Jewish Light Digital Edition: June 19, 2024

Note to readers: The next printed edition of the Jewish Light will be July 10 — three weeks after this one. In the meantime, you can keep up to date on St. Louis Jewish news by visiting us at stljewishlight.org and by signing up for the Morning Light email newsletter (Mon.-Fri.) at stljewishlight.org/newsletters.

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Shinshinim

Teen Israeli emissaries reflect on their year living in St. Louis and working in the Jewish community

BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

For the past year, four Israeli teenagers have called St. Louis home. They are the seventh group of Israeli emissaries, known as shinshinim, who lived and worked in the Jewish community. The program is a partnership between the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, and local organizations. As the 19-year-olds prepare to return home in August, they shared highlights of their American experience with the Jewish Light.

After arriving in St. Louis last summer, the shinshinim quickly got acclimated to the Midwest’s sights, sounds, and weather.

Yehonatan Zohar [home: Yokneam Illit; shinshin assignment: Saul Mirowitz Community School]: “You hear about L.A. or Chicago or New York, but the only thing

you know about St. Louis from watching movies and TV shows is the (Gateway) Arch. Coming here, I could see on Shabbat the people walking to shul. There are so many synagogues around the city, so it was surprising to see and feel and hear the number of Jewish people here.”

Naama Eldar Herz [home: Kibbutz Ramot Menashe; shinshin assignment:Congregation Shaare Emeth and Temple Emanuel]: “My favorite thing about St. Louis is the people. It’s the connections that we made. I didn’t think I’d make such a huge connection with random people from the U.S. who are so different than me. And it’s pretty cool that we were in St. Louis the year the cicadas were here!”

Ofer Ashur [home: Meitar; shinshin

See SHINSHINIM on page 22

Group of Jewish Family Services employees seek to unionize

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Workers at Jewish Family Services are trying to form a union, citing a need for improved work conditions and stronger employee protections at the nonprofit social services agency.

They are organizing with the Communications Workers of America Local 6400 as Jewish Family Services Workers United (JFSWU). About 30 of JFS’ current 53 employees would qualify to be part of the JFSWU bargaining unit; they are not in supervisory or managerial roles.

“Those of us who want to unionize support the important work that JFS does in the community,” said Kelly Baker, a member of JFSWU and a JFS art therapist who works in area schools. “We just want fair treatment and a working environment that is supportive and more collaborative, not top down.”

JFS provides services for children, families and older adults designed to help alle-

viate hunger and improve mental health. It operates the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry and child abuse prevention programs.

Baker, 33, and JFS office manager Sydney Bolton, 27, explained that some of the provisions workers are looking for in a union contract include better wages, especially for hourly workers at the food pantry; protection from unfair termination; the right to have union representation when meeting with supervisors; additional pay when taking on more responsibilities; better health, vacation and sick leave benefits and job description clarity.

Molly Salky, president of the JFS board, said management first learned of the unionization push when two employees met with JFS CEO Miriam Seidenfeld in March.

“We announced to Miriam we had a majority of workers who decided they want a union,” said Baker, “and presented her with the proper paperwork” for JFS to voluntarily recognize the union.

Seidenfeld said she wanted to review the paperwork as well as talk to the board.

About a week later, union organizers learned that JFS would not voluntarily recognize the union, so organizers requested an election with the National Labor Relations Board.

“Had JFS agreed to voluntarily recognize the union, it would have removed our staff’s ability to vote and would have required all of JFS’ non-supervisory personnel to immediately become union-represented – even if they did not want to be in the union,” said Salky. “The only way to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard is to preserve their right to vote in a secret ballot election presided over by the NLRB.”

On April 4, members of the steering committee of Jews United for Justice (JUJ) met with Salky and Seidenfeld to discuss the union organizing campaign. At that meeting, JUJ was assured JFS would be fair and conform to Jewish and JFS principles throughout the union process, despite the fact that JFS is represented by

Ogletree-Deakins, which has a reputation of being anti-union.

Salky said that JFS has used OgletreeDeakins as legal counsel for 20 years or so and did not choose them specifically for this issue.

David Lander, chair of the JUJ steering committee, explained in a letter dated May 2 that after meeting with Seidenfeld and Salky, JUJ met with some JFS employees, and “saw written materials that led the union (to file) unfair labor practice charges against JFS.”

“Unfortunately, what we heard and saw was totally consistent with boilerplate messaging and tactics common to aggressive anti-union campaigns orchestrated by law firms such as Ogletree-Deakins,” Lander wrote.

He sent the letter to Salky, asking her to disseminate it to all JFS board members and past presidents so they were aware of the situation. He also urged board mem-

See JFS on page 21

From left, St. Louis’ shinshinim Ofer Ashur, Naama Herz, Or Garti and Yehonatan Zohar. PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN

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Missouri judge rejects suit by interfaith clergy that challenged abortion ban

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Shabbat begins Friday, June 21: 8:11 p.m.

Shabbat ends Saturday, June 22: 9:18 p.m.

Torah reading: Behaalotecha

Shabbat begins Friday, June 28: 8:12 p.m.

Shabbat ends Saturday, June 29: 9:18 p.m.

Torah reading: Shlach

Shabbat begins Friday, July 5: 8:11 p.m.

Shabbat ends Saturday, July 6: 9:16 p.m.

Torah reading: Korach

BY JACKIE HAJDENBERG JTA

A Missouri judge upheld the state’s abortion ban on June 14, rejecting efforts by a group of 14 interfaith clergy, including rabbis, who sought to protect reproductive rights by suing the state on religious freedom grounds.

The faith leaders, among them five rabbis from multiple Jewish denominations, filed their suit in January 2023. They charged that lawmakers who voted to ban nearly all abortions acted according to their personal religious beliefs, violating the separation of church and state enshrined in Missouri’s constitution. The so-called “trigger bill” went into effect after the Supreme Court removed federal abortion protections in 2022 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

In his decision on Friday upholding Missouri’s ban, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Jason Sengheiser argued that the language of the state’s abortion law is “similar” to the language of the state constitution, which also includes language like “Supreme Ruler of the Universe” and “Almighty God.”

Sengheiser also noted that the bill paraphrases language famously found in the Declaration of Independence stating that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life…”

The petitioners had argued in their lawsuit that the bill established its own religion. But Sengheiser wrote that the main argu-

CORRECTIONS

ment of abortion opponents is not exclusively a religious belief.

“The Court does not accept Petitioners’ argument that the determination that human life begins at conception is strictly a religious one,” Sengheiser wrote. “While the determination that life begins at conception may run counter to some religious beliefs it is not itself necessarily a religious belief.”

In a statement issued Friday, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, speaking on behalf of the clergy members, said they “respectfully” disagreed with the judge’s decision and would be discussing next steps with the faith leaders.

“Missouri’s abortion ban is a direct attack on the separation of church and state, religious freedom and reproductive freedom,” Americans United said in their statement. “Missouri lawmakers made clear that they were imposing their personal religious beliefs on all Missourians when they enacted these laws.”

Jewish clergy nationwide — in Florida, Indiana and Kentucky as well as Missouri — have been fighting in court for reproductive rights since the Dobbs decision. Many have cited alleged religious freedom violations. An Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in April that the state’s religious liberty protections may extend to those seeking an abortion, but the case will likely go to the state Supreme Court for a final ruling.

Sengheiser’s decision was made the day after the U.S. Supreme Court voted in favor of protecting federal access to medication abortion.

• The June 5 commentary “Unexpected loss leaves daughter searching for St. Louis charities needing donated items. Here’s what she found.” included an incorrect age for The Resale Shop, a project of the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis. The Resale Shop was founded in 1941.

• A notice in the June 5 edition included an incorrect time for the monument dedication for Ronald Schuff. The monument dedication will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 23, 2024 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery-White Rd.

Have a correction to report? Email the Light’s editors at news@stljewishlight.org or call Editor-in-Chief Ellen Futterman at 314-743-3669.

From left to right: Rev. Traci Blackmon, Maharat Rori Picker Neiss and Americans United for Separation of Church & State CEO Rachel Laser march to the Civil Courts building in St. Louis.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICANS UNITED FOR SEPARATION OF CHURCH & STATE

Meet Laurie Cohen: Synagogue staffer and style guru

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As a teen growing up in St. Louis, Laurie Cohen remembers how excited she was when she got to visit family in New York and her uncle would take her to apparel houses in Manhattan’s garment center. There, she would scan the racks of sample dresses, skirts and pants, selecting her favorites. Talk about a kid in a candy store.

“He would send me boxes of samples (clothing) when I was in college,” she said. “My college roommates and me — we’d all go crazy when the boxes came.”

Today, at age 71, Cohen is very much a fashionista who still gets excited mixing and matching outfits and figuring out which accessories best complement them. She’s also something of a fashion guru to several younger co-workers at Congregation B’nai Amoona, where they have helped her start and maintain an Instagram account.

According to B’nai Amoona’s Vickie Shuchart, “what started out as a funny idea has become one of our daily to-dos. We do a ’fit check, discuss the day’s photo location and who she’s wearing and tagging her in the post.”

Cohen’s Insta account, @stylinbylaurie, isn’t likely to hit influencer status anytime soon — she currently has 57 followers — but that’s

not the point. Collaborating on the account — and taking daily fashion pics — have built fellowship and friendship, and a congenial workplace.

“I’m doing this for fun, and it’s definitely been that,” said Cohen, who works as an administrative assistant to B’nai Amoona Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham and Cantor Sharon Nathanson. “And it’s definitely been great for all of us camara-

NEWS & SCHMOOZE

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

derie-wise.”

On the day we met at the synagogue, Cohen was wearing a black-and-white print sleeveless jersey dress that skimmed the knee, with a lightweight turquoise open cardigan and black leather crisscross sandals — perfectly appropriate for the office. She demonstrated how she would “dress down” the outfit for a casual outing by losing the cardigan and trading the black sandals for gold flipflops. She also would tone down her jewelry from dressier gold and turquoise bracelets to a stack of beaded ones.

Cohen claims she’s an “equal-opportunity shopper,” and plays no favorites. Nordstrom, Marshall’s, Loft, J. Crew, Target, Amazon — she’s been there, shopped that.

“I don’t really shop a lot, but I have a lot that’s built up,” explained Cohen, who is married with two adult daughters and belongs to B’nai Amoona. “I mix old with new, and I like to accessorize, so that changes up how an outfit looks. I just really like looking put together.”

Those are the exact words Tanya Spivey, shulcloud database and web manager/ supervisor at B’nai Amoona used to describe Cohen’s style: “put together.” Spivey, 38, was the one who suggested that Cohen start an Instagram account in the first place.

“I just want to shop Laurie’s closet,” she said. “She’s shown me how to change jewelry from day to night, and the power of a shawl. We work in a building that’s as temperamental as it can be (when it comes to temperature), and Laurie always has a

shawl that matches her outfit perfectly.”

Another colleague, Samantha “Sam” Zucker, 27, who is B’nai Amoona’s graphic designer and communications coordinator, said she has had to “step up her game” working alongside Cohen.

“Seeing her outfits every day is a lot of fun, we all look forward to it. She’s always so stylin,’ ” said Zucker. “She’s really found a cool niche — how to make style age appropriate, work appropriate, evening appropriate. She does it all.”

