEY KING, 24, is based on a novel of the same name. The novel was based on a real extended European Jewish family that (mostly) survived World War II and the Holocaust. It focuses on their struggle to reunite after the war. vvv

Just two months after it opened in theaters, “Theater Camp” has begun stream-

ing on Hulu. It’s a comedic “mockumentary” about a summer arts camp for children. As I wrote in July, the cast is heavily Jewish ( BEN PLATT, NOAH GALVIN and MOLLY GORDON co-star. Gordon co-directed the film, too). Reviews have been good, if not great.

The film is uneven, but there are many funny scenes. It’s not at the level of the best mockumentaries, like “This is Spinal Tap” (a ROB REINER film) or “Best in Show” (a CHRISTOPHER GUEST film). But it has its charms and quite a few laughs. vvv

Not long ago, I discovered a PBS (New York) series, and a program in that series, which has received virtually no attention in the media. The series is “House Seats,” which tackles the Broadway theater com-

munity’s response to various issues, including “Broadway Responds to Antisemitism.” You can access “House Seats” for free on every PBS app. There’s even a transcript of the program online (Google the title and “transcript”).

The “Broadway Responds” program was filmed in late June 2023. Three Broadway “biggies” were interviewed, on a stage, before a live audience: actress TOVAH FELDSHUH, 74, playwright ALFRED UHRY, 86, and lyricist/playwright BRUCE SUSSMAN, 74.

Uhry is best known for his “Atlanta Trilogy”: “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Last Night of Ballyhoo” and “Parade.” All three plays focus on Atlanta Jews, with antisemitism playing a theme in all three.

His German Jewish family, Uhry said, settled in Atlanta before the Civil War. He

explained that he was hardly exposed to Judaism growing up but had plenty of exposure to antisemitism —including the Klan.

Feldshuh and Sussman grew up in the New York area, but they, too, experienced some antisemitism.

Last June, hit revivals of the musicals “Parade” and “Funny Girl” were running on Broadway. Both have recently closed. Feldshuh played Fanny Brice’s mother, Rose, in the “Funny Girl” revival and she noted that she was the first “real Jew” to play Rose. Uhry said that when “Parade” opened in 1998, it didn’t resonate as much as today. It’s the story of the lynching of an Atlanta Jew (1915). In 1998, he said, antisemitism was at a low ebb. Not so today.

Sussman said that, by coincidence, New York theaters were “jammed” with productions about antisemitism. He was principally referring to “Parade,” “Leopoldstadt” and “Harmony,” a musical. Sussman wrote the script for “Harmony” as well as the lyrics for the show’s songs. ( BARRY MANILOW wrote the music.) “Harmony” is about a (real) German, six-man comedic singing group (Jews and non-Jews) that became very popular in the 1920s. They had big problems when the Nazis took over in the ’30s. (“Harmony” will move from off-Broadway to Broadway this November.)

The three guests also took up the controversy about casting non-Jews as Jewish characters. They expressed well-thought out, but quite different opinions.

“An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford,” by Richard Norton Smith, 814 pages; Harper, $50

Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in "Flora and Son" on Apple+.

PHOTO: APPLE+

SCHOOL+ ACTIVITIES GUIDE

BY DR. RICHARD LAZAROFF

Since children have been back in school now for a month or more, parents may receive a phone call, or hear at a scheduled conference, that a teacher has academic concerns about their child. The causes of school failure are many and include undiagnosed learning disabilities, attentional problems, emotional difficulties, social stress and occasionally boredom.

Most families should, and will, call their pediatrician for help. Like other calls for help, an accurate diagnosis will start with a good history and medical exam. Most physicians will choose to augment these two steps by obtaining information from the school using a standardized assessment tool like the NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale. They will also review any Educational Testing (if the school has already requested this to be done) or if not, your pediatrician may recommend your making a request in writing for this to be performed. Educational testing will measure a child’s IQ (intelligence quotient) and

identify strengths and weaknesses in specific brain functions including executive functioning, oral and written comprehension, reasoning and math and reading skills for example. When there are statistically significant discrepancies between a child’s intellectual ability and their achievement score, a learning disability might be properly diagnosed.

