The J - St. Louis

St. Louis Jewish Book Festival & Speaker Series Presents Lior Raz
2026-10-12 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | The J – Staenberg Family Complex (Fitness & Wellness Building), 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146, United States
Lior Raz is the co-creator, screenwriter, and star of the internationally acclaimed Israeli Netflix series Fauda, as well as numerous other shows and films. Drawing on his firsthand experience in an elite Israeli military unit, Raz brings gripping authenticity and emotional complexity to stories of Israel, conflict, courage, and shared humanity.
Join fellow community members for a rare opportunity to hear the stories, experiences, and creative vision behind one of Israel’s most compelling cultural phenomena. Come away feeling more connected—to Israel, to the Jewish community, and to one another—after an unforgettable evening of solidarity, inspiration, and Jewish joy.
This event is sponsored by St. Louis Friends of Israel.
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About the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival & Speaker Series

The St. Louis Jewish Book Festival is a nationally recognized literary arts series presented by the J - St. Louis. Through conversations with celebrated authors, speakers, and storytellers, the Festival explores a wide range of ideas, perspectives, and experiences, welcoming readers of all backgrounds to connect, learn and be inspired.

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NJT Presents "Alex Edelman's 'Just for Us'"
2026-10-03 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-10-03 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-10-01 19:00 - 21:00 | The J – Staenberg Family Complex (Arts & Education Building), 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146
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Alex Edelman’s Just for Us
October 1- October 18, 2026
An anti-Semitic tweet leads comedian Alex Edelman to an unexpected place: a meeting of White Nationalists in Queens, face-to-face with the people behind the keyboards. Alex’s story explores religion, cultural identity, assimilation, empathy, gorillas that speak sign language—and what it means to be confronted with hatred.

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About NJT
NJT (New Jewish Theatre), St. Louis’s premier small professional theatre, is dedicated to the exploration of universal themes and issues and the examination of the full range of the human experience filtered through the lens of the Jewish experience. Through the medium of theater, we build bridges of multicultural understanding, tolerance, communication, and education. NJT productions are held in the Wool Studio Theater, inside the Arts & Education Building of the J’s Staenberg Family Complex in Creve Coeur, Missouri. NJT is a program of the J – St. Louis.

The Birthday of the World: An Interactive Children's Theatre Experience
2026-10-02 | To Be Announced
Details to follow

Safari in the Sukkah
2026-09-29 16:30 - 18:30 | The J – Marilyn Fox Building (Main Entrance), 16801 Baxter Road, Chesterfield, MO, 63005, United States
Join the Family Center, the J ECCs, PJ Library, Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School and all our friends for a special Sukkot spectacular. We will gather for a Sukkot open house with a petting zoo and activities, both family friendly and exciting for adults alike. Shake the lulav and etrog, sing and schmooze with many varieties of special animal guests.

Books and Bagels with Gerry Mandel
2026-09-23 10:00 - 12:00 | The J – Staenberg Family Complex (Arts & Education Building), 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146
A Few Words Before I Go by Gerry Mandel

Enjoy the fourth and final Books and Bagels event of our 2026 season with Gerry Mandel, author of A Few Words Before I Go, which grapples with issues of memory and aging in a warm, humorous way, and takes on the task of putting a 70+ year career into words.
Schedule
10 a.m. Doors open & light brunch
11 a.m. Author talk

Registration
Tickets: $12.97/person (covers brunch; includes fees)
Tickets with Brunch: $12.97/person (includes all transaction fees)
Tickets for Program Only: Free to attend. Just claim a ticket to help us forecast attendance, please!
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Questions?
Contact Josiah Schmidt, Director, Literary Arts

Lynnie's Light for Life 2026
2026-09-09
Save the Date for Lynnie’s Light for Life: Hand in Hand, Lifted Together
Get tickets and sponsorship information at jccstl.com/lynnies-light.
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Innovation with Purpose with Ron Daugherty: A J Staenberg Network Event for Business Professionals
2026-09-01 08:00 - 10:00 | The J – Staenberg Family Complex (Fitness & Wellness Building), 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146, United States
Innovation with Purpose: Building a Sustainable Engine for Good
Founder and CEO of Daugherty Enterprises and the Daugherty Foundation, Ron Daugherty to Headline J Staenberg Network Event on Innovation, AI, and Community Impact
Connect with business leaders and professionals with The J Staenberg Network!
What does it take to build a successful business while creating lasting impact? In this session, Daugherty will explore how purpose, innovation, and compassion can work together to build an organization that delivers both business success and meaningful community impact. Attendees will gain insight into fostering a culture that attracts exceptional people, leveraging technology to drive positive change, and embedding giving back into an organization’s mission and operations.
Schedule
8 a.m. Coffee, Bagels, Networking
8:45 a.m. Guest Speaker Presentation
9:30 a.m. Q&A Session followed by additional networking

Guest Speaker

Image provided by Daugherty Enterprises & Foundation

Ron Daugherty
Ron Daugherty is a technology entrepreneur, business leader, and philanthropist dedicated to using innovation to create meaningful impact. After founding and growing Daugherty Business Solutions into a $350 million global consulting firm over four decades, he successfully led its merger with CGI before launching a new chapter focused on purpose-driven innovation.
Today, Ron leads Daugherty Enterprises and the Daugherty Foundation, building on a legacy of innovation while creating new opportunities to make a meaningful difference through technology, philanthropy, and community partnerships. He is also the driving force behind Better Path AI, an AI-powered platform that uses avatars to help people navigate high-stakes conversations across industries including education, healthcare, financial services, behavioral health, senior living, public safety and more.
Under Ron’s leadership, the Daugherty Foundation contributed more than $2 million to important community causes in its first year, reflecting his belief that business success should create opportunities for others. Guided by the idea that the best way to overcome challenges is to do more good, Ron continues to build organizations that combine innovation, purpose, and a commitment to making a lasting difference.
Learn more >

Register to Attend
This event is free, but registration is required.