When it comes to summer wardrobe staples, Cohen suggests “a good white T-shirt and other colored T-shirts that you can mix and match with a skort or white pants.”

“Then you wear some cute jewelry to liven it up,” she continued, adding that keeping a summer look simple is often the way to go.

Shuchart, 50, director of strategic operations at B’nai Amoona, said that in the last six months, she can think of at least three dresses that she bought after seeing Cohen wearing them.

“She is my fashion inspiration. Not a day goes by that one of us doesn’t say, ‘Now, where are those shoes from?’ or ‘Laurie, are those pants new?’

“I recently ran into Laurie at Creve Coeur Lake and as we ran aways along the path, she starts huffing and puffing as she tells me the story of the skort she’s wearing. It’s a recent Costco find and mid-run we discuss if she can pull it off at work over the summer.”

If anyone can, it’s likely Cohen. At least, according to, her fashion faithful.

Tanya Spivey (left) and Laurie Cohen

Congregation Shaare Emeth plans two-day Pride Shabbat

For nearly a decade, Congregation Shaare Emeth has celebrated Pride Month in various ways. This year, Congregation Shaare Emeth and its Keshet Committee is hosting a Pride Shabbat to celebrate LGBTQ+ voices in the Jewish community.

“As a Reform congregation, Shaare Emeth recognizes and celebrates every person as a reflection of the Divine,” said Rabbi Rachel Bearman. “Our congregation is committed to honoring and standing with our LGBTQ+ members and to working to make the state and our world safer for them and their families.”

The weekend kicks off at on Friday, June 21, with a Pride Shabbat service (guests are invited to a nosh beginning at 5:15 p.m., followed by the service at 6 p.m.) featuring Pridethemed prayers and music. Congregation members and guests are invited to join the clergy and worship team for this special celebration.

Saturday’s program begins at 9 a.m. with refreshments, followed by a 9:30 Torah study session centered on Pride themes. The highlight of the morning will be a panel discussion at 10:45 a.m. where community members share their Pride stories, focusing on the intersection of their Jewish and LGBTQ+ identities. Guests can register in advance for a box lunch ($18) at 12:15 p.m.

“In light of the recent legislative challenges to the rights of LGBTQ+ folks, we believe that it is more important than ever to hear the uplifting voices and stories of LGBTQ+ Jews,” said Bearman. All events, except for Saturday’s lunch, are free. The congregation offers financial assistance for those who find the lunch cost prohibitive. Interested attendees can register online at https://bit.ly/3XrYPO3.

Mostly what we want to do is fill them with feelings of safely, being welcomed and finding happiness and joy through fun camp activities and new relationships and friends.”

AARON HADLEY

DIRECTOR OF CAMP BEN FRANKEL IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

HJ’s Café reopens on Millstone Campus with new menu, same community spirit

The café, which is no longer kosher, is open Monday through Friday

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Four years after it shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HJ’s Café at Covenant Place on the I.E. Millstone Jewish Community Campus has reopened.

The café, which is located adjacent to the Mirowitz Center in the Covenant Place II Cahn Family Building, will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The café is no longer kosher. Before it closed in March 2020, the café operated with a Vaad Hoeir-supervised kosher kitchen.

“Obviously it would have been wonderful if we could have retained our kosher kitchen. But between food costs going up so much and the added cost of maintaining a kosher kitchen, it just didn’t make sense (financially),” said Joan Denison, president and CEO of Covenant Place and the Mirowitz Center. “Michael (Layne, HJ’s operator) understands the Jewish community and the kind of food we are looking to serve and not serve. He’s also very sensitive to the pricing. He recognized that some people would be coming potentially on a daily basis and wants to provide good food that’s well priced.”

Layne, who has been in the restaurant business for 35 years, said he was interested in HJ’s because he is always looking for new challenges.

“I saw this beautiful picture on the internet of a circular counter in the background with an ad that said, ‘come rent this,’” said Layne. “I called and came to talk to Joan Denison, and we did a tasting. I cooked for her and some of her board. I made five different entrees and a couple of desserts, and everyone seemed to really like what I made.”

But that was several months ago, while the café was being rehabbed. It had sustained tremendous damage as a result of a sprinkler pipe break on the building’s third

floor, which happened on Christmas Eve 2022, Denison explained.

“We had to gut the place and rebuild,” she said. “There were three floors of damages, including the café. We had to relocate residents and prioritized that work first because we wanted to get people back into their homes. Materials that we ordered were no longer available, so we had to reselect. It was a very long, arduous process. It almost feels like a miracle that the café is now reopened.”

Layne said while not kosher, customers will never find pork or shellfish on HJ’s menu. He said guests will find a healthy assortment of breakfast, lunch and dinner options as well as specialty coffee drinks, smoothies, desserts and pizzas. There is also a $5.50 kid’s menu with four entrée choices, including chicken strips and grilled cheese, that come with a drink and cookie.

Breakfast, served from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., features all the usual suspects – eggs, omelets, oatmeal, French toast, bagel and lox and more – with nothing priced higher than $11. A yogurt parfait, with blueberries, strawberries and granola, is $5.50, while a breakfast burrito, stuffed with

scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, pepper, onions, potatoes and salsa, is $8.

Lunch selections boast several kinds of salads (ranging from $6-$8); seven different kinds of burgers, served either with fries or a side salad ($8-$10) and eight kinds of sandwiches, served with chips, potato salad or coleslaw ($11-$12).

Entrée items, served with a house salad and a side of pasta, broccoli or buttered potatoes, include grilled salmon ($16), meatloaf ($11) and roast beef ($13). Several pasta dishes ($11-$14) and a half-dozen or so appetizers ($6-$9), round out the offerings.

Denison explained that meal delivery has been set up so that people can call ahead or eventually order online and either pick up their food or have it delivered if they live in Covenant Place. HJ’s also is the caterer for the Aging Ahead subsidized senior meal program, which serves 80 older adults with five meals a week at no cost, though there is a suggested donation of $5 per meal.

For more information or to order, call 314-733-9812. HJ’s website is currently being revamped, but should be available soon at hjcafe.org.

Camp Ben Frankel raises $100,000+ to send 18 war-weary Israeli kids to camp

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Thanks to the generosity of the St. Louis Jewish Community and others, 18 Israeli children, ranging in age from 10 to 17, will be spending a month this summer at Camp Ben Frankel, a Jewish sleepaway camp located in Makanda, Ill., about two hours south of St. Louis. All of these youngsters were either displaced from their homes due to the attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7 or live on the Lebanon border.

“We’ve been in close contact and the kids and their families are very, very excited to come to camp this summer,” said Aaron Hadley, director of Camp Ben Frankel, noting that the campers will spend from June 23 to July 19 at camp.

“When they fly into Chicago, their flights are a few days before camp and they are being hosted by several of our wonderful camp families and alumni,” Hadley continued. “Mostly what we want to do is fill them with feelings of safety,

being welcomed and finding happiness and joy through fun camp activities and new relationships and friends.”

On May 19, the Jewish Light reported that Camp Ben Frankel had launched an emergency fundraising campaign to try to bring up to 17 Israeli children affected by the events of Oct. 7 to the camp this summer. The goal was to raise more than $110,000 to help these children attend camp.

“The promotion helped us garner more supporters and was crucial,” said Hadley. As of press time, the fundraising campaign had brought in $106,961.

Hadley explained that in late April, he was contacted by an Israeli mom desperate to find a way for her daughters to escape the daily terrors of living on the Lebanon border. She could only afford the cost of airfare to get her girls to an American Jewish camp.

After not being able to find an existing program to help the mother, the camp decided to try to do something. Through its alumni network in Israel, Hadley heard

from many more families wanting to get their children to an American summer camp where they could make fun memories. That’s when the camp decided to launch a fundraising campaign to help. Hadley calculated the camp could accommodate one child for every $6,520 raised.

The Israeli campers won’t be the only ones from the Jewish state. Hadley said Camp Ben Frankel has six Israeli staff members this summer, and they have been meeting virtually to help them get to know each other — and the camp — better before it officially begins.

“We have Hebrew speakers on our leadership team to help speak with the parents,” Hadley said. “We screened the Israeli campers to ensure that they had sufficient English-speaking skills, experience being away from home without their parents and a willingness to potentially be the only Israeli in a camp cabin full of American kids.”

To donate to the fundraiser, visit https:// bit.ly/camp-fundraiser

HJ’s Café is located in the Covenant Place II Cahn Family Building on the I.E. Millstone Jewish Community Campus. PHOTO: ELLEN FUTTERMAN

Outgoing Federation CEO lauds closeness of Jewish community Q&A

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On June 30, Brian Herstig will no longer be Jewish Federation of St. Louis president and CEO. In March, he announced that he was resigning his position so that he and his wife, Barb, and their two young children, could move closer to family in Minnesota.

Herstig, 54, began his tenure here in early 2020, just a couple of months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most of the world. In the 4½ years that he has helmed Federation, the St. Louis Jewish community has seen the opening of a new Holocaust Museum, the start of a war in Ukraine and the attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza, as well as a dramatic uptick in antisemitism.

Recently, the Jewish Light caught up with Herstig and asked him to reflect on this time here. What follows is a wide-ranging interview where he discusses accomplishments he takes pride in, challenges he faced and what he thinks the local Jewish community needs to do moving forward, among other topics.

What is your proudest accomplishment during your tenure as president and CEO of Jewish Federation of St. Louis?

I believe the thing that will be looked back on most as important to the growth of the community was the development, launch and spin-off of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum.

For me personally, taking on the fundraising, building and overall management of the project, during a transition of leadership of the museum and during COVID, was one of the most rewarding, exhausting and learning experiences I have had.

Is there one memory of your time here that continues to resonate?

One thing that still stands with me is the two days following Oct. 7. I woke up in the morning and saw what had happened.

The first thing I did was reach out to the incredible Scott Biondo, our director of community security. I knew there was a

need to ensure the emotional and mental well-being of our community, but also to inform the most religious segment of our community about what happened, because it was both Shabbat and a holiday. With staff, we crafted a message to share with rabbis and leadership about what had transpired. Scott and our security team hand delivered that message to every Orthodox community partner within hours. The Leadership Team then came in and, within 36 hours, we had started to develop a community response, created a strategy and leadership plan, recruited individuals and had an initial meeting of the Israel Emergency Response Task Force.

How would you characterize the Jewish community of St. Louis?

Warm, stable, willing.

What was the most significant challenge you encountered during your time at Federation, and how did you overcome it?

Simply the unprecedented nature of the last four-plus years. I got here in January

2020 and, within two months, there was a global pandemic. No one — NO ONE — had any idea what to do or how long it would last.

Every day we came in and did our very best to remain true to our mission and values and ensure that our Jewish community — the St. Louis Jewish ecosystem — had the information and resources it needed to function and survive.

After that subsided, there was a war launched in Ukraine that, sadly, still continues today. I think we came to terms with what was necessary to help our Jewish brothers and sisters being impacted when the twin hits of a brutal attack and war on the state of Israel occurred, and destabilizing and terrifying antisemitism burst to the surface, particularly on college campuses.