In my experience, some parents resist this step fearing that their child will be “labeled.” An accurate “label” or diagnosis of a specific learning disability will, by state law, mandate that a child receive an Individual Education Plan (IEP). This plan will be reviewed and tweaked periodically. Many children will make enough progress over time on their specific areas of weakness and have these special services discontinued. But it is unrealistic to expect a teacher to work on a weakness of this magnitude in a typical classroom. The work needs to be done one-on-one by pulling a student out of the class to work with a learning specialist.

Attentional problems (ADD or ADHD)

are diagnosed almost exclusively by history. They can be treated with behavioral methods and medications. A busy child does not necessarily have attentional problems. To be diagnosed with ADHD, a busy child needs to be distracted and have it interfere with their ability to focus and learn. Those with ADD are often harder to be suspicious about with their lack of focus not accompanied by hyperactivity.

Social stresses and mental health diagnoses often fly under the radar. Parents are less likely to be forthcoming if they feel judged or stigmatized. Parents, hopefully, have chosen their pediatrician after some effort to find someone they can confide in. Your doctor, though often a detective of sorts, is not a mind-reader. Be forthcoming about whatever is going on in your home. Only then, can an accurate diagnosis be made, and the best care initiated. Anxiety, depression, divorce, or substance abuse can all present as school failure. Get help ASAP if this is presenting with ac child struggling to learn in the classroom. Is your child bored? Maybe. Everyone

Dr. Richard Lazaroff is a retired pediatrician who practiced in St. Louis County for nearly 40 years. Married for 42 years, he is the father of two and grandfather of four and the author of “Some Assembly Required, A Guide to Savvy Parenting.” His latest book is the novel “Illumination.”

thinks they have a gifted child. Do consider this possibility and work with your teacher to provide extra stimulation in the classroom if necessary.

Teachers are an unappreciated resource in the daily lives of our children. Listen to what they have to say about your child even if it’s not what you wish to hear. You can be an advocate for your child and a team player at the same time. This approach will work out best for most children who are struggling in school.

The Fulton School

fulton-school.org

314.469.6622

The Fulton School is an independent, coeducational, Montessori-based school serving children 18 months old through 12th grade. Located in Chesterfield along the Hwy. 40 corridor, we offer a small, homelike environment where students enjoy small class sizes and an engaging curriculum. We teach students to think critically, write and speak effectively, collaborate, exercise initiative, and display good character. Strong academics alongside entrepreneurship, community service, animals, travel, and belonging create excited, responsible, and confident kids.

1100 White Rd | Chesterfield MO 63017

Fit Learning

fitlearningstl.com

314.246.0540

At Fit Learning, students average 1-2 years’ growth after only 40 hours of instruction. We help learners build fluency in core academic skills by identifying and treating the source of the problem, not just its symptoms. Our program uniquely com- bines learning science, 1:1 attention, precision teaching, and curriculum-based assessment. Our learners have improved confidence, classroom performance, and overall capacity for learning. No other tutoring method in St. Louis is as fun or effective!

Old Olive Street Rd LL4 | Creve Coeur MO 63141

Whitfield

whitfieldschool.org

314.434.5141

Whitfield, an independent, coeducational school for students in grades 6-12, offers a foundational, liberal arts curriculum that marries rigorous coursework with an emphasis on citizenship, critical thinking, and leadership. Our purpose is to prepare students for success in college and in life, empowering them to discover who they are, and how they want to make a difference in the world.

175 S. Mason Rd. | St. Louis MO 63141

Choose to Bee at Shaare Emeth

We’re Always Buzzing with Activity!

Families with Young Children

Meet other families, learn Jewish values in creative ways, make a difference in the world, and celebrate Shabbat and Jewish holidays with us! Open to the entire community. Visit sestl.co/families for upcoming events.

