Greetings!
In the Hebrew calendar, this is the time when we count the Omer, the days between Passover and Shavuot, leading up to the time when the Jewish people received the Ten Commandments. There is a positive sense after the end of Passover and our freedom from slavery and eagerness as we wait for the great rules.
In our Student to Student* calendar, the months of March, April, and beginning of May have a similar feeling! Local area teachers are coming to the Judaism portion of their curriculum. They are looking for guest presenters who can bring broader perspectives, and we are their “people.” Our Jewish students are now in high demand in over 30 schools across St Louis. We hope for even more in the future!
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Most of the students in these area schools have never met or come into close contact with Jewish students their age. They are eager to listen to what our students have to say. We bring the spirit and warmth and the real nature of what it’s like to be a Jewish teen in high school in 2022. Our students speak about the antisemitism they have faced. One senior ’22, group leader Mikaela, has told three schools about how her dance team coach asked the 12 dancers to line up in swastika position for their Fall professional team photos. Mikaela was angry and passionate in her storytelling, and the students at Chaminade high school (and others) were listening! The area teachers heard this and were even more compassionate. Everyone shared the same sense that the world needs our help - we need education to combat situations like these.
Our Jewish student group leaders leave their final presentation with mixed emotions, excited and eager to head off to college, but sad to end this chapter of making their impact on local classrooms.
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I really learned how to communicate comprehensively about my religion through Student to Student! ...I was also able to interact with members of different branches of Judaism in ways that I couldn't before Student to Student, and learn about how different branches practice Judaism... I think Student to Student is great for giving a complex perspective to non-Jewish people on a religion they might previously have no exposure to, but it's also great for giving us as Jews exposure to different sides or perspectives of our own religion we might not have previously come into contact with. I'll miss it a lot next year and the opportunities for dialogue and connection it gave me!
-Anna, '22 Student to Student Group Leader
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With over 100 presentations this year, I am certain that our graduating seniors will have so much to say, whenever you see them. Our participants will tell you that the students in the schools have more similarities to them than they could ever know. As we walked through the halls of Lutheran St Charles yesterday we saw signs and photos on the walls of where their seniors are going to college. There was excitement because many of the schools are the same! We have connected, and we will continue to connect and build our Student to Student program for years to come.
Thank you to all of our community partners, synagogues, schools, and of course, our students and their families for making the 2021-2022 school year one that has built up to new heights!
Cheers to a wonderful year!
Shabbat Shalom,
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Lauren Abraham
Student to Student Director
Jewish Community Relations Council in St. Louis
*Student to Student is a program of the Newmark Institute
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Thanks to your support, we raised $1004 for Student to Student yesterday, during our first #GiveSTLDay! We're thrilled to invest this money into combatting antisemitism and training young, confident Jewish leaders. Keep up to date with all the latest Student to Student happenings on Instagram
It's not too late to Support Student to Student. Donate today!
Student to Student is a program of the Newmark Institute
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Bi-Annual Jewish Community Survey |
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Every two years JCRC seeks community input to help evaluate the effectiveness of our work. If you did not receive a survey directly via e-mail, we encourage you to complete it here. The survey takes about six minutes to complete and is completely confidential.
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"The Jewish Community Relations Council asserts that individuals have a legal right to make their own decisions about accessing the full range of reproductive health care options. We support universal access to comprehensive and medically accurate reproductive and sexual health education and the full range of health care services, including birth control and abortion services. These services must be accessible regardless of ability to pay.”
JCRC is cosponsoring an event with NCJWSTL on May 25 to explore the repercussions if Roe vs. Wade is overturned. To register, email Jennifer Bernstein at NCJWSTL. More details are available below.
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JCRC was proud to be in Jefferson City on Tuesday to participate in the Voting Rights Lobby Day. While we were there, the Senate took up a bill that has become an omnibus voter sabotage bill. JCRC sent an Advocacy Alert on Wednesday encouraging our community to contact their Senators to defeat HB 1878. Cheryl was honored to be part of the group that met with Senator Schupp to thank her for her tireless efforts to support voting rights. |
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JCRC was pleased to be a part of the community Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration sponsored by the JCC and St. Louis Friends of Israel. Thanks to Jane Rubin who represented JCRC on the planning committee. |
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Missouri Clean Slate Expungement
Wednesday, May 11
6 - 7:30 pm | Virtual Town Hall
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From employment to housing, to higher education, a conviction record can cause a lifetime of blocked opportunity. For people returning to their communities after the completion of their sentence, these collateral consequences hold them back from meaningfully contributing to their families, community, and the broader state. Join Empower Missouri, Criminal Justice Ministry, the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, Metropolitan Congregations United, and the Missouri Catholic Conference for a discussion on the Clean Slate Initiative. You will hear from faith leaders from around the state about their views on automatic expungement, and from individuals with experience with criminal records on what a clean slate would mean to them. There will also be time for questions. |
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2022 Tzedek Awards
Tuesday, May 24
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Please join the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis at the annual Tzedek Award program on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. The Tzedek Awards honor members of the Jewish and interfaith community whose passion and dedication strengthen our region.
Seating is limited to 130 and selling fast. Get your tickets today!
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Abortion All Over? The Personal is Political
Wednesday, May 25
6:30 pm | Virtual
Hosted by NCJWSTL and JCRC
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Join NCJWSTL and JCRC for a free, virtual panel discussion as we welcome the Hon. Stacey Newman, former Missouri State Representative, Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Shaare Emeth, and Dana Sandweiss, Attorney and Founder of AccessMO.
Guest speakers will discuss the implications of the impending Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization, expected to be finalized June 2022. Learn more about abortion from the Jewish perspective, the legal ramifications this likely judicial finding will have in Missouri, and the actions we will take together.
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Hartman Institute Ideas For Today |
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Jewish ideas matter. They make us smarter. They compel us to action. They make the world a better place. Hartman scholars address the most urgent, important issues of our day through Jewish texts, history, and tradition. Register now for our public lectures, exclusive multi-session seminars, and special programs that harness Jewish wisdom for a better future. |
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Did You Miss A Recent Program? |
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You can click here to watch recordings of JCRC's recent programs on our YouTube channel.
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