For any one of these things, there were very thin playbooks, if any. Put together and back-to-back-to-back, there was no history or wisdom to lean on. Working with our partners across the community and North America we worked through what we believed was best.

How do you think the Jewish community in St. Louis has evolved during your leadership?

In some ways, it is closer and more tolerant. In COVID and the early days of the war, it was clear we were all in this together and that challenges one of us were facing, or would be faced with, were challenges being faced by all. There was a support built among agency leadership to help one another.

In many ways, that continues through the deeper and more personal relationships that have been built and nurtured. At the same time, our community is no more immune from what is happening across the country and around the world than any other. There is a frightening intolerance of difference of opinion and desire to marginalize those who don’t share the same view of things. In that we mimic the larger culture right now.

What is your vision for the future of Federation here, and what advice would you give to your successor?

It is not my place to have a future vision for this community. Thankfully, I believe that there is a smart, committed, capable and caring group of people who lead this community and this organization. The volunteer and professional leadership in place are outstanding. I have always been a process person, and I trust the process, with the people in place, to set a compelling, expansive and engaging vision for this community.

As to advice, I would say “lean in.” There are such bright, committed and caring people here who want to make St. Louis and our Jewish community the best it can be. Meet with them all. Listen to them all. Find a way to support and activate them all.

How has your experience as president and CEO influenced your personal and professional growth?

This is such a hard question to answer right now. I am more than certain it has had a profound impact on my professional and personal growth. But I have hardly had a moment to reflect on that as I am still in my role.

I know I have an even greater appreciation for the need to engage broadly and

See BRIAN HERSTIG on page 9

Above, Jewish Federation President and CEO Brian Herstig speaks at a Israel solidarity event at the Jewish Community Center on Oct. 11. At left, a photo of Herstig from late May.

ninth-grade campers as the Older Habonim Unit Head.

“It’s going to be very hard leaving some of these kids that I’ve been with since I was 16 and since they were 5, [but] I’m excited to start that at Sabra.”

Sabra Camp Director

Kimberly Holtzman Sloan has spent numerous summers hiring Jewish teens like Lange as camp counselors. When doing so, Holtzman Sloan seeks out individuals who strive to be good role models for campers.

“When the staff have those friendships and those bonds with one another, they are actually quietly showing the campers how to do it as well. I just think that there’s something so special about that,” Holtzman Sloan said. “There’s something about a Jewish mentor that doesn’t have to be loud.”

While Lange is just beginning to establish herself as a Jewish mentor at Camp Sabra, others have been doing so for many summers. Zac Cantor, a rising sophomore at the University of Missouri and a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona, is returning to Camp Sabra for his 13th summer this year.

“I have some friends that I’ve had for 13 years because of camp,” Cantor said. “I think [camp] is the easiest way to meet other Jewish people, espe-

cially [those] who are around the same age as you.”

While connecting with other Jewish individuals, Cantor has also been able to deepen his connection to Judaism.

“[Camp] is super interactive, and I feel like it can make you feel more spiritual,” Cantor said.

This sentiment is shared among many campers and counselors across Jewish summer camps. Ava Sherman, a rising freshman at Miami University and a member of Congregation United Hebrew, has spent time connecting with Judaism at Camp GUCI in Zionsville, Ind.

“[Camp] is just such a good way to be with the people who you relate to the most, [and] it’s good to have that community to pray with.”

For Sherman, this community included camp counselors who helped define her summer camp experience. After serving as a counselor-in-training last summer, Sherman is looking forward to assuming a counselor position this year.

“I feel like I owe it to GUCI to be a counselor,” Sherman said. “I don’t think my years at camp would have been the same without the counselors that I [had] making it the best experience ever.”

honestly with stakeholders. I know it has reinforced the belief I came in with that finding the smartest, most diverse, most talented people to surround yourself with is the way to assure creativity and excellence.

Can you discuss a partnership or collaboration that was particularly successful or meaningful during your tenure?

Given the unique nature of world events during my time and the unprecedented nature of them, the need to work closely and nimbly with the board chair has been highlighted. While that is normally true, there was much more “flying by the seat of your pants” going on. So, an open, honest and collaborative relationship was critical.

I was fortunate to have as partners two individuals who really embodied those qualities, understood and respected the lay-professional dynamic and roles and made the space and time to be a true partner. Both Greg Yawitz and Bob Newmark were extraordinary, the right people at the right time for this community.

What do you see as the most pressing needs of the St. Louis Jewish community moving forward?

Certainly, there is a need to listen to one another and find new ways forward, given the divisiveness of so much right now. But my biggest takeaway is the one I came in with, which, if not for COVID and some wars, we would have gotten to sooner: The Jewish community, and Federation in particular, needs to create a new way forward.

Our mission and vision are just as relevant, just

as important, just as impactful as they ever were. But the structure of our work and the processes we have created and developed over the last century need to adjust for the world around us, which has changed and adapted. The Jewish community itself is changing. We need to change with it. But that is the secret survival sauce of our people and why we are still here but nearly every other culture and country we have been persecuted in, thrown out of or barred from is not. We are a people and culture of change.

Other than the people, what will you miss most about St. Louis?

This is a family friendly town that has so much to offer. It has most all of the amenities of a big, historic city but not the pollution, traffic and hassle. You can get downtown in 20 minutes. There are distinct neighborhoods to visit. I didn’t get to explore it enough, due to COVID, but this town has so much to offer.

PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN

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.

Former St. Louisan Samantha (Sam) Thal was ordained as a rabbi from the Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. She has joined Bet Shalom Congregation in Minnetonka, Minn. as a pulpit rabbi.

The John Burroughs School is naming its new baseball field after Andy Katzman (class of ’85). Katzman Baseball Park will recognize “Coach Katter,” as he is known, for his ongoing dedication to the Burroughs baseball program. For nearly four decades, he has coached JBS teams to 10 district titles and three state championships. A dedication will take place at the beginning of the 2025 baseball season. Katzman is a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona.

The St. Louis Jewish Community Center (the J) has appointed Monte Sandler as the new chairman of the board of directors. In this position, he will guide the J through its next phase of growth and innovation, leveraging his track record of driving results and fostering collaboration to help achieve the organization’s strategic objectives and deliver value to its members and the broader community. In addition to installation of incoming board members and officers, awards were presented. The J Associations Emerging Leader Award went to Madelon Scallet Tamika Davis received the Mark Kodner Inspiration Award. The I.E. Millstone Community Service Award went to Richard Harris Debbie Braunstein received the inaugural Lynn Wittels Professional Leadership Award and the Richard S. Weiss President’s Award went to Ted Isaacs

After 21 years at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School, Patty Bloom is going out on her own. She was most recently the director of admissions and marketing. BLOOM Strategies for Growing, her new company, offers strategies for admissions skillset, enrollment, parent satisfaction, brand reputation, school culture and others. Bloom is a member of Congregation Temple Israel.

Andrea Newstead has been promoted to director of operations at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. She was pre-

SECOND ROW: Tamika Davis, Richard Harris, Debbie Braunstein and Ted Isaacs.

THIRD ROW: Patty Bloom, Andrea Newstead and Abbi Marks-Mazur and Laura Fields.

FOURTH ROW: Elizabeth Welsh, Dana DeBlasi and Stefani Pollack.

viously the director of technology and will now oversee marketing and communications, technology and security. This will be Newstead’s 19th year at the school. She is a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Abbi Marks-Mazur is the new director of admissions and enrollment at Mirowitz. She is responsible for recruitment, admissions, retention, family engagement and community events. Marks-Mazur is a member of B’nai Amoona.

Laura Fields is the Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ new community coordinator for ElevatED, a program designed to test bold solutions for the recruitment and retention of early childhood educators. Field’s role is the liaison between the local community and the national project. She will assist in the recruitment for needed educators, the facilitation of professional development and the local proj-

ect manager. A member of Temple Israel, Fields also owns her own health and well-being practice, LRCoaching314.

National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis welcomed Elizabeth Welsh as its director of development. She will oversee the annual campaign, grant program, special events, tributes and all other fundraising opportunities.

Dana DeBlasi is the new president of Shaare Emeth’s board of directors for the 2024-2025 term. She is the senior director, DMS Project Management at the Jewish Federations of North America.

According to the food site, The Kitchn, the winner of the best vanilla cake award went to Stefani Pollack, the St. Louis baker, writer and entrepreneur behind the blog Cupcake Project (cupcakeproject. com). Pollack’s recipe garnered a 9.5 out of 10. The writer of the article and judge tested five other well known recipes.

TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Samantha (Sam) Thal, Andy Katzman, Monte Sandler and Madelon Scallet.

New assistant rabbi at B’nai Amoona wants to help people ‘be their best’

BY BILL MOTCHAN

SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

When Rabbi Jared Skoff assumes the role of assistant rabbi at Congregation B’nai Amoona on July 1, he’ll carry on the family tradition set by his grandfather Rabbi Benson Skoff (z”l), who served BSKI for more than 30 years as spiritual leader, and his father Rabbi Joshua Skoff, senior rabbi at the Park Synagogue in Cleveland.

“Recently, I found a Jewish Light article that had an interview with my grandfather,” said Jared Skoff, 31. “He said the most important thing that a rabbi can do is make mensches. I’m sure from my time listening to my father and my grandfather speak from the pulpit and in conversations with them, I developed a very similar philosophy.”

A rabbi should be available to guide individuals seeking their own path in Judaism, Skoff said.

“The best thing we can do is help people aspire to be their best selves and be good people,” he said. “And to teach people what it means to be in a community. Finding ways to empower people to feel like they’re co-creators of a community is not only valuable, but essential for helping people feel really invested.

“I think being able to step back and watch people navigate their own life trajectory through the lens of community, and see

how community has both supported and changed people for the better, is really a meaningful thing to see.”

Skoff said B’nai Amoona supports members’ ability to engage with the congregation through its programs, which appealed to his philosophy.

“I think it’s a match for my perspective that empowerment is important,” he said.

Earlier this year, Skoff was ordained by

the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, where he was a Wexner Graduate Fellow. He also spent much of the past decade working for Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, where he served as national program director. He comes to St. Louis from Los Angeles, where he was a rabbinic intern at Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue.

B’nai Amoona leadership found Skoff’s background and skills to be a good fit for the congregation, board President Gail Feldstein said.

“He’s an approachable person, but he’s also very intelligent,” she said. “For somebody so young, he brings a lot to the table, so much hands-on experience with near-diverse education, with Camp Ramah, with community, and his interest in diversity and lifelong learning, teaching adults and children of all ages. He has a creative mind, especially with prayer and leadership and engaging people into learning.”

Feldstein said Skoff’s ability to connect with young families is also an important factor.

“Adding a new assistant rabbi is a really significant moment, because as we approach our 140th anniversary, we are continuing l’dor v’dor, generation to generation, by keeping things energized and traditional, but also creative,” she said. “Education is so important, and we want to reach people where they are.”

Nominations for ‘Unsung Hero’ awards due by July 12

The Jewish Light is seeking nominations for its 15th annual Unsung Heroes awards. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, July 12 and can be made online at stljewishlight.org/heroes

The Light solicits nominations of volunteers making a major impact through their work without seeking substantial public recognition for their efforts. These people tend to fly under the radar. Honorees can be individuals or groups who are either Jewish or non-Jewish making a difference within the St. Louis Jewish community and/or Jewish individuals or groups in St. Louis making a difference in the community-at-large.