Shirlee Green Preschool & Camp Micah

For children ages six weeks through pre-k. Part-time & full-time options from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Learn more about SGP and our Pedagogy of Unquiet Thinking at shirleegreenpreschool.org

Camp Emeth

Where Summer Lasts a Lifetime! Campers learn new skills, make new friends, discover their strengths, and feel connected to our community. Open to all rising K-8th graders from June 10–August 2, 2024. Registration opens in January at campemeth.org

Religious School

Shaare Emeth Religious School strives to be a laboratory for Jewish learning and living. Our mission is to create memorable Reform Jewish learning experiences that are radically inclusive of all learners, unabashedly joyful, and deeply meaningful. Pre-K to Grade 12. Details at sestl.co/rs

JQuest @ Shaare Emeth

JQuest is weekly Sunday morning programs for kids and family co-learning experiences 3-4 times per year. JQuest is tuition-free for every single child in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade, open to the entire community. More info at jqueststl.org

Plus Youth Groups for Grades 3-12, Shir Emeth Youth Choir, Making Mensches events, volunteer opportunities, and much more. Call (314) 569.0010 or visit sestl.co/school

SCHOOL+ACTIVITIES GUIDE

Shaare Emeth sestl.com/school

314.569.0010

Congregation Shaare Emeth is a hub of learning and activity for children of all ages, home to Shirlee Green Preschool (six weeks to five years), Early Childhood Education programs, Shaare Emeth Religious School (Pre-K to Post-Confirmation), JQuest (tuition-free, no membership required Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade Jewish education) Camp Emeth and Camp Micah (summer day camps for ages six weeks to 8th grade), youth groups, and a wide range of programs and events.

11645 Ladue Rd, St. Louis, MO 63141

THE WILSON SCHOOL

wilsonschool.com

314.725.4999

Since 1913, The Wilson School has led the way, offering outstanding education to generations of children from age 3 to grade 6. Students benefit from the best classic and innovative instructional methods. An accelerated curriculum and a strong focus on character and social-emotional development mean that Wilson graduates can matriculate to and excel in the most competitive secondary schools. Centrally located near WashU and Forest Park in the historic DeMun neighborhood. Call today for more information.

400 De Mun Ave | Clayton, MO 63105

Community School

communityschool.com

314.991.0005

Community School fosters the intellectual, emotional, and creative growth of young learners (age 3 through grade 6) and encourages their development as leaders of the next generation.

Register for Community’s Open House on Saturday, November 4 to hear from teachers and administrators, ask questions about the admissions process, and tour the school’s beautiful 18-acre campus. Families can also attend Connect with Community admission events or arrange a personal tour.

900 Lay Road | St. Louis MO 63124

webster.edu/cms

314.968.5939

The Community Music School of Webster University has been offering outstanding music education and performance opportunities to students of all ages and abilities since 1925.  Individual lessons are the foundation with over 90 faculty teaching all instruments of the band and orchestra, guitar, piano and voice.  Other programs include early childhood classes, a Suzuki Strings program, String Ensemble, String Orchestra, two full orchestras, the Preparatory Program for advanced students, summer camps, and Young Composers Competition.

470 E. Lockwood Ave. |St. Louis MO 63119

SHOCK CITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

shockcityschool.com |

314.750.9395

Shock City School of Music provides a superior level of music instruction that is personalized, engaging, and fun. We empower students of all ages and abilities to create, explore, develop, play, and record by providing a safe, inspiring, and welcoming environment. All of our instructors are formally trained, degreed in music, and regularly perform locally and even internationally. Enroll today and enhance your love of music for a lifetime.

7401 Hazel Avenue Maplewood, MO 63143

11548 Adie Road Maryland Heights, MO 63043

2200 Gravois Avenue St. Louis, MO 63104

Forsyth School

ForsythSchool.org |

314.726.4542

Forsyth School fosters a spirit of curiosity and joy, empowering children age 2 through Grade 6 to pursue challenges with confidence. Located in the Wydown-Forsyth Historic District, Forsyth’s one-of-a-kind campus promotes independence and provides a unique and unforgettable educational experience. Join Forsyth on Sunday, October 22, 3:00–5:00pm for All-School Open House—perfect for families with candidates for any grade! Online registration is required; register online at ForsythSchool.org.

