We are embarking on an exciting and transformative journey — our 100 Days of Impact campaign to strengthen our community As One!
Over the next 100 days, we invite you to take pride in the remarkable work of our partners. They are the pillars of strength that keep Jewish life vibrant, not only in times of crisis but every single day. Here, we’ll share their powerful stories of lives transformed by the incredible work of our partner agencies in St. Louis and around the world. These stories are more than just informative — they are a call to action. They will demonstrate how your engagement and support directly shape our local and global Jewish community, ensuring our shared identity endures for generations to come.
Together, As One, we will make a lasting difference. Please join us on this transformative journey!
As One We Are Federation
For two of our community leaders, their involvement started with a simple word: “yes.” But the challenges they have helped address have been anything but simple. Their lasting impact is the culmination of years of building relationships that make board chair Bob Newmark and past board chair Patty Croughan forever grateful they said “yes” to getting involved with the Federation years ago.
From Left: Current Board Chair Bob Newmark and Past Board Chair Patty Croughan
For Patty, her journey began after a call to join a committee focused on Israel. The global focus of this work quickly transformed her perspective. She became deeply committed to working with the Federation’s partnership community in Israel (Yokneam and Megiddo) during a visit to the region in 2001.
Through this work, Patty cultivated relationships with like-minded leaders across the St. Louis region who were committed to supporting educational and social welfare programs for our Israeli family and friends. Patty says, “What sets the Federation apart, in my experience, is the undeniable dedication of our community leaders.”
“For 123 years, the Federation has not only survived—a remarkable feat for any nonprofit—it has continuously grown, adapted and evolved to meet the changing needs of the community.” Patty Croughan, Board Chair, 2013-2015
Bob joined the Federation’s Board the day that Pat ty Croughan became board chair. In the beginning, he says there was not a specific moment when he was moved to do more. Rather, through his experience with a variety of volunteer work on a local and international level he realized the vital role the Federation plays in building relationships and supporting those in need.
This work does not happen alone. It requires the foresight, leadership, and commitment of many. Bob shares, “We are the beneficiaries of 123 years of dedication and foresight from the Federation and its leaders.”
“I started to believe more in the importance of community and connecting with other Jewish people; it was through a series of my own personal experiences and through making an effort to build relationships that made me recognize the true impact of the Federation’s work.” Robert Newmark, Board Chair
Both Patty and Bob emphasize that the Federation and its partners would not be here today without the guidance of the leaders that came before them.
“The Federation is our community’s superglue. It has brought us together during times of celebration and in times of crisis.” Patty Croughan, Board Chair, 2013-2015
A great example of this in recent years is the creation of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, which started as an initiative within the Federation to preserve the stories of local survivors. Over 20-25 years, it grew, culminating in a campaign to create the impactful, world-class museum our community has today. Now one of the top five Holocaust museums in the country, it houses a globally significant research archive, preserving history and educating generations to come.
From supporting programs of our community partners to providing to strategizing providing a safe and secure environment for our community at large, or uniting 2,500 people to mourn and heal after a conflict, the Federation ensures that our community endures.
Whether through volunteering, attending an event or donating, your participation supports our partners, family and friends in St. Louis, in Israel and around the world. As one, we can continue to provide essential services to each other and those around us.
Program Spotlight: Providing for Older Adults in Our Community
The Gladys and Henry Crown Center for Senior Living is a vital resource for older adults throughout the St. Louis community, providing support and a nurturing environment. You don’t have to live there to benefit from the Crown Center, which welcomes people from all over the St. Louis region to be a part of their programs.
The Crown Center’s mission is to help older adults maintain their dignity and independence while providing care to residents and non-residents. From special celebrations for Rosh Hashanah to monthly Shabbat dinners, the Crown Center brings together residents and volunteers for shared meals. Federation is also an essential provider of meals for the center’s Kosher Meals on Wheels program. Volunteers serve nearly 20,000 meals to older adults across the St. Louis region each year.
Additionally, volunteers are critical to the Crown Center’s success, helping to deliver essential programming and social services. This ensures that every individual who steps through its doors has access to the center’s activities and resources.
The center has social, recreational and healthy living opportunities all year-round for non-residents and the 170 residents that call the Crown Center home, including current resident Lois Librach. While Lois has only been a resident of Crown Center since April 2024, it took no time at all for her to adjust and she happily shares that her neighbors already feel like family.
Lois emphasizes the convenience of the location, particularly with her family living nearby. Even for those without family close by, she says the Crown Center fosters a warm, welcoming community where everyone looks out for one another. Lois enjoys participating in the numerous programs the Crown offers each month, from baking classes and holiday celebrations to gardening and working in the greenhouse. Staff make sure there is something for everyone.