The 2024 class of Unsung Heroes will be honored with a special event on Nov. 20 and in the Light’s Unsung Heroes magazine, which publishes on Nov. 20 as well.

To view the names of past Unsung Heroes, visit stljewishlight.org/unsung-list

Superb hospitality. Exceptional amenities. Vibrant personalities.

Clarendale Clayton has it all in a unique location unlike anything you’d expect from typical senior living options.

Urban excitement lives on every floor of our high-rise building, all the way up to the penthouse and private apartment balconies with views of the city, gourmet restaurant dining, modern wellness programming, social gatherings, and everything you need to live with ease and enjoyment.

Rabbi Jared Skoff

OPINIONS

D’VAR 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

Finding new meaning in B’haalotcha

BY RABBI RACHEL KAY BEARMAN

Every year, the Jewish community follows well-worn paths through the Torah scroll, and, while the text itself never changes, those of us who journey through it are different every time we pass the narrative landmarks of our sacred stories.

Several years ago, at the height of the pandemic, I found myself walking through this week’s portion, B’haalotcha, and seeing my own feelings of isolation and concern reflected in the story of Miriam’s being put out of the camp until her leprosy was healed. I saw the anxiety, frustration, and longing of our COVID-isolated society reflected in this ancient story, and I wrote a midrash, “Waiting for Miriam,” from the perspective of Miriam’s beloved whose whole world would have been upended by Miriam’s affliction. Reading and writing midrash are exercises of empathy and imagination, and engaging with midrash is a technique that Jewish people have used for thousands of years to see themselves in the texts that form the heart of our community.

This year, as we once again trek through this week’s Torah portion, I revisited my midrash and found that while the landmarks of both the biblical story and my own writing had remained the same, I was able to find new meaning in both.

This time, reading B’haalotcha and imagining Miriam’s beloved brought my thoughts immediately and inevitably to the families of the hostages who have been calling so desperately for the return of their loved ones.

I pray that both our journey through this week’s Torah portion and our ability to

imagine ourselves in the hearts of those longing to be reunited strengthen our resolve to use our voices to ask our government and the Israeli government to prioritize bringing the hostages home.

May there come a day when Israel and her neighbors are at peace. May there come a day when the hostages are wrapped in the embrace of their families and communities. May there come a day when beloveds and families are no longer separated by forces of violence and pain. And, may we do what we can to make that day a reality. Amen.

Waiting for Miriam

By Rabbi Rachel Kay Bearman

(This is a new version of a midrash that was first published on Midrashic Monologues, online at midrashicmonologues.com.)

Are we the first to feel this powerful mix of longing, grief, and worry for loved ones who have been exiled beyond our sight?

While the Torah does not assign a romantic partner to Miriam, in this story, we imagine that she had a cherished beloved whose life was transformed by Miriam’s absence.

In this Midrashic Monologue, Miriam’s beloved shares what it feels like when we are separated from the one we love the most.

“So Miriam was shut out of camp seven days; and the people did not march on until Miriam was readmitted.”

— Numbers 12:15

Support Jewish Family Services workers seeking to unionize

“For 150 years, JFS has provided children, adults and seniors in the St. Louis region with the supports they need to lead vibrant, healthy lives” (— “About us” page on the Jewish Family Services website, jfsstl.org)

Jewish Family Services, JFS, celebrates a long tradition of applying Jewish values

to their work of aiding families and individuals and making the world a better place. Because we the undersigned strongly support the mission and work of JFS, we offer the following opinion. Recently, JFS employees contacted Communication Workers of America (CWA) to help with union recognition. We believe deeply in supporting the right of employees to organize.

Jews United for Justice, JUJ, met with JFS management and were assured JFS would be fair and conform to Jewish and JFS principles and values throughout the union process, despite having hired an anti-union law firm.

I yearn for my beloved. Her absence is like a grave injury that causes me to trip and falter every day, every hour, and every moment. I miss the way her hair smells and the way she sways when she sings. I grieve the loss of her presence. I fear the danger she faces. I rage against the forces that keep her from me.

I have moved the tent we normally share as close as possible to the boundary of our people’s camp. When I staked the fabric to the ground, I made sure that the doorway faced toward the wilderness, toward my beloved. I wanted her to see that I had prepared her way back into our space, the way back into our home, the way back into my arms.

During the day, I tell myself that I can see her standing in front of her tent of isolation. In those moments, I stretch onto my toes, waving my arms, ignoring those who scoff at my exuberant display. I don’t care what they think of me. I care only that she knows that I’m here, waiting for her.

At night, I stand at the entrance of our tent, imagining that I can see her through the darkness, and I send my prayers to God:

Oh God, heal her.

Oh God, protect her.

Oh God, wrap her in the comfort of our love.

Oh God, be with her.

Oh God, help her to know that she is not alone.

Oh God, bring my Miriam back to me.

Then I enter our tent, and, as the moon rises over us both, I lie alone in our bedroll and cry because I do not know when I will

Unfortunately, we have seen that actions taken by JFS upper management during the course of the union organizing drive are in contrast to the values they espouse.

JFS employees, who also believe strongly in the JFS mission and value to our community, have shared their disappointment in the blatant anti-union tactics of JFS upper management.

We addressed a letter, expressing our dismay to the JFS Board of Directors, urging them to step back and find a way to resolve the problems respectfully to benefit everyone. This so far, has not brought about any positive change.

We therefore think it’s now important for the Jewish community in St. Louis to be aware of what’s transpiring with this organization that means so much to so many people.

If you share our concern, or would like

be able to hold her again. Will it be safe for us to be together tomorrow? Next week? The week after? The uncertainty hangs like a weight around my neck, making every action more difficult, every moment more painful.

In sleep, I escape to a world where we are already together, where she reaches out her hand, and I can grasp it tightly. I sometimes wake with a smile on my lips. I sometimes wake with tears on my cheeks.

Each morning, as the sun begins its climb, I rush outside to show my Miriam that I have not forgotten her, that I refuse to leave her behind. And, on days when I hear about her from those who are returning from isolation, days when I know that she still lives even if she is beyond my sight, I offer my heart-felt prayers to God:

Oh God, thank you for my beloved.

Oh God, thank you for her strength. Oh God, thank you for our love. Oh God, thank you for our present. Oh God, thank you for our past.

Oh God, please grant to us a future.

more information, please visit our website, jujstl.org.

JUJ Steering Committee

David Lander, Chair Rabbi Susan Talve

Different takes on candidates in primary

The St. Louis Jewish community is facing a crisis. Our congressional representative, Cori Bush, has repeatedly attacked our values and refused to even meet with us. Her smears of both Israel and the Jewish community fan the flames of racism and antisemitism. Bush shows no interest in solutions, only hateful slogans. Her actions and divisive language make

Rabbi Rachel Kay Bearman is Associate Rabbi at Congregation Shaare Emeth and a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light.

High school students’ Holocaust survivor film is ‘unforgettable’

BY RABBI JONATHAN FRUCHTER

On May 6 — Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day — more than 120 students, staff and community members gathered at the Jewish Federation building to watch the screening of “Names, Not Numbers — Epstein Hebrew Academy: A Movie in the Making.”

Names, Not Numbers is an organization, founded by native St. Louisan Tova Fish-Rosenberg and funded by a prominent national Jewish foundation whose mission is to ensure that the stories of those who survived the atrocities of the Holocaust are not forgotten. Miryam M., a 12th-grader, said the program “is an incredible opportunity for anyone to be a part of.”

For the juniors and seniors of Kadimah High School, a division of Epstein Academy, this project had them break up into groups to begin learning about interview techniques and eventually sit face-to-face with a survivor to document their story. The students heard from journalists, gathered questions, conducted interviews, shared testimonials and helped edit the film, which was eventually professionally edited by Michael Puro, also a St. Louis native.

The three survivors — Elza Drapacz, Rachel GoldmanMiller and Eva Ozarowski — were children at the time that Adolf Hitler, may his name be erased, rose to power. Their stories were described in vivid detail, and the mood in the interview room with the soft lighting made them more meaningful and emotional.

murdered over seven decades ago, the impact of the program extends far beyond that night. This experience is something the students will take with them for the rest of their lives.

As Fish-Rosenberg explained in her introductory remarks, the students through this project become “the witnesses to the witnesses.”

Rabbi Jonathan Fruchter is the assistant principal-Judaic studies at H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy.

With the video being available online for viewing, there have been more 140 individuals (probably more, considering the number of people who watched it together on one screen at the same time) who have watched it on their own time as well. One person, Dennis E., wrote a message describing his feelings after seeing the film.

online.

Holocaust education has, perhaps, never been more important, with its necessity only increasing with each passing year. But even with learning about the horror stories and atrocities of the time, for kids growing up today that is the extent of their exposure. Many of them do not have grandparents who went through the Holocaust or who passed away before they were old enough to learn about it directly from them.

Names, Not Numbers has already filmed hundreds upon hundreds of survivors, and has had thousands of students participate. As the first school in Missouri to participate in the program from its inception, we feel that we are doing what we can to take part in preserving history.

Finding the blessings — and shalom

Editor’s note: This originally was published online on June 12 as a d’var Torah for Parashat Naso (which took place on June 14-15).

BY RABBI JAMES STONE GOODMAN

It was Shabbat Naso, the longest parashah in the Torah, read in proximity to Shavuot, the great wedding celebrating the enduring wisdom given to us on a mountain top. We had prepared.

Was it a complete gift, this wisdom, or did we turn ourselves inside out and twist ourselves into a posture of acceptance? Some crazy yoga that we submitted to methodically and daily in order to gain the gift:

Here is your wisdom, nicely packaged. It’s now in book form. First it came as thunder and lightning, but some time into the future, after you are done with the telling, you will begin the writing. Then it will be a book, then it will return to lightning in digital form and you will return to telling because the words are on the wind, in the rain. Maybe once in a while you’ll project them on a wall or write them in a journal to remind you that the word has shape — and that the word does not have shape, it has sound. The Torah calls it the return to thunder.

In the portion Naso is the threefold blessing of the priests. In the reading of the Sefat Emet, Hasidic commentator, to be blessed with shalom is to be blessed with a sort of wholeness, an inner point of truth that opens from the individual to the many to the All to the Universal.

In the Sefat Emet version, the threefold blessing is given in the singular opening onto the plural, one and many, the individual as it opens onto the universal — to bring the blessing from the individual instance to the universal application, the conduit from the one to the many, to break through your skin and live in God.

One student, Zvi H., said, “It is very likely that my generation will be the last to hear directly from survivors, so getting the opportunity to hear their stories is something I will never forget.”

Another student, Ezra F., explained that they actually felt an obligation to perpetuate the story of the survivor, as their great-grandparents endured the suffering of that time as well.

While the evening program, the culmination of the students’ work over the course of a semester, was itself a fitting tribute to the lives of those brutally

“Last night, my wife and I spent a deeply meaningful 58 minutes and 13 seconds watching the ‘Names, Not Numbers’ program presented by [the students of Kadimah High School],” he wrote. “When I clicked the link, I intended to skim through the content. Instead, we found ourselves completely captivated, unable to look away for the entire duration.”