6235 Wydown Blvd St. Louis, MO 63105

METRO THEATre COMPANY

Metroplays.org

314.932.7414

Metro Theatre Company presents “Eddie & Vinnie” a play that reminds us that there is more than one way to learn and more than one way to shine - at the Grandel Theatre October 27 -November 5. Eddie is an unstoppable artist with a uniquely beautiful mind whose best friend is a gecko. In a last-ditch effort to save his grades, Eddie teams up with the overly helpful new girl for the dreaded end-ofyear report. Will their presentation on MC Escher save his grades? Best enjoyed by ages 6 - 12. Run time: 60 minutes. Sponsored by Dyslexia St. Louis.

3311 Washington Avenue St. Louis, MO 63103

THE COLLEGE SCHOOL

thecollegeschool.org

314.962.9355

Celebrating 60 years of dynamic adventure and outdoor education in St. Louis and beyond, students at The College School (PreK-Eighth Grade) learn by going off campus, collaborating with experts, and creating solutions to real-world problems. Come be inspired by students’ purposeful learning that pushes beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom. It’s school as it should be. Register for Fall Open House on Saturday, November 4 at 9 AM at thecollegeschool.org.

7825 Big Bend Blvd

St. Louis MO 63119

Your

child's education should be an investment in their potential and in our collective future.

CHAI LIGHTS

YOUR CALENDAR OF ST. LOUIS JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

SATURDAY | OCT. 7

NHBZ Simchat Torah dinner

NHBZ invites you to join us for a delicious Simchat Torah celebration dinner. You will enjoy a pasta bar, salad bar, garlic bread and yummy treats plus a special whiskey slush just for the adults. This fun dinner will be served after Hakofos and the parade of Torahs, which will be at 7:15 p.m. This event is free and all are welcome. NHBZ membership is not necessary to attend. RSVPs are appreciated but walk-ins are also welcome. To RSVP or for more information, please call 314-991-2100.

STARTING | OCT. 7

Saturday Morning Bible Study

Saturday Morning Bible Study continues in its pioneering quest to provide an authentically Jewish perspective on the New Testament. Rabbi Emeritus Mark L. Shook will begin the year with a careful study of the Gospel of John and then move on to The Acts of the Apostles. Students are encouraged to have The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Second Edition, edited by AmyJill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, which is available through Amazon.com. This group meets on Saturdays from Oct. 7 – April 27 from 9:30- 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel. Registration required to attend in person or online: www.ti-stl.org/BibleStudy

SUNDAY

| OCT. 8

NHBZ Simchat Torah Family Celebration

Bring your entire family to NHBZ’s Simchat Torah celebration at 10 a.m. Fun festivities include dancing with the Torah, prizes and special treats. Children of all ages are welcome. This event is free and NHBZ membership is not necessary to attend. RSVPs are not required. For more information, call 314-991-2100.

WEDNESDAY | OCT. 11

Mirowitz Center presents the ‘Happiness Concert’

From 2 to 3 p.m., the Mirowitz Center Community Singers have planned a musical extravaganza. Enjoy Broadway tunes as well as classic hits you know and love. Conductor Robert Denison will share stories on songs and the performers who made them famous. To register for this free Mirowitz Center program, visit http://bit.ly/Mirowitz-registration, call 314-733-9813 or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

THURSDAY | OCT. 12

Interesting finds in Missouri Historical Society collections

From 3 to 4 p.m. stroll through history during a talk by the Missouri Historical Society’s Dennis Northcott about fascinating,

little known stories in St. Louis history. This Mirowitz Center program is co-sponsored by Shirley and Robert Becker. To register for this free program, visit http://bit.ly/Mirowitz-registration, call 314-733-9813 or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

In praise of painting – Dutch Masterpieces at The Met

From 10 to 11 a.m., Elana Kaplan, museum educator and lecturer for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, will give an online presentation for the Mirowitz Center, offering an online tour of The Met’s world-renowned collections. To register, visit http://bit.ly/Mirowitz-registration, call 314733-9813 or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

FRIDAY | OCT. 13

Potluck Shabbat dinner for young adults chapter of Sparks Match!

