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Native St. Louisan looks back on 20+ years in Jerusalem
BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
In 1998, native St. Louisan Leah Elbaum Hakimian and her husband, Yusef, left St. Louis for Israel, where they made aliyah and settled in Jerusalem. They had been living in Clayton and raising four daughters. The family was a member of B’rith Sholom Kneseth Israel.
Hakimian, 81, graduated from Washington University and earned a doctorate in education from St. Louis University. During her years here, she served as principal of Solomon Schechter Day School and associate executive director of Central Agency for Jewish Education. She also was founding director in 1995 of Connections St. Louis, a community-sponsored Jewish matchmaking program.
Yusef Hakimian, a former president of the Board of Trustees at the Jewish Light, passed away in 2014. Leah continues to live in Jerusalem, where she volunteers at her synagogue and writes a column for the Jewish Week and contributes to the Jerusalem Post. She also is an active savta (grandmother); eight of her grandchildren and two great grandchildren live in Israel, as do two of her daughters. The other two are in the United States, along with two grandchildren and one great grandchild.
We caught up recently with Hakimian to see how she was faring by asking, of course, a few questions.
You’ve been living in Israel for more than 20 years. What’s the best part?
I really enjoy the “feel good moments.” When the extended Elbaum family gathers for a barbecue each year at a national park to celebrate Israel Independence Day.
We are blessed to have in Israel 60-plus children/spouses/ grandchildren/great grandchildren of mine and my late sisters, Nancy Makovsky and Ruth Shane. (Our mom was born in Jerusalem and our dad in Safed. Their memory lives on.)
Also, what continues to remain so meaningful is when I sing the words of the Hatikvah:
“Our hope is not yet lost/ It is two thousand years old/ To be a free people in our land/ The land of Zion and Jerusalem.”
Another great perk of living here is that at the age of 80, citizens are given a P’tor M’tor Card, meaning we are free to go to the head of the line. I have used my card at the airport, the post office, a restaurant, a department store dressing room and when waiting for an elevator. I truly miss this perk when I’m out of the country.
How long did it take before you felt fully acclimated? What helped that process?
Having so much family here helped us, but I would suggest trying to learn Hebrew. In truth, it is possible to live comfortably in Jerusalem without speaking Hebrew. But to be truly acclimated, it is important to speak the language. Even after 20-plus years, I still speak Hebrew with an American accent. But so did Golda Meir, Israel’s fourth prime minister.
Leah Hakimian is shown at a site overlooking the Golan Heights in November 2021. Hakimian is a former St. Louisan who made aliyah in 1998.
Any advice/suggestions to folks in St. Louis thinking of making aliyah? What’s the best way for them to prepare?
Carefully choose the neighborhood where you want to live.
In the most general of terms, Yusef and I both knew we wanted to live in Jerusalem and be part of a warm and active community. We didn’t want to live in a high-rise.
We chose the neighborhood of French Hill and, 23 years later, I’m happily living in the same home. And though I drive, I like walking: two minutes to the synagogue; three minutes to the supermarket, bank, three coffee houses and a bus stop; eight minutes to the post office and light rail stop; and 20 minutes to Hebrew University.
As it turned out, there are three other women in the neighborhood who are from St. Louis and have lived here for more than 20 years: Rachel Majerowicz Cohen, Robbie Burman Shibi and Sasha Tamarkin Sedan. Interestingly enough, we didn’t know each other in St. Louis but met here in French Hill. I met Sasha when we were both doing civil guard rounds.
Besides friends, what do you miss most about St. Louis?
The Clayton Library, now known as the St. Louis County Library Mid County Branch. Until the age of 8, I went to Hempstead School on Minerva Avenue, and my mom would take us to the library every week — I think it was called the Wellston Library. Years later, as a mom, I’d take my daughters to the Clayton Library.
Israel has great universities, but it does not have a great system of public libraries.
In 1889, Andrew Carnegie wrote: “A library outranks any other thing a community can do to benefit its people.” And between 1886 and 1919, he paid for 1,679 library buildings. In my opinion, Israel today needs an Andrew Carnegie.
Kranzberg Family Foundation awards $74,000 to Jewish youth, young adult programs in St. Louis
The Kranzberg Family Foundation, a supporting foundation of Jewish Federation of St. Louis, is awarding $74,000 in grants to 17 local Jewish organizations.