These sentiments have been shared by many others, both those who were able to attend the in-person screening, and those who have seen the film

We are certain that anyone who watches the film will want to immediately share it with others, and we thank them for helping to preserve a dark but crucial time in our history.

To watch “Names, Not Numbers — Epstein Hebrew Academy: A Movie in the Making.” film, scan the QR code at right.

her an embarrassment to congress, her district and herself.

However, we are extremely fortunate to have Wesley Bell running in the Democratic primary. He has the character, education and values we need. His background as St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney and his strong support for the concerns of our Jewish community make him an excellent choice.

We urgently need representation by those who will listen to our concern and represent our values. We are proud to support Wesley Bell and vote for him on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Alan and Alice Ludmer

St. Louis

I was disappointed to read the recent letter by local rabbis and cantors (“Clergy state support for Wesley Bell,” June 5 edition). When our congregation built a new building our rabbis (signatories of that piece) said it was essential the sanctuary have windows. One explanation cites the Baal Shem Tov: “Sanctuaries require windows, not for their color or beauty, but precisely because they are windows — for windows invite us to see without our walls and beyond ourselves; they allow us to survey the world outside our doors, and to recognize our likeness in those we have ignored, and to imagine our own lives in the lived experience of those we have wronged. And, of course, windows allow others to see us and to assess if our own deeds are aligned with our words.”

Described this way, windows are essential for our public spaces including and importantly the halls of Congress. Cori Bush has been a window that “invites us to see without walls and beyond ourselves” since she arrived in Washington. She makes connections between her and her constituents’ lives and the important issues of our time. She begins each statement with “St. Louis and I rise” and asks herself and asks us to see ourselves in others. It is no surprise that she is critical of the U.S. support of the Israeli government and is for a permanent ceasefire. Bush is steadfast in her support of the oppressed. It is disappointing that our Jewish leaders do not share her steadfastness. We need Cori Bush in Congress.

Ilene Berman St. Louis

Wherever God dwells, there is blessing, wherever there is blessing there is shalom, an inner point of truth. I am you and you are me and we are all together.

One year on Shabbat Naso, I was sitting in the minyan and a guy from the drug and alcohol support meeting (Shalvah) I convene came in and whispered to me.

“I used today. I gotta stay close to this,” he said, referring to the sober meetings. “I want this so bad.”

He had been a heroin user since he was 15. You are here with nothing, I was thinking, but I said: “Your dearest possession right now is your sobriety. Get clean, and that one possession will open onto all other blessings. Without that blessing — nothing.”

He knew this. Yeah, yeah, he said. We were talking in a code language of recovery.

“It’s a test man, all of it,” I said. “You will be tested daily. Today a test, tomorrow a test, each day a dangerous quiz, and if you fail it today, you might make it tomorrow. One day at a time. Go home tonight and take tomorrow fresh. Do-over, every day new. That’s a blessing.”

“Yes, it’s a blessing,” he repeated.

With the Sefat Emet, we are at home in our skins because the trip is internal. When we find our peace, we attach to the inner point of truth within. Each part is a whole, each instance opens onto the All. Only Everything is everything.

Humble and opening Up, every day new. Every year another chapter on the story as it winds Upward.

Rabbi James Stone Goodman serves Central Reform Congregation.

Holocaust survivor Rachel Miller speaks in the video ‘Names, Not Numbers — Epstein Hebrew Academy: A Movie in the Making.’

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at school for deaf share late philanthropist’s love of tennis; Family works to continue his work

BY BILL MOTCHAN

SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Tennis is a popular after-school activity at Central Institute for the Deaf (CID). It began in 2005 at the Central West End institution and was the brainchild of late Jewish St. Louisan Paul Mendelson. Now, six years after Mendelson’s death, the CID tennis program is going strong thanks to the efforts of his daughter Suzan Laycob and his grandson Michael Laycob.

“It’s inspiring to see students learn to listen and to communicate and to succeed as they learn a new sport that’s very hard to learn,” said Michael Laycob, a member of Congregation Temple Israel. “It’s very rewarding to be a part of it. And I think that’s what Paul envisioned when he started it.”

Neither Mendelson nor any member of his family was deaf or hard of hearing, but he had an empathy for children who had to struggle with any physical challenge, said Suzan Laycob, a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona.

“He was always interested in uphill battles that others fought and had to fight every day,” she said. “It occurred to him that in tennis, the kids didn’t have to read lips or do anything but understand that you try to get the ball back over the net within the lines. He thought it would be a cognitive break for them and it would be good for mind and body.”

Paul Mendelson was born in 1927 and graduated from Soldan High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1948 from

Washington University and served in the Army from 1951 to 1953. He joined American Loose Leaf, his father’s company, eventually taking the helm. Mendelson was innovative and grew the company from a small provider of three-ring binders into a powerhouse business supply firm.

Mendelson had a good head for business and excelled as an athlete. He once told his daughter that if he hadn’t gone into office supplies, he would have loved to work as a high school physical education teacher. He regularly played basketball and handball, but his favorite activity was tennis. Mendelson was also gregarious and generous.

“There wasn’t a person my dad met that wasn’t a friend,” Suzan Laycob said. “He loved people. He was kind and generous, and he always had a smile on his face. His primary focus was Jewish causes, but he also supported the underserved and underprivileged. He supported causes like Kids with Cancer and Paraquad.”

Mendelson’s attitude in life was consistent with tikkun olam (repairing the world), said Rabbi Carnie Rose, former senior rabbi at Congregation B’nai Amoona.

“Paul came from some humble beginnings, did very well and always felt that he was responsible for making the world a better place,” Rose said. “He was a big, big fan of synagogue Judaism, of religious Judaism, of spiritual Judaism and of learning. He was a man of great mind and appreciated deep thinking.”

The CID tennis program was one of Mendelson’s favorite charitable projects.

At left and below right, photos of the late Paul Mendelson, who founded a tennis program at Central Institute for the Deaf. Mendelson’s granddaughter, Suzan Laycob (below left) and grandson Michael Laycob (not pictured) work to support the program.

That was clear from his experiences watching the deaf and hard of hearing students play, said Ann Holmes, CID director of individual donor relations.

“He had enthusiasm for our children with hearing loss,” Holmes said. “He suggested that we start a tennis program. His eyes would sparkle and light up when he came to play tennis and he introduced a number of community folks to our program each fall. He was wonderful because he was an ambassador for CID and introduced some new people to what we do here and how to bring the game of tennis and expose our kids to a really fun sport.”

It’s now a Mendelson family tradition to

play tennis and give back to the community. Michael Laycob, who excels at the sport like his grandfather, is happy to continue volunteering with the CID program and encouraging his sons to do the same.

“Paul was an incredibly kind and conscientious and caring individual who loved tennis and loved teaching it to others,” Laycob said. “He saw something special in Central Institute for the Deaf and its work. I spent a lot of time as a young child playing tennis with him, and he helped me become a better tennis player. I spend time with our boys now, working on their tennis, appreciating the sport and passing down what we’ve learned to help others who can benefit from it.”

St. Louis’ ‘Fighting Rabbi’ featured in new exhibit in KC

BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER

A new exhibition is putting a focus on the critical role military chaplains played during World War I and it features the legendary Rabbi Elkan C. Voorsanger, who was known as “The Fighting Rabbi from St. Louis.”

The exhibition “Sacred Service,” recently opened at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Mo. It examines the experiences of chaplains from multiple religious traditions, including rabbis, priests, pastors, monks, and imams.

“These spiritual leaders faced the same brutal realities of war as the soldiers they served yet remained pillars of courage and compassion on the battlefield,” said Matt Naylor, president and CEO of the museum.

The exhibit employs a mix of artifacts, film, images, first-person accounts and interactive 3D-models to offer visitors a profound glimpse into the chaplains’ lives.

Among the chaplains featured are Voorsanger of the U.S. Army and Rabbi Leo Baeck, who served in the German army. Voorsanger, known as “The Fighting Rabbi,” was a St. Louis native and a Reform rabbi ordained in 1914.

Rabbi Elkan C. Voorsanger, who was known as ‘The Fighting Rabbi from St. Louis,’ is featured in a new exhibit at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City.

When the senior chaplain of the 77th Division, John J. Allan, was reassigned to the General Headquarters (GHQ) Chaplain Office, he recommended Rabbi Elkan Voorsanger as his replacement.

This marked the first time in history that a Protestant chaplain recommended a Jewish rabbi for promotion.

“In the fall of 1915, Rabbi Voorsanger arrived in St. Louis as an associate to Rabbi (Samuel) Sale,” said Congregation Shaare Emeth Rabbi Emeritus Jeffrey Stiffman.

“The beginning of U.S. involvement in World War I was of deep concern to both Rabbi Sale and Voorsanger. In February of 1917, Voorsanger left Shaare Emeth and

after a brief stay at Barnes Hospital as chaplain, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.”

In 1917, Voorsanger explained his decision: “I am entering this war to register my protest against the war. I can do that in no better way than to go to the front to alleviate the suffering of those who know not why they go.”

Voorsanger was one of the first 500 American soldiers in the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F) and was among the first group of American soldiers to arrive in France in May 1917. Initially trained as a medic when the government allocated additional positions for chaplains, Voorsanger became the first rabbi commissioned as an American military chaplain in the conflict. He eventually rose to the role of senior chaplain for the 77th Division.

His nickname, “The Fighting Rabbi,” came from his enthusiasm for joining servicemen on the front lines. During the 1918 Meuse-Argonne offensive, Voorsanger was injured by enemy fire while aiding soldiers during a midnight patrol. For his actions, he received the Purple Heart and French Croix de Guerre.

Rabbi Baeck served German soldiers during the war, organizing Jewish ser-

vices for many dispersed German Jewish soldiers and was pastorally responsible for over 70 field hospitals. He also wrote extensively, providing reports in the “Gemeindeblatt der jüdischen Gemeinde zu Berlin” (a newsletter of the Berlin Jewish Community).

Baeck’s sermons were often meditations on a “new piety” whose bearers simply appreciate life in the face of war. Baeck believed that Jews would not be disillusioned on the front:

“We have known this feeling from the days of our forefathers: of standing alone in the family of nations, not understood or respected… So our religion signifies hope,” he wrote in 1914.

In the exhibit, a quote from Baeck preaching on Rosh Hashanah 1914 reads: “Hear! God speaks to you! The world around us speaks […] and only insofar as there are people who hear will thoughtfulness and loyalty, righteousness and love descend to earth.”

Admission to “Sacred Service” is included in a general admission ticket. For more information about the exhibition and the museum, visit the National WWI Museum and Memorial online at theworldwar.org/ exhibitions/sacred-service.

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For ‘professional overthinkers,’ choosing a restaurant can feel like solving a Rubik’s Cube

BY AMY FENSTER BROWN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

There are three judgments I will make with conviction and confidence that I am right, and you won’t ever be able to change my mind:

1. Listening to music selected by today’s teenagers makes me feel like I’m being drugged for surgery.

2. Nothing brings a group of nosy yentas together like something that is none of their business.

3. A group of friends trying to decide where to dine is more difficult than licking your own elbow.

I’ve discussed this before, and I’ll discuss this again because this problem doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. It’s like a Rubik’s Cube. A few people can solve it, some at lightning speed, while most of us try and try but can’t figure it out.