Federation-provided security gives residents, family and friends peace of mind with someone always at the front desk and a guard in the evenings. Lois shares, “I love everything about this place, its convenience, the location near Schnucks and the close-knit community that feels like family.”
Looking ahead, Andy Thorp shares the Crown Center’s exciting plans for expansion to accommodate more residents. However, this growth requires support from people like you. Your generosity allows older adults in our community to continue enjoying the vital services and support the Crown Center provides.
Whether through volunteering, attending an event or donating, your participation supports our partners, family and friends in St. Louis, in Israel and around the world. As one, we can continue to provide essential services to each other and those around us.
Learn more about the Crown Center and how to get involved today.
Program Spotlight: Making Friends and Connecting to Jewish Identity
Camp Sabra is our St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s premier overnight summer camp – offering kids a chance to break free from the school year schedule and focus on just being a kid, making friends and establishing a lifelong connection to their Jewish identity. The camp touches the lives of hundreds of young campers each year – over 650 from the U.S., Israel and all over the world attend summer camp sessions available to children in first through tenth grade.
Debbie’s love for Camp Sabra began at the young age of six. This is when she started attending camp, which continued for the next 14 years as both camper and staff member. Debbie has committed tremendous time and resources to support Camp Sabra over the years, just as her parents and brother do to this day. “Sabra is part of my family’s genetic make-up and in our family’s blood,” she says. “It is hard to remember a time when Sabra was not a big part of our family’s life.”
For Debbie, watching her own daughter enjoying her summers at Sabra building friendships and developing her Jewish identity with activities such as celebrating Shabbat weekly is what Sabra is all about. “The residential Jewish camping experience is like nothing else that we can provide for our youth, and this is vital to ensure our youth have a strong connection to their Jewish faith and community.”
Attending Sabra solidifies for both campers and staff their connection to Judaism and the pride they feel to be Jewish. Camp Sabra is also a multi-generational family tradition for Rachel Weiss Kalina.
Rachel has been connected to Camp Sabra since age nine. She carries forward her family’s three-generation legacy at camp that will soon welcome a fourth, with her son just a few years away from being old enough to make his own camp memories. Those who know and love Camp Sabra call it “home,” and Rachel represents that sentiment. She shares, “You can’t fully understand the magic of Camp Sabra until you have experienced it firsthand!”
Rachel cherishes the connections made over the years that have become lifelong friends. She loves being back at camp as a staff member because she now gets to experience working with her camp friends’ kids. Rachel’s degree in social work opened so many doors for her, including spending part of her summers since 2022 as a Community Care Team member at camp! Additionally, Rachel feels so fortunate to take her four-and-a-half-year-old son with her each summer to make memories together (and he’s already looking forward to being a camper)!
Debbie and Rachel, along with all Sabra campers and staff, can agree that once they arrive at camp, they know that they are home! All these programs are funded by the Jewish Community Center, a vital partner of the Federation. Donations to the Federation’s Annual Campaign support many vital youth programs, including the Jewish Community Center’s Camp Sabra.
Please join the campaign during our 100 Days of Impact. Your contribution, no matter the size, helps ensure future generations of children can enjoy their own connection to Jewish values, traditions and celebrations.
An Update from your Annual Campaign Co-Chairs: Galia Movitz and Janie Roodman Weiss
Last week, we celebrated a decade of L’Chaim! Nearly 700 women gathered for an evening of powerful stories and shared memories to create one night of incredible impact. If you have not had a chance to watch our community video shared at L’Chaim!, you can watch it here.
Annual Campaign co-chair Janie Roodman Weiss also shared her personal story with the Federation–a powerful example of how one of the Federation’s valuable partners, Jewish Family Services, was her safety net when she needed it most. Janie’s story demonstrates the power of “we” when you choose to support the Federation. You never know who is in need–and that’s why giving is so important.
Now, at this halfway point in our Annual Campaign during our 100 Days of Impact, we ask you to join us in becoming a Mitzvah Maker and making your own mitzvah. We are well over halfway to achieving our goal of raising $9 million, but we can’t do it without your support. With your help, we can do it together. A mitzvah is a commandment, a good deed. The Torah teaches and commands us to do just that. When you give back, you enhance and preserve Jewish life in St. Louis, Israel and around the globe.
Together, we can provide healthy meals for older adults, combat antisemitism, support mental health services, provide humanitarian aid in crisis, and so much more. When you complete a Mitzvah, you allow others to do the same.