The Foundation received requests totaling over $166,000 this cycle.
Established through a generous commitment from Ken Kranzberg, the Foundation’s purpose is to provide funds to benefit the Jewish community of St. Louis, specifically focused on the outreach to and engagement of future generations and creation of a vibrant, embracing, local Jewish community that will help retain and be attractive to young adults and families with young children.
Applications are open to St. Louis areas 501(c)(3) organizations and congregations that align with the Foundation’s purpose.
The 2022 recipients are: • Aish Hatorah St. Louis: Clean Speech St. Louis • BBYO: General Support, St. Louis Council • Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County: St. Charles Jewish Family Network • Chabad on Campus: Jewish Graduate Student Association / JGrads • Epstein Hebrew Academy: General Support for High School Division
• Hillel at Maryville University: General Support • Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis: Jew It Yourself • Jewish Community Center: Nishmah’s Girls and Young Women Programming • Jewish Community Relations Council: Student to Student General Support • Jewish Federation of St. Louis: PJ Library • Jewish Rock Radio: JKids Radio • Jewish Student Union: General Support • Next Dor STL: General Support • Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School: Mirowitz MLK Event - Small Hands Big Difference • Shevet Keshet - Friends of Israel Scouts: Spring Camp & Community Outreach Program • St. Louis Jewish Light: Israel Through the Eyes of the Next Generation • St. Louis Kollel: Torah & Turf 2022
The Foundation has been active since 2008 and has given almost $900,000 to organizations in the St. Louis Jewish community since inception.
The Kranzberg Family Foundation is overseen by a board composed of members of the Kranzberg family as well as Federation and community representatives.
Jewish Federation of St. Louis and supporting partners will be presenting workshop opportunities focused on Jewish mental wellness.
The workshops are part of Federation’s efforts to improve our community’s ability to respond to mental health challenges during the pandemic and beyond.
Consistent with local and national trends, mental health and well-being has been one of the most persistent challenges in the local Jewish community during the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey of our community organizations’ leadership found that mental health is the biggest need among their constituents right now, across many age groups and populations.
The workshops will be facilitated by the Blue Dove Foundation and are targeted to staff of local Jewish organizations, rabbis and clergy, and general community members. At these workshops, participants will learn how to make mental wellness a part of their community’s culture and Jewish practice and identify mental health concerns and how to address them.
The workshop series agenda includes: • What it means to be inclusive, holistic, and responsive. • Applying Jewish values to conversations about mental wellness. • Recognizing when someone is in need of help. • Offering support effectively. • How to share this information.
All trainings will be held virtually and space is limited. For more information and to register, go to JFedSTL.org/ Mental-Health-Training.
Supporting partners in the workshops are the Lubin-Green Foundation, JProStL, JFS, the J, and the Blue Dove Foundation.
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS 27th Annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival begins March 6
The 27th annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival will be held virtually this spring, March 6-13, presenting a selection of documentary and feature films from around the world. While all films depict a piece of the Jewish experience, the themes are universal and are meant to appeal to all, regardless of faith. In addition to 13 compelling films, the Festival offers discussions with filmmakers and others associated with the films. A complete list of films and discussions, including trailers, can be found at stljewishfilmfestival.org.
An all-Access Pass is $98 (plus fees) and individual films are $15 each (plus fees). Tickets are on sale and films will be available for purchase and viewing at community.jccstl.org, the J’s virtual platform.
Festival co-chairs are Marilyn K. Brown, Jeffrey Korn and Paula Sigel. The festival is a program of the Jewish Community Center.
TI, Kol Rinah partner for mental health support Groups for adults ages 18-30
In life, we’ve all been dealt surprises and may not have expected to find ourselves in the lives that we are currently living. If this situation resonates with you, and you’d like to explore or make some changes but don’t know where to begin, these three sessions are an opportunity to take that first step.
Three Sunday group sessions, led by licensed social worker and psychotherapist Joy Bassett, are being offered at no cost on Feb. 27, March 6 and March 13 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Participants are asked to commit to all three sessions and the location will be shared after RSVPing.