And just like another attempt at the Rubik’s Cube, we repeatedly attempt to make plans with our friends, knowing the deci sion-making process is like a hamster on a wheel going around in circles until we are exhausted. This likely happens to you, too. We all know it’s because our

friends are nice and probably actually don’t care where we go. We just want everyone to be happy. And we just want to be together, so the place we gather doesn’t matter.

Look, I understand that people in the world have real problems, and this is not one of them.

Here’s how it goes: One friend starts the text thread asking everyone to meet for lunch. Someone innocently asks, “Where should we go?” Within seconds another text comes through that says, “Anywhere is fine with me.”

No, it’s not, honey, and you know it’s not. The next well-meaning friend names two places, and everyone else replies, “I like both of those.” Not helping. Then …

silence. No texts. No one answers because no one wants to choose.

A couple of days later the original organizer tries to rally the group with, “Did we ever decide anything for Saturday?”

We all say, “Either place is fine.” But we each really want one of the places, plus maybe a secret third place that hasn’t been mentioned.

This would be a good time to use that famous phrase “we can do hard things.” I see that phrase all over social media posted by girl-boss types reworking the famous Nike slogan “Just Do It.”

Professional overthinkers can take a simple task and turn it into a spiral of options with offshoot options and myriad

reasons why each is bad, good, or not good enough.

Clearly, “we can do hard things” is probably meant for more than being the one in the group who makes the restaurant decision, but sometimes that task is more difficult than doing a 5K. As if I know what I’m talking about, like I’ve ever done a 5K. Or K’s one through four. I don’t know if I’ve ever even done K.

The best solution would be for the person who starts the planning to be the one who chooses the restaurant. After asking the others for a date, the planner announces the location: “For Saturday, we are meeting at Lefty’s Bagels. See you there.” Boom. Done. Bagels, shmear, decision made.

Once we finally decide the restaurant, we have a lovely time being together. We eat our food, have our drinks and then the server has the nerve to suggest dessert. We resume the dance where no one wants to make a decision. We all secretly want dessert, but “only a bite or two.” Do we want dessert? And then, if so, we have to decide which dessert we are going to share.

One of these days, instead of getting one dessert with four forks, I’m just going to get four desserts and one fork.

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

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SIMCHAS

BIRTHS ENGAGEMENTS WEDDINGS MITZVOT

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WEDDING: TRACI GOLDSTEIN & JEFFREY HOLDENER

Traci Goldstein and Jeffrey Holdener were married June 2, 2024 at a private residence, where Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg officiated.

Traci is the daughter of Dolores Goldstein (z’l) and Harold Fishman (z’l), both of St. Louis. Jeff is the son of Barbara and Leo (z’l) Holdener of Belleville, Ill.

Jeff and Traci met online and had their first date on February 15, 2023 at Panera in Chesterfield. They learned on that first date that they had so much in common and really enjoyed each others company. While they reside in Chesterfield now, their hope is to purchase a farm in the next couple of years where they will retire.

After a fall engagement at the Butterfly House, Traci and Jeff decided to have a small wedding of family. Dr. Harvey Serota, one of the bride’s best friends, gave the bride away. Traci was joined by her daughter, Dahlia, and her brothers Howard, Bob and Keith and their families. Jeff was joined by his son, Tyler, and daughter, Elle. Barbara, Jeff’s mom, along with his brothers Brian, Scott and Curt with their families were in attendance.

The couple will take a couple of small, domestic vacations in 2024. They plan to take their official honeymoon in 2025 to Israel and Italy.

BAR MITZVAH: LEVI KORITZ

Levi Scott Koritz, son of Susan and Robert Koritz of St. Louis, became a bar mitzvah on May 11, 2024, at Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Levi is the grandson of Sue and Mark Koritz of St. Louis, Susan Harwell and Gary Moeller of Frederick, Md., and John and Peggy Sabato of Lake Frederick, Va. He is the great-grandson of Melba and Earle Rosen, Ethel Koritz, Jason Koritz, Nancy and Robert Harwell, and John and Shirley Sabato, all of blessed memory. Levi has one younger sibling, Noah Koritz, who is 7 years old.

A soon-to-be seventh-grade student at Parkway Central Middle

School, Levi is passionate about playing hockey and loves to ride horses and read. Levi chose to do two mitzvah projects. The first involves collecting personal items and toiletries, putting together care bags and distributing them to those in need.

The second project combines Levi’s love of attending Camp Sabra and awareness that kids need access to books even away at camp. He has collected dozens of books that will be housed in free-standing lending libraries, built by Levi and his grandfather Mark, located in the camp villages.

DON & CAROL MITCHELL CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARY

Don and Carol Mitchell joined with family recently in Phoenix to celebrate their 55th anniversary, Don’s birthday, their granddaughter’s 1st birthday and her Hebrew naming ceremony. They share two wonderful children with fantastic marriage partners and three incredible grandchildren. So much to be thankful for.

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CHAI LIGHTS

YOUR CALENDAR OF ST. LOUIS JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS

Editor’s note: All Mirowitz Center events are free unless otherwise noted. To register for a Mirowitz Center event, visit http://bit.ly/ Mirowitz-registration, call 314-733-9813 or email info@mirowitzcenter.org.

SUNDAY | JUNE 23

Jewish War Veterans picnic

Jewish War Veterans Post 644 will hold its annual picnic at 3 p.m. in Stacy Park. For more information, contact Post 644 Commander Ellis Frohman at 636-519-7512.

TUESDAY | JUNE 25

MindMatters

Provident Behavioral Health facilitator and licensed social worker Nicole Adams leads this monthly group at the Mirowitz Center every fourth Tuesday from 10-11 a.m. This free, in-person class offers a safe space to share experiences, feelings and thoughts with other adults experiencing the challenges of aging. Free, but RSVP required. Supported by a grant from the Women’s Auxiliary Foundation for Jewish Aged.

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 26

The Rabbi is IN!

On the fourth Wednesday of every month, join Rabbi Neal Rose, Chaplain for Jewish Family Services (JFS), for a monthly discussion with a Jewish theme from 3-4 p.m. at the Mirowitz Center. No cost to register, but RSVP required. Program is co-sponsored by JFS of St. Louis.

SUNDAY | JUNE 30

NHBZ Pizza Night

Summertime is the perfect time to head to NHBZ’s Pizza Night for a delicious dinner.

Bring your entire family from 5-7 p.m. for an all-you-can-eat yummy buffet of kosher pizza, pasta, salad and french fries plus a dessert and beverage. All food is under the supervision of Rabbi Chaim Bogolpulsky. Prices are: $15 for adults; $8 kids ages 3-12; free for kids ages 3 and under. Credit cards are accepted. For more information, call 314-991-2100, ext. 2.

FRIDAY | JULY 5

Potluck Shabbat for young adults

The young adult chapter of SPARKS MATCH! is hosting another potluck Shabbat dinner at 6 p.m. Bring something vegetarian to share and celebrate Shabbat together and meet new people. RSVP to Daphne at daphnekoalabear@gmail.com

JUN

SUNDAY | JULY 9

The Week in Review

Moderated by Harvey Gerstein and Marilyn Alton, this is a forum for thoughtful discussion about the most pressing news stories of the week, which takes place at the Mirowitz Center from 10-11 a.m. No cost to register, but RSVP required.

The ABCs of Judaism

Judaism has its own “ABCs” – teachings to guide your life. Join Rabbi Ze’ev Smason at his monthly in-person program at the Mirowitz Center from 12-1 p.m. No cost to register, but RSVP required. This month’s topic: How to Talk About Politics & Religion with Family and Friends.

THURSDAY | JULY 11

Improv for Life: A Theatre Class with Rebekah Scallet

Whether you’re new to improvisation, or have some previous experience, this class offers a supportive and playful environment with the New Jewish Theatre’s Rebekah Scallet – a stage director, educator and arts leader, at the Mirowitz Center from 2-3 p.m. No scripts, no memorization, no pressure –just laughter and learning! No cost to register, but RSVP is required.

SUNDAY | JULY 14

Aish’s summer family picnic

Join Aish for a day of friendship and outdoor activities at our summer family picnic at Stacy Park, 9750 Old Bonhomme Rd., in Olivette from 2-6 p.m. The day of fun includes the rabbis’ softball game, BBQ food for purchase, covered pavilion, accessible playground, walking paths, Natural Prairie Habitat and ample parking. RSVP by Friday,

Local Jewish organizations and congregations can submit calendar items to news@ stljewishlight.org. Items must be received by 5 p.m. the Friday prior to publication to be considered for inclusion (see a list of remaining 2024 publication dates on page 2).

July 12 to Caren Goldstein at cgoldstein@ aishstl.com

ONGOING

Kol Chadash musical Shabbat service at Kol Rinah

This live prayer service will feature music with acoustic instruments, bringing together beautiful melodies and words of Torah to create a deep and moving prayer experience. Participants can come together at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays at Kol Rinah to find spiritual meaning and fulfillment through music, harmony, joy and spirit. For more information, visit kolrinahstl.org or call 314727-1747.

Mindfulness Meditation Sits

On Tuesdays from 9-9:30 a.m., join Rabbi Andrea Goldstein for the Jewish Mindfulness Center’s free weekly Mindfulness Meditation Sits. They take place on Tuesday mornings at 9 a.m. via Zoom. No previous meditation experience is necessary. For info, contact Stacy Jespersen at sjespersen@sestl.org.

Movies at the Mirowitz Center

On Fridays at 1 p.m., enjoy movies on the Mirowitz Center’s 14-foot screen. Call the Movies at Mirowitz Hotline (314-733-9812) for the film title and description each week. Free and open to the community.

Mirowitz Center Community Singers

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

Game on at the Mirowitz Center

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

Rabbi Neal Rose leads ‘The Rabbi is IN!’ at the Mirowitz Center on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

OBITUARIES

MICHAEL STEVEN COHEN, 09/14/1944 –06/15/2024

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

American Flag symbol denotes a United States military veteran.

Michael S. Cohen passed away in the early morning hours of June 15, 2024. Beloved partner of Sue Matlof; loving father to Lauri Ingber (Matt) and Julie Shaw (Mike); devoted grandfather to Luke, Cooper and Zoe Ingber and Adam, Sarah and Rebecca Shaw; dear brother of Sandy Patz (Stephen); dear uncle, brother-in-law, cousin and friend to many.

Michael loved to play golf, poker, travel and nothing made him happier than spending time with his family. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be on Sunday, August 11, 2024 at 11:00am at Congregation Shaare Emeth.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Congregation Shaare Emeth:  https:// sestl.org/give/make-a-donation-tributes/ or a charity of your choice.

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

MARC CORSON, 74, passed away on June 14, 2024. He is survived by his beloved wife of 31 years, Karen Corson, and his four children: Joshua Corson, Anya Chotiner (Brad), Shelby Corson, and Zachary Corson (Sarah). He was a devoted grandfather to Spencer, Sloane, Miriam, Davi, Sidney, Graham, and Bryce. Marc is also survived by his brother Steven Corson (Teri), his sister Marilyn Owens, brother-in-laws Dale Huff (Lindy) and Douglas Huff, and sister-in-law

Deborah Huff. Marc was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney Corson, Elaine Goffstein Corson, and Rose Friedman Corson.

