Sababa, the Jewish Arts & Culture Festival, originally planned for October 10, 2021, has been tentatively rescheduled for October 16, 2022.
Sababa is a joint project of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the J. The outdoor festival showcases the vibrancy of contemporary Jewish culture. The festival features local, regional and national visual art exhibitors, culinary experiences, and musical performances, as well as activities from local Jewish organizations.
Feedback from Sababa vendors, artists, volunteers, and other professionals in the Jewish community indicated apprehension about the current COVID situation in St. Louis, even in an outdoor setting. Organizers felt it was in the best interest of the community to move the event to next year.
“The goal of Sababa is to bring the community together and be as inclusive as possible, and we were anticipating over 3,500 people attending this year. We just didn’t think we could achieve our goals, even if we employed all the COVID safety protocols,” said Judy Kramer, Producer, Sababa 2021. “Of course we’re disappointed – it was shaping up to be an excellent event! But we’ll really be able to hit the ground running next year!”
“The health and safety of the community takes top priority,” said Rabbi Brad Horwitz, Director of Jewish Engagement & Adult Programs at the J. “Pikuach nefesh – saving a life supersedes all things, no matter how far into the planning you get.”
“Sababa celebrates the vibrancy of our Jewish community. As excited as we were to come together again in song and celebration, it would have been wrong to risk the health of anyone or leave out those who, with good reason, don’t feel good gathering at this time. I look forward to seeing everyone at Sababa 2022,” said Brian Herstig, President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
Community members can keep track of plans for next year’s event at sababastl.com.