To RSVP or if you are interested in learning more, email Bassett at bcs.jbbstl@gmail.com
These sessions are presented in partnership by Congregation Temple Israel and Kol Rinah.
Crown Center hires new staff member
Crown Center has hired Kate Massot as program coordinator. Massot comes to Crown Center after working as a service coordinator at the Brentmoor Retirement Community and most recently at Covenant Place, where she also coordinated resident programming and meal deliveries. She began work at Crown as program coordinator in December 2021 and is responsible for programming for Crown residents and senior adults living in Kate Massot the surrounding community.
Top row, from left: Beth Kodner, Emily Bornstein, Itta Boyko, Theresa Dattilo and Sally Lang. Bottom row, from left: Jessica Duneman, Debbie and Mike Lefton, Pam Appelman and Rabbi Scott Slarskey.
JProStL will present honors at March 3 event, with in-person and virtual options
Eight professionals and two community leaders will be honored for their work within the St. Louis Jewish community at “Treasuring Our Professionals,” JProStL’s annual recognition event.
The event will take place on Thursday, March 3, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in person at the Jewish Community Center and livestreaming.
JProStL, an initiative of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, is the professional association for staff who work at 50 non-profit organizations, schools, and congregations affiliated with the St. Louis Jewish community.
Mike and Debbie Lefton have been chosen as the recipients of the JProStL Partnership award, recognizing them as volunteer leaders who exemplify the laystaff relationship through commitments to the Jewish community and St. Louis region, ethical leadership, Jewish values, and acts of kindness.
The 2022 Peer Honorees are: • Career Achievement: Sally Lang, Director, Community Relations/HR Manager, St. Louis Jewish Community Center (the J) • Chesed/Kindness: Pam Appelman, Administrative Assistant at the Linda Rotskoff Early Childhood Center, Congregation B’nai Amoona • Dedication: Theresa Dattilo, Office Manager, Crown Center for Senior Living • Emerging Leader: Emily Bornstein, Director of Community Investment and Evaluation, Jewish Federation of St. Louis • Educator: Itta Boyko, Academic Principal, Epstein Hebrew Academy • Mentor: Beth Kodner, Director of Camp Emeth, Congregation Shaare Emeth • Pillar: Jessica Duneman, Director of Retail Operation at the NCJW Resale Shop, National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis • Visionary: Rabbi Scott Slarskey, Director of Jewish Life, Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School.
Recipients were chosen by a committee of JProStl leadership and former honorees, representing colleagues from across the community.
Jessica Wax of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis is JProStl Special Events Chair. Sarah Z. Levinson of NORC is JProStl President, and Vice Presidents are Scott Berzon of Congregation Shaare Emeth and Liz Collins of Kol Rinah.
Peer Awards co-chairs are Ellen Futterman of the St. Louis Jewish Light and Ashley Stockman of the J. Partnership Awards co-chairs are Rabbi Scott Shafrin of Kol Rinah and Heather Silverman of NCJWSTL.
The event is free of charge for those employed at Jewish organizations. Guests are $25 for an in-person ticket and $18 to livestream. In-person participation will require proof of vaccinations and masks for all guests. For registration and tributes go to JFedSTL.org/JProStL22.
For additional information, including sponsorships, contact Marci Mayer Eisen at 314-442-3810 or MEisen@JFedSTL.org.
NJT extends postponement of season opener, ‘Laughter on the 23rd Floor’
The New Jewish Theatre is extending the previously announced postponement of performances for “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.” The new dates for the production are March 24 to April 10. This further change in the schedule will result in the complete rescheduling of “Every Brilliant Thing,” which was to have been the second show in the NJT season.
“I am disappointed to delay the opening of our 24th season however, in our ongoing monitoring of the situation with the Omicron variant numbers it became clear that to continue to ensure the safety of our audience, artists and staff the right choice was to delay the production further,”said Edward Coffield, NJT artistic director. Current ticketholders will be contacted about the change in dates.
NJT performs at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. Individual tickets are $47-$54. Season tickets and Flex Passes (a five-ticket package customized to the ticket holder’s preference) are available at the box office, online at newjewishtheatre.org or by phone at 314-442-3283.
All NJT productions require proof of vaccination (both doses of Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson). Vaccination card or photo accepted, plus photo ID. Masks must be always worn properly over nose and mouth by everyone.
