Dear Friends,
As we prepare to welcome Shabbat, we come to the end of a challenging week for our St. Louis community and our global Jewish family.
Our thoughts continue to be with those impacted by last week’s tornado and storms. The Jewish Federation of St. Louis is here to support and help guide funds where they are most useful. Whether you need direct assistance, help connecting to resources, or simply want someone to talk to — we are here.
Then, yesterday morning, we awoke to more heartbreak as we learned of two innocent lives taken at an AJC event in Washington D.C. We mourn the loss of Israeli Embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky z”l and Sarah Milgrim z”l. We hold their families, colleagues and loved ones.
The antisemitic attack, targeting a gathering of Jewish leaders and allies, is a reminder of the threats our community continues to face. We stand in full solidarity with our partners at AJC and with all who refuse to be intimidated by hatred.
We know that safety is the foundation of a vibrant community. The safety of our St. Louis Jewish community—and of everyone who gathers at Jewish religious and cultural events—remains our highest priority. Through the Jewish Federation’s Community Security Initiative, we continue to work closely with law enforcement, our synagogues, day schools and Jewish agencies to ensure strong security planning, training and emergency response and preparedness across our region.
This month, we also observe Jewish American Heritage Month, a time to recognize and honor the tremendous contributions of Jewish Americans to the cultural, civic and moral tapestry of our nation. Among the many people and accomplishments, this morning I feel drawn toward the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” which was written by Harold Arlen, the son of a Jewish cantor from Buffalo, New York.
It’s a song that, fittingly, begins with a storm and ends with a dream.
For many, this melody became a timeless anthem of longing, hope and spirit. But for Jewish communities, especially in the shadow of the Holocaust and amid waves of antisemitism in the 20th century, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” also carried a deeper meaning—a yearning for a place where one could live freely, joyfully and without fear.
In a world where antisemitism is once again on the rise, with news headlines serving as a daily reminder, too many still feel the pain of being excluded or targeted.
We are vigilant because we must be. And we are resilient because we choose to be. We will not retreat from public life or from our sacred responsibility to care for one another. We will continue to show up, speak out and build our community.
Arlen’s song reminds us of both the dream and the responsibility we carry, as we work for a world where that “somewhere” isn’t just a dream, but a reality we help build together.
Let us rest and reflect during this special time of Shabbat and emerge with a recommitment to healing our community after the tornado, to standing up against hatred in all its forms, and to nurturing the hope that lives in every rainbow after the storm.
Wishing you a Shabbat of peace, safety and connection.
With warmth and solidarity,
Danny
Danny Cohn
President & CEO
Jewish Federation of St. Louis