The young adults chapter of Sparks Match! is hosting a potluck Shabbat dinner at 6 p.m. for people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Guests are asked to bring something vegetarian to share. RSVP to Daphne at 314680-8543 or daphnekoalabear@gmail.com.

STARTING | OCT. 13

Circle Talk at Mirowitz Center

On Fridays, Oct. 13 to Nov. 17 from 10 to 11 a.m., join the Mirowitz Center for Circle Talk, a six-week, facilitated online discussion group series led by Holly Mathis, a nurse practitioner and adjunct professor of nursing at Maryville University. The group will use curriculum-based discussions to build meaningful connections. Limit of 10 participants. The series is part of Mirowitz Center’s new Mental Wellness Initiative – and supported by a grant from the Women’s Auxiliary Foundation for Jewish Aged. To register, visit http://bit.ly/Mirowitz-registration, call 314-733-9813 or email skemppainen@ mirowitzcenter.org.

SUNDAY | OCT. 15

Jewish War Veterans meeting

Jewish War Veterans Post 644 will meet in the Kaplan-Feldman Holocaust Museum meeting room at 10 a.m. on the third Sunday each month (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, contact Post 644 Commander Ellis Frohman at 636-519-7512.

Arts & Faith St. Louis holds 13th annual Interfaith Concert

Arts & Faith St. Louis welcomes the community to the 13th annual Interfaith Concert at 4:30 pm at the Sheldon Concert Hall and Galleries. The theme of the concert “Living Peace” is a call to find ways to practice peace in our own lives and in the world around us. Nine diverse faith groups will perform in the concert, along with operatic

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. OCT

sopranos Christine Brewer and Angel Love (of Opera Theatre of St. Louis). Register for free tickets at artsfaithstlouis.org.

STARTING | OCT. 17

Mirowitz Center presents ‘A Jewish State of Mind’

Join Rabbi Ze’ev Smason in this two-part Mirowitz Center program – and learn how Judaism guides us to craft a life of joy and happiness. Attend one or both programs; prior attendance is not required. The program is part of Mirowitz’s new Mental Wellness Initiative, supported by a grant from the Women’s Auxiliary Foundation for Jewish Aged. Part One (noon on Oct. 17) looks at “Getting Rid of the Schmutz: The Jewish View on Sadness & Depression.” The second part takes place Nov. 28. To register for this free, in-person program, visit http://bit.ly/ Mirowitz-registration, call 314-733-9813 or email skemppainen@mirowitzcenter.org.

WEDNESDAY | OCT. 18

Breast and Ovarian Cancer Support Group

The Hamsa Wellness Community’s monthly Breast and Ovarian Cancer Support Group provides connection and education to women 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, a 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. A 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. Free, but RSVPs requested to Debbi Braunstein at 314-442-3266 or dbraunstein@jccstl.org.

What’s New for Medicare

in 2024?

From 2 to 3:30 at the Mirowitz Center, Wilma Schmitz, the St. Louis Region Liaison and Trainer for SHIP, Missouri’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program, will provide an update on the latest in Medicare and what kinds of revisions will be taking effect Jan. 1. This year’s Medicare Open Enrollment Period — when you can make changes to your existing Medicare coverage — runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. The program is co-sponsored by St. Louis NORC. NOTE: Free consultations also will be available – by appointment only – on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 10 am to 2:30 pm at the Mirowitz Center. To schedule a one- hour appointment, contact Laura Press Millner: email lpressmillner@jfsstl.org or call 314-812-9345.

STARTING | OCT. 18

NCJW’s 59th Annual Couturier

See related story on page 3A.