Covenant Place meal program receives $25,000 JCA grant
Many older adults are advised by their physicians and children to eat more nutritiously but how the older adult is going to get to the grocery, afford the food, safely prepare it and meet all the food group requirements when cooking-for-one, is not addressed.
For decades, Covenant Place, along with the Jewish Community Center and Crown Center for Senior Living, have been providing affordable meals to community older adults with support of federal funds disbursed by the Missouri organization, Aging Ahead. Government funds only partially cover the cost of the program. Annually, funds must be raised to support the affordable meals and to meet growing demand.
The Jewish Federation of St. Louis has long been a strong supporter of the program. Over the past years, there has been an increase in the number of people seeking this food support, as COVID-19 has made vulnerable seniors wary of going to the grocery and as costs of food and labor have dramatically increased.
“This $25,000 donation from the JCA Charitable Foundation means that we can manage the increase in costs over the next year and keep the program open to new participants,” said Covenant Place President and CEO Joan Denison.
Currently, due to the pandemic, packaged fresh meals are delivered to Covenant Place residents’ apartments and are available at curbside pickup for seniors who reside in the greater community.
“We’ve seen an uptick in request for kosher meals and an increase in participation from seniors from the greater community. Some are picking up meals for friends and neighbors that no longer drive,” Denison said. “We often hear how people are afraid to grocery shop during this time. As one program participant shared, “These meals are truly a mitzvah!”
For more information on the program, call 314-2927693.
In the same spirit as the popular television game show “Family Feud,” J Associates’ second annual Fabulous Feud Live on Saturday, March 12 will feature families from the community who will team up and square off against each other to play The Feud.
Enjoy the show from the comfort of home as contestants battle it out while having fun and fundraising for the Jewish Community Center. An interactive Pregame Event will start the evening off at 6:45 p.m., followed by the Main Event at 7:30 p.m. Game show host for the evening is Ben Nordstrom, who has emceed several J Associates fundraising events.
Six teams will compete during the evening, all comprised of five members (see photos of the teams on this week’s Spotlight photos page (page 23): • The Bald & the Beautiful: Andy Sandler, Julie and Monte Sandler, Lisa and David Moons • The Matzah Ballers: Rachel & Bryan Sanger, Diane Sanger, Stefanie & Bryce Woollen • Growe for the Gold: Gary Growe, Jennifer Growe Soshnik and Danny Soshnik, Rebecca and Jason Growe • The Baris Necessities: Judy and Keith Grosz, Rob Baris, Melissa and Jon Baris
• The Sabra Shabbat Playahs: Jenny Hoffman-Mentle, Terri Grossman, Steve Chorlins, Julie Shanker, Larry Opinsky • The Arbor Roots: Will Goldstein, Nancy Goldstein, Elizabeth Snidman, Susan and Jonathan Goldstein
Proceeds from Fabulous Feud Live are allocated to various departments of the J. The J Associates support many of the 250+ J programs and services, including kosher Meals on Wheels, delivered to homebound seniors; Adult Day Services; Theatre Unlimited (for adults with disabilities); and various scholarships, which offer opportunities for children to attend the J’s Early Childhood Center, J Day Camps and Camp Sabra, the J’s residential camp.
Fabulous Feud Live is co-chaired by Lisa Gubernik and Elise Krug with assistance from J Associates Vice President of Development, Amy Bennett and President, Debbie Lefton.
Tickets are $50 for Main Event Pass or $125 for both interactive Pregame and Main Event. Sponsorship opportunities also remain. Tickets go on sale January 17 and may be purchased at jccstl.com/fabulousfeud or by contacting Beth Box, J Annual Fund Manager, bbox@jccstl. org or 314.442.3109.
Chabad on Campus ‘warmline’ aims to help students register for Birthright Israel trips
To help make it easy for local students to register Chabad has opened a telephone ‘warmline’ (available during waking hours). The line will be answered by local trip experts who will help with the trip registration process and answer questions. Call or text 314-827-2525.
“We anticipate extra demand this summer as there is a large group of applicants who were unable to travel during the height of the pandemic,” said Rabbi Hershey Novack of Chabad on Campus.