If you would like to get involved with the Annual Campaign, you can be a Mitzvah Maker! This year, we started a group of volunteers, Mitzvah Makers, to encourage participation. If you are interested in helping us with annual campaign fundraising efforts, please reach out to Larry Gast, Vice President, Development, at lgast@jfedstl.org for more details on how to get involved as a Mitzvah Maker.
Over the first half of our 100 Days of Impact, we’ve shared the stories of lives transformed by the incredible work of our partner agencies. In the coming weeks, we hope the next stories we share continue to inspire our community to support the Federation’s important work.
This is truly a participation campaign. Don’t wait–make your impactful gift today. Every gift, regardless of size, ensures that our community continues to provide essential services to those around us.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Galia Movitz and Janie Roodman Weiss
Your 2024 Annual Campaign Co-Chairs
For Students on Campus Today, Hillel is “Home Away From Home”
Lori Sheinbein started volunteering with Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis in 2012 when her son Daniel was a freshman and has not looked back since. She has continued serving as a volunteer and board member and now reflects on WashU Hillel’s vital role in the lives of many students far from home. This especially came to light after October 7, 2023, when WashU Hillel CEO Jackie Levey’s strong relationships with university leadership and commitment to students created a safe haven in the aftermath of the attacks in Israel.
Each year, WashU Hillel exposes thousands of college students of diverse backgrounds to Jewish culture and traditions and fosters opportunities for the estimated 1,750 Jewish undergraduates attending WashU to forge the paths toward their Jewish future. Lori describes the WashU Jewish community as “one of the most vibrant in the country.”
Lori notes that in recent years the challenges facing Jewish students have intensified, with rising antisemitism and mental health issues making the work of volunteers and donors more critical than ever. Hillel has become an essential place for safety and support, and the Federation’s support and security through the St. Louis Jewish Community Security Initiative, in coordination with WashU, helps make this possible.
Lori adds that the Federation “determines the most challenging needs for our community and provides the right resources to address those needs.” She believes the Jewish community of St. Louis would not be as strong as it is without the strength of the Federation. “When you give to the Federation, you’re not just supporting your own constituents, you are supporting others that are vital to our city’s Jewish community.”
There are approximately 800 Hillel chapters on college campuses in North America. Hillel is the world’s largest Jewish campus organization, with a presence at more than 850 colleges and communities around the world.
Your participation, whether through volunteering, attending an event, or donating, supports our partners, family and friends here in St. Louis, across our region and all over the world. As one, we can continue to provide essential services to each other and those around us.
Learn more about WashU Hillel.
Fostering Deep Connections with Israel: Families Forever Changed as Shinshin Hosts
That means a lot coming from a mother of five and host-to-date of three Shinshinim, Caroline Goldenberg! She credits her bustling household, her husband’s fluency in Hebrew, and family ties in Israel with making the Goldenberg home an ideal stop for the Israeli emissaries they have hosted.
A Shinshin is an Israeli emissary who defers their army service by a year to volunteer in Jewish communities abroad. Since the 2017 inception of the Shinshinim program in St. Louis, 25 Israeli young adults have made the 12-hour flight to our Midwest community. The goal of the experience? Teach about Israeli culture and forge long-lasting, meaningful relationships that strengthen our connection to Israel.
The program is a partnership between the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, with the support of the Federation’s Annual Campaign and the Lubin-Green Foundation. During their stay, the Shinshinim work at a total of 13 partner organizations, including reform and conservative congregations, Jewish day camps, the Israeli Scouts, the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Day School, sleepaway camps and so much more.
Every year, a Shinshin stays with three or four families, and over 80 families have hosted Shinshinim right here in St. Louis. It is a wonderful and life-changing experience for everyone involved, especially for the children of the host families.
“We got so much more out of it than we ever expected – everything was more fun with Naama.” Erin Schneider describes her hosting experience as forever changing for her family, especially her daughter, who feels like she gained a big sister.
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Both families hosted a Shinshin last year. Supporting them as they struggled with the tragic news and coping throughout the year while being far from their families was especially poignant. The St. Louis Jewish community supported the Shinshinim following October 7, and the Shinshinim supported each of us as well as we processed and sent support to Israel.
“Supporting Ofer made us stronger and helped us process the unfolding news in a more personal way,” says Caroline. Erin agrees, “Especially during this challenging time, we had a lot of long conversations and learned through their lived experiences.”
Your participation, whether through volunteering, attending an event, or donating, supports our partners, family and friends in Israel and all over the world. As one, we can continue to connect our community to Israel in support of each other and those around us.
Learn more about how to get involved with the Federation today.
How St. Louis Supports Jewish Life in Israel and Around the World
As we collectively mark the one-year anniversary of the devastating Hamas attacks on Israel, reflections from two community leaders help illustrate why supporting global connections to Jews in Israel and globally is so important.