THURSDAY | OCT. 19

NCJW Lunch & Learn

From noon to 1 p.m. the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis will continue its monthly Lunch & Learn series, featuring Diane Bleyer, an active community leader, volunteer and novelist, for a discussion of “Climate Change and How it Impacts Communities of Color and the Underserved.” Bleyer is the founder and organizer of a climate change special interest group at United Hebrew Congregation. Climate change is addressed in her novel, “The Second Chance.” Free and open to the community. For more information, contact Jen Bernstein at jbernstein@ncjwstl.org or 314-993-5181.

SUNDAY | OCT. 22

Eighth annual Spa for the Soul

See related news brief on page 7A.

MONDAY | OCT. 23

A look at Jewish life in Central Europe between the wars

The St. Louis German Literary Society will host a presentation (in German) on Jewish life in Central Europe before World War II by Matthew Grad of Young Israel. The talk will use the Viennese Jewish writer Friedrich Torberg’s book “Tante Jolesch, or the Demise of the West in Anecdotes” as a framework. Torberg was one of the last figures of the vanquished cultural milieu of artists, writers, scientists and other characters that made up Jewish Vienna, Budapest and Prague, and he captured that lost world in a brilliant, personal book filled with humorous anecdotes and wisdom. The talk will take place at 7 p.m. at St. Marks Evangelical Lutheran Church, 6337 Clayton Road in Clayton.

TUESDAY | OCT. 24

Interfaith Partnership annual dinner to honor Rabbi Hersh

See related news brief on page 5A.

SUNDAY | OCT. 29

Shaving Israel Program/Brunch at Traditional Congregation

Join Traditional Congregation at 10:30 a.m. for brunch and a program about Shaving Israel, an St. Louis-based organization that supports soldiers in the Israeli Defense Forces beyond what the government provides for them. Guests will hear about specific ways that Shaving Israel assists the IDF and find out how you can help as well. Guest of honor is Sheilah Gross, a longtime member of Traditional who has been an active participant in Shaving Israel for a number of years. There is no charge for the brunch (share-the-fare donations are welcome) and RSVPs are appreciated; contact Marian Gordon at traditionalcong@gmail.com or 314576-5230.

PLANNING ART FOR NEW BUILDING

Renowned philanthropist, real estate developer and art collector Michael Staenberg welcomed senior adults from the Crown Center community to his offices to engage in the selection process of artwork for the new Crown Center Phase 1 Apartment Building and Staenberg Commons community center. During the visit, the group toured The Staenberg Group’s offices and met with Staenberg (who is also the President of the Jewish Light’s Board of Directors) to learn more about his extensive art collection and philanthropic endeavors. Staenberg was eager to foster a collaborative approach, and rather than solely rely on his and the curators’ judgment, he emphasized the choices of the participants to ensure that the artwork resonated with the community’s spirit, brought joy to the occupants and reflected the diverse tapestry of the Crown Center community.

SP TLIGHT

PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

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

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VIEW MORE ONLINE: stljewishlight.org/multimedia

TASHLICH IN THE PARK

More than 50 Congregation Shaare Emeth members gathered on the water’s edge at Des Peres Park on Rosh Hashanah for a Tashlich ceremony. Rabbi Rachel Bearman (above, shown with her mother, Judy, who sounded the shofar) led the gathering, which featured songs by Lucy Greenbaum, director of music engagement (at far left on guitar). During the ceremony, participants cast stones on the water to release things weighing them down.

Photos: Bill Motchan

gongregation shaare emeth

crown center for senior living

BIRTHS

SUBMIT YOUR SIMCHA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FREE!

Sasha Kopp and Robert Hass of Cambridge, Mass., will be married Oct. 15, 2023 at DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Mass. Rabbi Aliza Berger will officiate.

Sasha is the daughter of Diane and the late Jerry Kopp of Clayton. Robert is the son of Merle and David Hass of Newton, Mass.