Birthright Israel trips are available to Jewish young adults who have never been to Israel on an educational tour with their peers. The program includes flights to Israel, accommodations at quality hotels, meals, a private bus, licensed tour guides, entry fees, emergency medical insurance, and more. A $250 deposit is required to secure a seat and will be returned after the trip.
The 10-day trip has two scheduled departure options for area students on May 16 and 23. Additional dates may be added based on need. To register for the trip, visit www. mayanot.me.
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Antisemitism Report, which declared 2021 the worst year for antisemitism in a decade.
The attacks and increased concerns about antisemitism have prompted Jewish organizations to invest additional money in security. In 2017, Jewish Federation of St. Louis hired Scott Biondo as community security director on a parttime, interim basis. He now works full time for the organization, which also allocated $350,000 in December 2019 to enhance security at local Jewish facilities.
Biondo said he thinks Cytron-Walker received the same training as St. Louis rabbis — and that it worked. The rabbi remained close to an exit, which provided him with options, and tried to deescalate the situation by continuing to talk with the attacker.
“The options-based training that we use provides the person with the ability to evaluate the threat based on the proximity to them and then [determine] what option makes the most sense,” Biondo said.
Rabbi Ze’ev Smason of Nusach Hari B’nai Zion, an Orthodox congregation in Olivette, said Federation helped the synagogue by providing funding to improve security at the building and by making Biondo available for training and to answer questions.
That has “given us a much greater feeling of security and confidence, although ultimately one can never be too secure, nor should one ever let one’s guard down,” Smason said. “I am filled with admiration from the way that [CytronWalker] responded.”
Feder said that at a Jan. 25 Temple Israel board meeting, the head of the security committee discussed the state of the congregation’s safety measures and “really just reminded us that we are in pretty good shape. We feel that that we have spent the time and money and resources to do everything we can.”
Despite the confidence that the local rabbis feel because of the training and security upgrades in recent years, they are still trying to bolster their systems. Five Jewish organizations are scheduling security training, Biondo said.
At the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association meeting Jan. 25, members decided to seek training that is specific to clergy.
Since the Colleyville incident, Central Reform Congregation has added security officers to work during drop-off and pickup for the congregation’s preschool and is considering whether it needs to have safety drills during the synagogue’s religious school on Shabbat, Rabbi Daniel Bogard said.
“The Jewish world that we grew up in, that I grew up in in St. Louis, certainly no longer exists when it comes to antisemitism,” Bogard said. “I think we need to have some really strategic conversations about how we respond to this new reality. … What are the proactive things that we could be doing?”
Since the Colleyville incident, Kol Rinah has provided the Clayton Police Department with a floor plan for its new building to help law enforcement should the Conservative congregation find itself in a similar situation.
Rabbi Noah Arnow of Kol Rinah said the recent terrorism “doesn’t make me more nervous but, of course, it’s made me think about whether I would have been able to do what Rabbi Cytron-Walker did if I were in his place. I can’t imagine anyone acting with more kindness and patience and heroism than he did. I hope I would do half as well.”
While the local rabbis said they don’t think the attacks in recent years have kept people from coming to synagogue, many people have stopped coming to synagogue because of another threat: COVID-19.
NHBZ is open for services but requires all attendees to wear masks. The synagogue has a quarter to a third as many attendees as it did before the pandemic, Smason said.
“There are people who are scared and understandably so,” Smason said.
But with regard to the threat posed by terrorism, Smason said that in addition to taking security precautions, the best thing the Jewish community can do is to come to synagogue more often.
“Our response to hate and antisemitism is: You’re not going to beat us. You’re not going to beat us,” Smason said. “And on the contrary, whenever something like this happens, we are going to respond by strengthening our commitment to Judaism and our participation in Jewish communal life.”
Jewish Federation’s Community Security Director, Scott Biondo, speaks during a panel discussion on ‘Keeping Religious Communities Safe’ at Central Reform Congregation on Jan. 20. The event, planned by Interfaith Partnership of St. Louis and CRC, was broadcast via Zoom.
PHOTO: PHILIP DEITCH
From left: Rabbi Ze’ev Smason of Nusach Hari B’nai Zion, Rabbi Noah Arnow of Kol Rinah and Rabbi Daniel Bogard of Central Reform Congregation.
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