On October 22, 2015, the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) appointed Maharat* Rori Picker Neiss as the new Executive Director of JCRC, effective November 19, 2015. JCRC, an independent beneficiary agency of Jewish Federation of St. Louis, works within the Jewish and broader communities in St. Louis to enhance cooperation with other religious, racial, ethnic and civic groups and fosters the security of Israel and Jews everywhere
Last year, JCRC announced the Executive Director, Batya Abramson-Goldstein, was retiring after 26 years with the agency, and 14 years as Executive Director. “It has been a privilege an honor and a joy to serve as Executive Director of JCRC and to work with so many wonderful individuals and organizations to build relationships through the power of dialogue,” said Batya Abramson-Goldstein. “I know that Rori will do a remarkable job continuing the important work of JCRC.”
“We are thrilled that Rori Picker Neiss has decided to join JCRC as our next Executive Director,” said Bob Millstone, President of the Board, JCRC. “Her passion for Judaism, community relations, social justice and interreligious cooperation will help the JCRC expand its impact.” Millstone continued, “At the same time, we thank Batya for all she has done to create innovative programing such as the Student to Student program, and develop, build and strengthen the relationship between the Jewish community and the broader St. Louis region on a range of critical issues.” Ms. Abramson-Goldstein will remain as an advisor to the Executive Director at JCRC until the end of the year.
“I am excited to work with JCRC staff, board and volunteers to advocate for issues in the public arena that are of central concern to the Jewish community,” said Maharat Rori Picker Neiss. “Together, I look forward to fostering new relationships, expanding the space for dialogue around key issues, and enhancing our creative and impactful programming to build a stronger community for all.”
Maharat Rori Picker Neiss has served for the past two years as one of the spiritual leaders of Bais Abraham Congregation in St Louis, together with Rabbi Hyim Shafner. She is one of the first graduates of Yeshivat Maharat, a pioneering institution training Orthodox Jewish women to be spiritual leaders and halakhic (Jewish legal) authorities. Rori is passionate about Judaism, feminism, interreligious cooperation, and social justice, and the ways in which they each intersect. She previously served as Acting Executive Director for Religions for Peace-USA, Program Coordinator for the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, Assistant Director of Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish Committee, and Secretariat for the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, the formal Jewish representative to other international religious bodies and the official partner of the Vatican in Catholic-Jewish dialogue. Rori also serves as the chair of the International Youth Committee of the Religions for Peace Global Youth Network. Rori is married to Russel Neiss, a Software Engineer for Sefaria, and they have three children, Daria, Susanna, and Shmaya.
JCRC works within the Jewish and broader communities in St. Louis to enhance cooperation with other religious, racial, ethnic and civic groups; foster a just, democratic and pluralistic society; and promote the security of Israel and Jews everywhere. Guided by Jewish values, JCRC advocates, educates, collaborates and mobilizes action on issues important to the Jewish community.
*Maharat is a term for a female religious leader in Orthodox Judaism