Sasha works for ElevatEd, a groundbreaking collaborative initiative to transform the field of early childhood Jewish education (ECJE) through recruitment, training and mentorship. Throughout the past few years, Sasha has enjoyed supporting early childhood educators in the St. Louis area through her previous work and partnership with the St. Louis Federation. In August 2022, she had the opportunity to present to local early childhood educators at a conference at the St. Louis JCC. Robert works in population health data analytics, at a company called Arcadia. They help medical care providers adopt a new type of health insurance that encourages preventative care.

Rob and Sasha first met in 2012 at a Shabbat dinner. They went on a handful of dates that fall, until Rob moved to Detroit. When he returned, they went on a few more dates in 2014, However, Rob knew Sasha was about to move to Israel for grad school and decided that they should just be friends. And that was that for seven years.

Then Sasha returned to Boston in 2021. She and Rob reconnected at a backyard barbecue. A few months later, Rob showed up at a Havdalah event that he had seen Sasha RSVP to on Facebook. They had a great conversation that night, sharing about the beauty and challenges of their recent lives, and Rob asked Sasha out to dinner that week. The time since then has been filled with hikes, road trips, great meals, board games, inside jokes, surprising similarities and a deep connection.

This summer, Rob and Sasha traveled to Norway to kayak the fjords in honor of their upcoming wedding.

They are excited to see what their future holds.

TRIBUTES

IN MEMORY OF EMIL NATHAN III

Condolences to Robin and Jerry Ehrlich, Kit Nathan, Gary Nathan and Andy Nathan on the loss of your amazing father Emil. May his memory continue to bless you all.

— Love, Betsy Schmidt

To make a tribute, visit stljewishlight.org/tribute

BERWALD-COHEN ENGAGEMENT

Rachel Berwald, daughter of Bruce and Laurie Berwald of St. Louis, and Russell Cohen, son of Ethan and Gena Cohen of Shaker Heights, Ohio, would like to announce their engagement.

Rachel is the granddaughter of Gayle and David Berwald of St. Louis, and Sandy (z’’l) and Arnie (z’’l) Peck of Cincinnati.

Russell is the grandson of Susannah and Avery (z’’l) Cohen of Beachwood, Ohio; and Myrna (z’’l) and Lawrence (z’’l) Kutin of Mount Arlington, N.J.

Rachel graduated from Parkway Central High School and Tulane University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in international relations. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in political science at UCLA.

Russell is a graduate of Yale University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in both history and film studies. He is currently a creative executive at a production company.

Rachel and Russell met at The Library Minyan of Temple Beth Am the first Shabbat after Rachel moved to Los Angeles.

A November 2024 wedding is planned.

LISKER-RUDE WEDDING

Claire Lisker and Sam Rude were married Aug. 20, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Claire is the daughter of Mauricio and Marcia Lisker of St. Louis, and the granddaughter of Sarita Melman of Mexico City.

Sam is the son of Adam and Helene Rude of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., and the grandson of Gerrie Rude of Ossining, N.Y.

Claire and Sam met in 2015 while in college at the University of Pennsylvania.

Members of the wedding party included the bride’s brother, Paul Lisker, the bride’s sister, Karyn Lisker, and the groom’s brother, Eitan Rude. Rabbi Leonel Levy, Rabbi Seth Gordon and Cantor Ari Litvak officiated at the wedding.

Claire and Sam, who reside in New York, N.Y., took a wedding trip to Tanzania.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT: ELI MARTIN MIONE

Lauren and Zach Mione of St. Louis would like to announce the birth of their son, Eli Martin Mione, on Aug. 23, 2023, weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces.

Eli is the grandson of Monica and Joel Perlmutter of St. Louis; Debi and Stephen Connelly of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; and Michael Mione of New Jersey. He is the great-grandson of Marge Stuesse of St. Louis and Ruth Denman of New Jersey.

Eli has one sibling, Clara Mione, who is 2 years old.

KOPP-HASS WEDDING

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA DAWN JOHNSON

PHOTO COURTESY OF NIR DOR PHOTOGRAPHY

HKF Harvey Kornblum Foundation