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2 days ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
Two juveniles have been taken into custody in connection with a vandalism incident at Glenridge Elementary School, located at 7447 Wellington Way in Clayton where antisemitic and racist graffiti was discovered early Monday morning, according to the Clayton Police Department. The suspects, whose identities have not been released due to their age, are facing second-degree property damage charges enhanced by hate offense classifications, a Class E felony under Missouri law.
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2 days ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
In a testament to the life-saving impact of a single act of generosity, the Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulance donated by former St. Louisan Dr. Irvin Pretsky continues to make a profound difference in Israel. We first told you about the MICU originally dedicated in memory of his parents, Jake and Dora Pretsky of University City, in February, 2022. Since then, the ambulance has responded to 11,237 emergency calls – an increase of more than 6,100 calls since the last report 11 months ago.
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3 days ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
When Meredith Chancellor first heard her father’s voice crackle through a forgotten World War II phonograph recording, she felt the full weight of a connection she never knew was lost. It was a voice she knew well – the same comforting voice that read to her every night as a child and wrote her daily letters when she was away.
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1 week ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
Justice in Hebrew is “Tzedek” and justice takes many forms—showing up, speaking out, opening doors, building bridges. On May 20, the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) will celebrate those who do all of the above at the 2025 Tzedek Awards, held at the Clayton Plaza Hotel. This year’s honorees include educators, organizers and community leaders who’ve each made their mark on St. Louis Jewish life—and the wider world around it. Some are longtime changemakers. Others are just getting started.
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1 week ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
As the Jewish Light first reported on Feb. 28 in an exclusive interview with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Argentina had pledged to open its sealed Nazi-era financial archives. Now, that pledge has become reality. In a historic decision, Argentina granted the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) full access to previously sealed Nazi-era financial archives.
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1 week ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
Myles Rosenblum, a 23-year-old IDF lone soldier from St. Louis, is returning home after two transformative years in the Israel Defense Forces. Serving in Israel’s elite Paratroopers Unit 101, Rosenblum’s journey—from intense combat training to frontline deployments in Gaza, Lebanon, and near Syria—offers a firsthand look into the life of a modern-day IDF lone soldier. On May 19, he’ll speak at the Jewish Community Center, sharing powerful reflections on duty, sacrifice, and hope.
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1 week ago | 
stlmag.com | Jordan Palmer
After building a following in St. Charles County, Good News Brewing is expanding once again. Slated to open this summer in the Post Commons building (300 Alby) in Alton, Illinois, the brewery will mark the brand’s sixth location—and its first franchise location—with more Good News on the way. Here’s what to know before you go. Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene.
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1 week ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
Growing up in the 1970s, if my family was going on vacation, it meant we were taking a road trip. Funny to think about it now, but we didn’t call it a road trip back then—it was just a trip. A backseat packed with pillows, a cooler full of Shasta, maybe a Rand McNally atlas sliding around the floor. And while road trips have certainly evolved (and expanded in the age of RVs and phone chargers), there’s something about the ones from back then that just feel… better. Simpler. Happier.
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1 week ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
When Rob Wasserman decided to take his junior year abroad from the University of California, Santa Barbara—and switched his destination from Sweden to Israel—he wasn’t searching for a spiritual transformation. But a spiritual transformation found him anyway. What he found that year in Jerusalem was something that would shape his life: Shabbat. That discovery eventually became ” ,” a weekly email he now sends from his home in St. Louis to subscribers around the world.
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2 weeks ago | 
stljewishlight.org | Jordan Palmer
Maryville Hillel is turning 10 this year, and while there will be celebration, the milestone also marks something deeper: a decade of building Jewish community on campus, sharing traditions and giving students—Jewish and not—a space to learn, connect and belong. Since launching in 2015, Maryville’s Hillel has hosted everything from Shabbat dinners and Sukkot celebrations in the Quad to the now-annual Shabbatukkah, which won the university’s “Program of the Year” award in 2022.