With a passion for photography, Marc was a professional commercial photographer for 30 years, known for his exceptional eye for lighting. His artistry and dedication to his craft left a lasting impact on those who worked with him and appreciated his work. In the latter part of his career, Marc pursued a new passion as a window and door salesman for Home Depot, where his expertise earned him the top rated salesman for his region for several years.

Beyond his professional achievements, Marc had a profound love for fishing, particularly fly fishing. He spent countless hours exploring the serene lakes and rivers across Missouri, finding peace and joy in nature. Marc’s handy skills were well-known among family and friends, and he was always ready to lend a helping hand. Marc will be remembered for his creativity, kindness, and the love he had for his family. His legacy lives on through the beautiful memories he leaves behind.

A graveside service was held Sunday, June 16 at Beth Shalom Cemetery, 650 White Road, St. Louis, 63017. Memorial contributions preferred to the Covenant Place Foundation, 8 Millstone Campus Drive, Suite 2000, St. Louis, 63146-

6604. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

ADELINE EISENBERG, 97, passed away on June 15, 2024.

Beloved wife of the late Harold Eisenberg and mother of Renny Eisenberg (Rebekah), Steven Eisenberg, Larry Eisenberg, Don Eisenberg (Julie). She was a devoted grandmother to Adam Eisenberg, Jennie Hyams (Jason), Rachel Berkowitz Eisenberg, Lauren Knobloch (Patrick), Jessica Phillips (Chris), Carly Black (Jordan), Danielle Samson (Leib). She was the GreatGrandmother of Jacquelyn, Ascher, Cameron, Alexander, Liam, Luca, and Hayden and one on the way.  Adeline is survived by her brother Phil Sher (Judy), brother-in-law Jake Schulzinger (the late Marilyn) and her sister-in-law’s Phyllis Eisenberg (the late Hyman), Joyce Eisenberg (the late David). She was the caring sister and sisterin-law of the late Harold Sher (Ruth), Neta Scheer (Morrie), Robert Berg (Delores), Rose Ragin (Eli), Goodman Eisenberg (Betty).

OBITUARIES INDEX

Cohen, Michael Steven Corson, Marc Eisenberg, Adeline Eissman, Flora Gene Hoffman, Gilbert Kessler, Geraldine “Gerry” Robins

GILBERT HOFFMAN, April 15, 1928-June 6, 2024

Adeline the daughter of Abe and Jennie Sher was born and raised in St. Louis Missouri. Besides being a loving wife and mother, Adeline was a pre-school teacher at the JCCA for 25 years and lead parent education classes for so many moms and dads who were grateful to her for her guidance. She was an inspiration to her fellow teachers, encouraging them to pursue their higher education degrees, after she earned her early childhood certification at Forest Park Community College.  She was an avid reader, enjoyed swimming, and loved the outdoors and long walks with her dear husband Harold. She loved meeting people, and her smile warmed the hearts of everyone.

A graveside service was held Monday, June 17 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road, St. Louis, 63017. Contributions can be made to Artists First, 7190 Manchester Road, Maplewood, MO 63143.

Visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

FLORA GENE EISSMAN, June 5, 2024

Beloved wife of the late Herbert Eissman; dear mother and mother-in-law of Mark and Jeff (Heather) Eissman; dear grandmother of Brianna Eissman; sister of the late Ruth (Don) Solomon; dear aunt, cousin and friend to many.

A graveside service was held Friday, June 7 at B’nai Amoona Cemetery, 930 North and South Road. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions preferred to the Alzheimer’s Association, 9370 Olive Blvd, 63132 or the National Kidney Foundation (www. kidney.org)

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

Gil lived fully and with great enthusiasm for 96 years. He was a charismatic, down-to-earth man who was interested in everyone and everything. He possessed a gift of adapting with ease to most any situation which brought him joy each day and friends wherever he went.

Gil was born in St. Louis, Missouri to the late Samuel and the late Minnie Hoffman.

He was the devoted husband of the late Ruth Hoffman for 57 years, the beloved father of Stuart (Debbie) Hoffman, Marla Blanton and Wayne (Joy Seltzer) Hoffman, cherished Papa of Lindsey (Rory) Heaghney, Jenna (Ryan) Mueller, Andrew (Ashlie Tarter) Blanton, Joey (Alex) Hoffman, Samantha (Shawn Selz) Korenfeld and Jordan (Jess) Hoffman, funloving Great Papa of Emma, Kayden, Ruthie, Lillie, Luke, Wade, Riley, Gareth and Clarke. Dear brother of the late Morris (the late Shirley) Hoffman and dear twin brother of the late Irving (the late Cecile) Hoffman. He was an uncle, great uncle and friend to many. Gil was a special friend to the late Sylvia Abrams.

Gil was a proud United States Korean War Navy Veteran and a successful businessman, who, along with his son, Stuart, owned Hoffman Brothers, a choir robe manufacturing company, which started in St. Louis and continued in Owensville, Missouri until it was sold in 2013.

Gil leaves behind many friends in Boca Raton, Florida, where he happily spent his retirement fishing, keeping the squirrels and birds well fed and creating and tending to his garden. We will all miss him greatly and remember him every day.

Krug, Rosemary “Lynne” Liebert, Tobie Lee Moonshine, Merilyn (Lynn) Siteman, Ruth Levinsohn Ev

A graveside ceremony was held at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road, Chesterfield, Missouri, 63017 on Monday, June 17.

Donations in Gil’s memory may be made to Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis, MO, St. Louis Jewish War Veterans Post 644 or the American Cancer Society.

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

Obituaries continue on opposite page

GERALDINE “GERRY” ROBINS KESSLER, June 10, 2024

Beloved wife of the late M. Donald Kessler.  Loving mother of Jill (Kevin) Kessler McGovern, Lynn (Stephen) Kessler Cella, and the late Scott Kessler.  Cherished grandmother of Graham (Kristen) Berry, Gena (Chris) Gordzelik, Kirk (Elyse London) Berry and Max and Nick Cella.  Adored great-grandmother of Adrienne, Asher, and Phoebe Berry and Mason and Liam Gordzelik.  Loving sister of Estelle (the late Ray) Lavietes and the late Doretta (the late Ray) Goldman.  Beloved daughter of the late Max and the late Lena Kornbleit Robins.  Our dear aunt, cousin and friend.

Geraldine was the third daughter born to Lena and Max Robins on July 21, 1928, in Kansas City, MO. At the age of 5, Gerry moved with her family to St. Louis where she lived for the next 85 years. She was always enterprising and at the age of 13 worked in the shoe department at Stix, Baer and Fuller and later became the manager. She graduated from Soldan HS, married her husband, Donald and had 3 children. After the passing of her son in February 2019, she moved to Portland, OR where she lived near Jill until her passing.

Besides her roles in her family she wore various other hats, the most significant being an owner/operator of World Wide Antiques in Frontenac, MO. She volunteered her time and expertise to many charitable organizations, most notably the Women’s Society of Washington University and the Samuel Cupples House at St. Louis University.

She was an avid art student, painter, sculptor, antique appraiser/dealer, investor, gemologist, pilot, prankster, mahjong teacher and party thrower extraordinaire. With her easy nature and outgoing personality, Gerry made countless friends and was steadfastly loyal to those she loved. She was accepting of all people and never took herself too seriously. Gerry was known best as a positive person who never complained, loved to laugh, and loved a good meal and a glass of wine with family or friends while telling a good joke. Gerry set a great example for all who knew her as she did not let her many challenges get in her way of living life to the fullest. She was one of a kind and will be greatly missed by all who knew her and loved her.

Graveside service Tuesday, June 25, 11:30am at New Mt. Sinai Cemetery, 8430 Gravois Road. A Rindskopf-Roth Service

ROSEMARY “LYNNE” KRUG passed away on June 5, 2024. She is the beloved wife of Gerald “Jerry” Krug for 60 years; dear mother and mother-in-law of Dr. Lee Michael Krug (Laura) and Andrew Stuart Krug (Lori); loving grandmother of Ethan and Allison Krug; dear twin sister of Dr. Gabriel Shapiro (Ricki) and sister of Paula Jacobson and Ruth Kullman (Larry); cousin of Kathy Zimmerman; sister-inlaw of Neal Krug and Nancy Gerken; and dear friend to many.

OBITUARIES

TOBIE LEE LIEBERT, April 5th, 1929 – June 7th, 2024

Tobie Lee Liebert was born in St Louis to Simon and Etta Londe. She was the youngest of six children, Ruth, Al, Eddie, Shirley and Annette. The family was joined by Cousin Betty. Tobie’s father passed away on her birthday when she was only 7 years old. Her mother raised the 6 children on her own during those difficult times.

When Tobie was only 15, she met Charles Liebert. She was smitten by him from the start. Chuck, who was the love of her life, provided her with a beautiful, happy marriage for 55 years. Tobie was a very involved mother to her three sons. She made every holiday special and fun, with Sabbath dinners on Friday nights and candied apples to hand out on Halloween. She was an excellent cook, taking French cooking lessons and serving gourmet meals to her family that they talk about to this day.

She and Chuck loved to entertain family and friends. Everyone gathered at their house, from pool parties to holiday events. They traveled the world. Her love of art and design led to her passion for interior decorating. Her ability to bring together beauty, style and comfort was admired by all who entered her home.

Tobie was a devoted wife, mother, sister, cousin, grandmother, great grandmother and aunt. She was very generous to her family and to many charitable organizations.

She is survived by her sons, Larry (Evelyn), Daniel and Robert (Jan). Grandchildren Willow Liebert, Adam Liebert, Rachel Hsu Liebert, Em Hsu Liebert and Eric Liebert. Great Grandchildren Kaeden Liebert, Braxton Liebert, Harper Peacock, Julian Charles Feinstein, Alexis Liebert and Henry Hsu Feinstein. She also had many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, June 11 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Road. Memorial contributions preferred to the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry Visit  bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

MERILYN (LYNN) MOONSHINE,  July 20, 1928June 13, 2024

Beloved wife of the late Pierce (Chick) Moonshine. Loving mother of Andrea Smith (the late Rod), Donald Moonshine (Christiane Holtzman), and Leslie Moonshine (Rod Bonser). Grandmother of Dylan, Shayna, and the late Erin Smith, and Alex Bonser. Step-grandmother of Franziska Church (Nate) and Norika Fletcher (Josh).  Proud great-grandmother of Lyric Smith and step-great-grandmother of Maya Church and Miles Fletcher. Loving sister of Myrtle McMahan (the late Howard). Beloved daughter of the late Robert and the late Bernadine Shucart. Dear Aunt, Great-aunt, Great-great aunt, Cousin, and Friend.

RUTH LEVINSOHN SITEMAN of St. Louis, Missouri died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on June 13 at the age of 92.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1932, she was the daughter of the late Bernard and Miriam Levinsohn and was predeceased by her brother Robert Levinsohn. She is survived by her beloved husband of 72 years, Alvin J Siteman, and was the cherished mother of four daughters, Estelle (De Kaplan) Siteman, Nancy Siteman, Joanne Gordon and Suzanne Siteman along with six grandchildren, David (Dr. Marcie) Siteman Garland, Jessica (Rob) Jacobson, Madeline Gordon, Bradley Gordon, Carrie Phillips and Amy Phillips and three great-grandchildren, Aviva and Coby Garland and Charlotte Jacobson.

