St. Louis Jewish History
First, a little history: The first known Minyan in St. Louis occurred Rosh Hashanah, 5597 (September 12, 1836). A room was rented over Max's Grocery and Restaurant, on the corner of Second and Spruce Streets (now occupied by the St. Louis Arch grounds). The first synagogue was formed on October 3, 1841, as United Hebrew Congregation. The congregation was also known as the Polish Congregation and was created as Orthodox congregation

Jewish Organizational Resources in St. Louis

St. Louis is the proud home to three Chabad centers, the Chabad of Greater St. Louis, which provides Jewish outreach, Torah and Judaism for the entire family. There is also a Chabad center in Chesterfield and Chabad on Campus, serving the Jewish students and faculty of Washington University.

St Louis has a Jewish Federation, which is located on the Millstone campus in Creve Coeur. Other Jewish organizations located at Millstone campus include, the Jewish Community Center (“JCC”), the Jewish Family and Children’s Services, senior housing, and more. The newspaper of the Jewish community in St. Louis, the St. Louis Jewish Light makes its home in the area. The Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis which provides Kosher services and oversees the Mikvah is also located on the Millstone campus.

The St. Louis Gateway Arch on the riverfront is probably the most recognizable St. Louis monument. The stainless steel parabola was built in 1965 and stands 630 feet tall. Guess what? It is hollow, and you can ride a tram to the top. It seems that this is more popular with tourists than with St. Louisans, but if you are visiting it’s a good place to start.

Voted as one of the great sports towns in America, St. Louis is home to the Rams, the Blues, and of course, the St. Louis Cardinals. The "Cards" or "Redbirds" have recently built a new ballpark in downtown which boasts a great view of the skyline and the arch. The city and county are overrun with Cardinal loyalists, so it probably best to leave your Chicago Cubs gear in the closet.

Forest Park is located between Washington University’s Medical School and Washington University’s Danforth campus. Crafted from 1,371 acres of greenery, Forest Park is likely one of the most beautiful city parks in the nation. It includes the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis History Museum, The Muny amphitheatre and the Jewel Box greenhouse. Most of these attractions are free to visit… courtesy of a special property tax.

There is only one City Museum, and it is unlike any museum you have ever been in. Housed in the former International Shoe Company, the museum is an eclectic mixture of children's playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel made out of unique, re-purposed objects. The museum boasts features such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile, and even two abandoned airplanes!

St. Louis has a number of distilleries, none more famous than the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. They offer free tours of the operations followed by free beer. But is it Kosher? Well, according to the Chicago Rabbinical Council, all unflavored beer is Kosher.

The Holocaust Museum and Learning Center of St. Louis houses an exhibition that provides a chronological history of the Holocaust with personal accounts of Holocaust survivors who emigrated to St. Louis. Photographs, artifacts, text panels, and audio-visual displays guide visitors through pre-war Jewish life in Europe, the rise of Nazism and events during the Holocaust between 1933-1945, and post-war events including the Nuremberg Trials and Jewish life after the Holocaust.

Excerpted from the Guide to Jewish life in St. Louis. (C) 2002, St. Louis Jewish Light.