Led by co-chairs Abby Goldstein and Tim Stern, the Federation’s Israel Emergency Campaign raised more than $4.3 million to support Israel, showcasing our community’s solidarity and commitment to addressing global crises. One year later, we asked Tim Stern and Abby Goldstein to share with us their connection to the Federation, to Israel and why the Federation’s immediate response has been invaluable in times of crisis.
Tim Stern shared that the Federation is uniquely positioned to help here in St. Louis, in Israel and worldwide: “Federation invests in outcomes.” In the days following October 7, 2023, he helped lead the dedicated campaign for emergency response in Israel. “It was challenging because we were already in the middle of a campaign and inflation was soaring, but we met our goal, and in turn, JFNA and JDC have been providing vital support to help heal the community.”
Whether providing food and supplies to displaced families in Ukraine, sending volunteers to Israel to rebuild or investing in essential human services after devastation, Tim says “Federation provides the necessary resources to identify the needs that would otherwise fall through the cracks.”
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Abby Goldstein’s family had just hosted a shinshin prior to the attacks, which connected her family immediately to the deep concern many felt for the people of Israel. “He had become a member of our family and was my children’s first real connection to being Jewish. Our bond with him and his family in Israel has only become stronger.”
In Argentina, she attended an Aliyah ceremony where the Jewish community came together to bless teens before they left to serve in the IDF. This was yet another powerful moment for Abby, as it demonstrated the strength of our global community in our shared strength as the war against Hamas continues. “We live completely different lives, come from completely different circumstances, and yet we are praying for the same people, to the same songs, no matter where we are in the world.”
Making an Impact: Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry Meets Essential Needs of Our Most Vulnerable
For too many in our community, hunger is a persistent condition resulting from true food insecurity. In fact, more than 19,000 people from 72 zip codes across our region rely on Jewish Family Services’ Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry for seven to 10 days’ worth of healthy food each month.
While providing food is the organization’s mission, the opportunity to volunteer in service to the Pantry’s guests is perhaps nearly equal in significance.
Reflecting on Food Pantry guests who, in turn, serve others, volunteer Sherry Shuman mentions those who deliver groceries for people without transportation, as well as one extended family of 11 who were taking care of each other. “These big families have big hearts, and it’s an honor to help them with food.”
Shana Singer shares a similar perspective: “It fills my cup to offer hands-on service to others and make an impact.” Volunteering puts things in perspective and reminds her to look at the big picture.
The volunteers work to customize groceries to meet preferences, dietary and lifestyle requirements—from kosher to halal to gluten-free. The pantry provides essential food wrapped in dignity and respect for all people inclusive of all ages, races, religions, ethnicities, abilities and gender identities.
Jewish Family Services’ Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry is one of the many ways the Jewish community supports each other As One. Continue to help us provide for the most vulnerable in our community by making your impact with a donation today.
Your contribution to the Federation’s Annual Campaign during our 100 Days of Impact directly supports vital programs like the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry. Every gift, regardless of size, ensures that our community continues to provide essential services to each other and those around us.
To learn more about how to engage with JFS’ Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, please visit their website.
As One, We Uplift
Making an Impact: PJ Library Delivers the Joy of Judaism
From “The Abba Tree” to “Zum Gali Gali,” PJ Library helps families entertain and educate Jewish children through books and music. At no cost, nearly 2,000 children in St. Louis aged 0-12 receive materials sent to their homes each month, making it easy to enjoy priceless story time with families and providing a guide for parents that allows for learning to be personal and meaningful.
The program is funded by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis through the generous support of its donors and touches hundreds of local children each year, including the Sabin Family. In fact, MaryAnne Smyly Sabin says, “PJ Library isn’t just for the kids; it engages the whole family and serves as a reminder of our community. It’s a wonderful way to foster connection to our culture at a young age.” From the day a child is born, PJ Library is one of the many ways the Jewish community supports each other As One.
“My hope is that by introducing my children to this diverse range of stories early on, they will grow up understanding that Jewish life comes in many forms and that they will pass those values to the next generation. I imagine all the children across the U.S. receiving a PJ Library book around the same time, creating an invisible thread that connects us all.”
MaryAnne Smyly Sabin, 2024 Grosberg Award recipient, former
Women’s Philanthropy board member, former PJ Library Family Connector and 2018 L’Chaim chair.
Continue to cultivate rich Jewish cultural experiences by making your impact with a donation today. Your contribution to Federation’s Annual Campaign during our 100 Days of Impact directly supports vital programs like PJ Library. Every gift, regardless of size, ensures that Jewish children and families continue to connect with their heritage, values and traditions. Help us write the next chapter of Jewish family engagement.