Ruth earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Washington University in 1976 and raised her daughters to engage with the world in ways that would bring their lives meaning. She was an ardent philanthropist, passionate about women’s reproductive rights, early childhood education, civil rights and the arts. She served on the boards of The Scholarship Foundation, Reproductive Health Services, and the National Council of Arts and Sciences of Washington University, among many other organizations.

Ruth was a highly respected docent at the St. Louis Art Museum and was particularly proud to serve on the Judicial Nominating Commission where she interviewed candidates to fill judicial vacancies on the circuit courts of St. Louis city. She also worked as a counselor at Hope Clinic and Reproductive Health Services for many years with great courage in the face of demanding protestors. She never wavered in her commitment to provide guidance to women. She had an insatiable intellectual curiosity and was a prolific reader of literature and the daily newspaper, often sending opinion pieces to her daughters and grandchildren, speckled with underlines and exclamation points. Her signed photo from Hilary Clinton was a prized possession.

Ruth and Alvin enjoyed their vacation homes in Lake of the Ozarks, Keystone, Colorado and Rancho Mirage, California. Many treasured memories were made there with their daughters and grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by her family, friends and all those whose lives she touched.

To honor Ruth’s request there will be no service or visitation. Tributes in her memory may be made to the following organizations whose work meant the world to her: NCJW, St. Louis Section; Planned Parenthood of St. Louis; ACLU, St. Louis Chapter; Evelyn’s House; or to a charity of your choice.

A Rindskopf-Roth Service

Lynne touched the lives of everyone she met with an unwavering kindness, and a sincere loving and caring spirit that kept friends and loved ones close to her throughout her life. It is this spirit Lynne portrayed that will continue to bring joy and light into our lives, and which will leave an indelible mark on the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to have known her.

A graveside service was held Friday, June 7 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Road. Memorial contributions preferred to the charity of your choice. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service

A graveside service will be held Thursday, June 20, at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road, Chesterfield. Memorial contributions may be made to The Adventurers Academy of Lifelong Learning in Austin, Tx (http://www.austinadventurers.org) or a charity of your choice.

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

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The oldest Jewish Funeral Home west of the Mississippi

bers to resolve this problem “respectfully.”

Meanwhile, JFS petitioned the NLRB in early April to break JFSWU into three bargaining groups and a hearing on the matter took place later that month. On Friday, the NLRB ruled to allow two bargaining groups should the non-supervisory professionals in JFSWU decide they want a separate unit. They can also choose to remain as part of CWA/JFSWU. One or both groups could also vote not to join the union.

The election is currently pending while the NLRB investigates the unfair labor practice charges filed by the CWA on behalf of JFSWU.

Salky said JFS will “value and respect” the outcome of the election but worries about the cost a union might have on the organization.

“We are very concerned these organizing efforts could potentially have a negative impact on our ability to provide essential services to thousands of people in the St. Louis area who depend on us,” said Salky. “These are additional financial expenses and time commitments with managing a unionized workforce which could result in JFS being forced to cut services or find alternative funding sources.”

Baker and Bolton said the last thing JFSWU wants is to negatively impact the good work JFS does in the community.

“Some of our wants are aspirational, we understand that. We’re not looking to financially break JFS,” said Baker. “We just want the chance to sit down at the table and negotiate.”

If CWA/JFSWU is successful, it won’t be the only local Jewish organization to unionize. Seventy-four of the Jewish Community Center’s 148 employees are in the JCC Employees Union, which dates back to at least 1975.

According to the J, its union membership consists of hourly, full-time, non-supervisory employees in positions such as early childhood teachers, building and grounds staff, lifeguards/ swim instructors, adult day center program assistants and administrative assistants in non-confidential roles.

The J also has a few positions where it is the employee’s choice if they are in the union or not. These include hourly, full-time, non-supervisory employees such as personal trainers and program staff.

JEWISH LITE

JEWISH CROSSWORD PUZZLE

By Yoni Glatt,

koshercrosswords@gmail.com | ‘Incomplete Educations’ Difficulty: Medium Find answers to this puzzle online at stljewishlight.org/0619-crossword/

Across 1. “Born yesterday” sort

5. Break into, as a computer 9. Dashboard readings, for short 13. Brazilian juice berry

14. Moisturizer ingredient, often 15. What some called Ariel (Sharon) 16. *Supreme Court Justice from NYC 18. Lahren of Fox Nation

19. “A Doll’s House” playwright 20. Certain salmon 21. Pose 24. Not allow 25. *First Jewish Supreme Court Justice

27. *Only coach in history to win an NCAA and NBA championship

29. Soured

30. “Dawn” author Wiesel

31. Start preparing challah

33. Mag. edition

34. 1972 Alice Cooper hit...or a hint to solving the starred clues in this puzzle

37. Seattle clock setting: Abbr.

39. Like Pisa’s tower

40. “My king”

43. Sanctuary

45. *Anti-Semite who was shown to be a fool in “BlacKkKLansman”

46. *Marv Murchins portrayer in the “Home Alone” movies

47. Chicken General

49. Bird on some Aussie money

50. Chair alternative, on a mountain

51. Rebbe Shneur

SHINSHINIM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

assignment—United Hebrew Congregation and Israeli Scouts]: “In Israel where I live it is very hot in the summer. The weather all over the year here was very different from what I know. There’s no snow in Israel. It’s crazy to see in one day here you can get all four seasons!”

Or Garti [home: Kfar Tavor; assignment: Kol Rinah, Temple Israel and Israeli Scouts]: “It has absolutely been the best year of my life. I really enjoyed it and I love the people here in the community.”

Shinshinim defer their mandatory Israel Defense Forces service for one year to be emissaries in the U.S. The timing of their experience was very much on their minds after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Naama Herz: “It was overwhelming,

Zalman’s land

53. Word with Akiva or Yisrael

54. *Leader of the Mizrachi movement in 1920s

58. Congers, e.g.

59. Laptop brand

60. Walk back and forth

61. Author Stanley Gardner

62. Zuckerberg’s company

63. Word after foot or door

Down

1. Steal

2. Top pitcher

3. Sportscaster Eagle

4. Island nation east of Australia

5. Jewish hand, of sorts

6. Sci-fi figure

7. Mass. neighbor 8. “Baseball” documentarian Burns

9. Snitch on

10. Like eating pita on Passover

11. Bloody Mary alternatives

12. You might do this after using a 50-Across

17. “Dear” advice giver

20. Many a home in Florida

21. Drink that’s mixed up in Israel?

22. Gal of songdom

23. Voice of Anna in “Frozen”

25. “...from the ___ even to the greatest” (Jer. 42:8)

26. Cavity filler’s degree: Abbr.

28. DVR button

29. Where Jacob met Rachel

31. The Jewish center?

32. Dark crime fiction

35. One who boos

and still is sometimes. It was extremely hard but the moment I got out of my room on Oct. 7, my host sister gave me a huge hug and I knew that I was in a good place. This is what I was supposed to be doing.”

Yehonatan Zohar: “I want to believe there is going to be peace. I have no idea how long it’s going to take. I just hope that at some point people will decide we want peace and to live our life and be happy, just love each other and do whatever we can in order to achieve peace in the world.”

Or Garti: “It was almost a relief to know that even though I’m not in the army right now I’m still helping in a different way. I’m helping raise awareness and teaching about Israel. All the support we received, it was just unbelievable how people cared.”

Ofer Ashur: “When we were growing up, the questions were ‘What are you going to do in your life?’ and ‘What you are going to do in the army?’ For every one

36. Olympic basketball powerhouse

37. Photoshop file type 38. Trekkie idol

Crater part

YU. follower

51. Curtain material

48. Benjamin Netanyahu, e.g., but not Menachem Begin

Rosh Hashana insect

Rosh Hashana mammal

of us it’s very meaningful and we want to do our service. It’s scary sometimes when you hear every day about soldiers getting killed. In time of war, it’s very different than the regular time to go to the army but I think every one of us can understand the importance of this.”

The goal of the program is to educate Americans about Israel and Israeli culture. They taught their American hosts about Israeli foods, and they also absorbed a lot about American culture, learning the pleasures of drive-through restaurants, toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake.

Yehonatan Zohar: “It’s so easy to get everywhere. It’s so nice coming to a different country for a whole year and then finding so many people who want to go out and do stuff with you without even knowing you. They’ll say, ‘Hey come over for dinner’ or ‘Let’s go out bowling.’ It’s a very nice feeling, this love towards you.”

Naama Herz: “I just want to say thank

Agent, for short

you to the St. Louis community. The best part about this year was the connections we made with the host families. I hope they learned from me, but I can say I learned so much from them about American culture. Next year I’m going to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday with my family.”

Or Garti: “I just want them to see us as normal people and someone that’s not that different from them.”

Ofer Ashur: “There are so many good American TV shows—‘Friends’ and ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Family Guy.’”

The shinshinim also came to appreciate American slang.

Naama Herz: “ ‘Dude’ and ‘Girl’ are my favorites. When I don’t know someone’s name, I can go, ‘Girl, come on, girl!’”

Yehonatan Zohar: “Brah. ‘What’s up, brah?’ In Hebrew it’s ‘Achi.’ ”

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.

MITZVAH DAY

In May, Kol Rinah held its Mitzvah Day, where families worked on a variety of volunteer projects, including assembling soup mix for the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, decorating ball caps and making beaded bracelets for children at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, writing notes to IDF Lone Soldiers, making toys for the Humane Society, crocheting plastic bags into sleeping mats for the unhoused and an advocacy table with Ashrie, Show Me Integrity and education about LGBTQ rights. The event also included a blood drive with Impact Life.

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

CONGREGATION TEMPLE ISRAEL

MOTHER’S DAY

JEWELRY ‘STORE’ AT MONROE ELEMENTARY

Congregation Temple Israel collected hundreds of like-new costume jewelry pieces from members of the congregation used in a volunteer-created and -led jewelry “store” at Monroe Elementary School on Friday, May 10, just in time for Mother’s Day weekend. Volunteers helped students choose items for a loved one, and provided gift-wrapping support for each student. Students have been earning “Monroe bucks” for literacy-based initiatives which they used to shop. Monroe, a public school located in south St. Louis, serves children in preschool through grade 5, many of whom live under the poverty guidelines or face housing insecurity or homelessness. Temple Israel and Monroe have regularly partnered to create meaningful events and opportunities for students. Mother’s Day Jewelry Store volunteers included Jan Abrams, Amy Alper, Liz Buchman, Carol Cohen, Pamela Dern, Rabbi Amy Feder, Robin Feder, Susie Fliesher, Cindy Frank, Susan K. Goldberg, Jake Talve-Goodman, Jody Kaplan, Nancy Litz, Ricki Marglous, Betsy Mehlman, Saundra Peck, Erin Schreiber, Beth Tucker, Linda Wielansky, Joan Wittner and Fran Zamler.

KOL RINAH