This Event is Sponsored by:

The J Staenberg Network is proudly sponsored by The Staenberg Group.

Summer Used Book Sale
2026-08-27, 2026-08-26, 2026-08-25, 2026-08-24, 2026-08-23 | The J – Staenberg Family Complex (Arts & Education Building), 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146
Browse thousands of books at the J’s semi‑annual Used Book Sale—a can’t‑miss community event overflowing with incredible finds and unbeatable deals. With thousands of carefully sorted titles across every genre imaginable, this is your chance to stock your shelves, discover new favorites, build your classroom library, or score rare treasures you won’t find anywhere else. And the treasure hunt doesn’t stop at books—you’ll also find an eclectic selection of DVDs, CDs, and records to round out your collection. Whether you’re a devoted collector, an avid reader, or simply love the thrill of the hunt, the J’s Used Book Sale offers something for everyone—and the best selections go fast!
Proceeds benefit Cultural Arts at the J and help bring great authors, films, and theatre to our St. Louis audiences.
View Sale Hours & Promotions
Schedule subject to change.

Ambulance Dedication
2026-08-23 16:00 - 17:00 | To Be Announced
Please join St. Louis Friends of Israel, American Friends of Magen David Adom, and the J as we dedicate a brand-new ambulance for the people of Israel. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Irvin Pretsky, in honor of his parents, Jake and Dora Pretsky z”l, the St. Louis Jewish community will send a new ambulance to Magen David Adom as they work to save lives every day.
Guests will have the rare opportunity to tour the ambulance after the dedication before it begins its journey to Israel.
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Registration
RSVP by Aug. 16 to Heather Castle at hcastle@afmda.org.
Event address provided upon registration. Security will be present.
Email to RSVP

What is Magen David Adom?
Magen David Adorn is Israel’s national pre-hospital emergency medical system, designated blood-services, and global disaster relief organization. Americans sponsor the majority of Magen David Adom’s fleet of more than 3,650 emergency vehicles. Thanks to philanthropy, medics can race to the scene with the most sophisticated medical response available.

NJT Presents "Job" by Max Wolf Friedlich
2026-08-23 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-22 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-08-22 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-20 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-08-16 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-15 16:00 - 18:00, 2026-08-13 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-08-12 19:00 - 21:00 and 4 more dates | The J – Staenberg Family Complex (Arts & Education Building), 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146
JOB
by Max Wolf Friedlich
August 6-August 23, 2026
An employee at a big tech company has been placed on leave after becoming the subject of a viral video. She arrives in the office of a crisis therapist determined to be reinstated to the job that gives her life meaning. A psychological thriller, JOB examines what it means to be a citizen of the internet and our obligation to help the people who need it most.

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NJT (New Jewish Theatre), St. Louis’s premier small professional theatre, is dedicated to the exploration of universal themes and issues and the examination of the full range of the human experience filtered through the lens of the Jewish experience. Through the medium of theater, we build bridges of multicultural understanding, tolerance, communication, and education. NJT productions are held in the Wool Studio Theater, inside the Arts & Education Building of the J’s Staenberg Family Complex in Creve Coeur, Missouri. NJT is a program of the J – St. Louis.

Books and Bagels with Joanna Dee Das
2026-08-19 10:00 - 12:00 | St. Louis County Library – Clark Family Branch, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, 63131, United States
Books and Bagels with Joanna Dee Das
Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America
Enjoy the third Books and Bagels event in our 2026 season with WashU Professor Joanna Dee Das, author of Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America, a must-read for America’s 250th anniversary. Hear Joanna’s story on Branson’s entertainment industry, a place that she argues is simultaneously a welcoming, family-friendly tourist destination and a central locus of right-wing conservatism.
Schedule
St. Louis County Public Library – Clark Family Branch Library, Room A, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd.
10am Doors open & light brunch
11am Author talk

Registration
FREE | Suggested Voluntary Donation: $12.97/person (covers brunch)
Reserve Tickets

Questions?
Contact Josiah Schmidt, Director, Literary Arts

Member Appreciation Party - Staenberg Family Complex
2026-07-26 17:00 - 20:00 | The J – Staenberg Family Complex (Fitness & Wellness Building), 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63146, United States
Make Waves at this Special Party just for our Members!
This is our chance to say THANK YOU for being a member by staying open late and throwing you a party! Join us by the pool for fun activities, prizes, music, and Clementine’s Ice Cream. Plus, receive a member gift at check-in!

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FREE | This is a Members-Only Event | Registration Required

Nishmah July Book Club: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
2026-07-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Private Home (registrants will receive address prior to the event), MO
Join the Nishmah Book Club!
Join Nishmah: The St. Louis Jewish Women’s Project on Monday, July 13, at 7pm, as we discuss The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride. The address will be sent out to those who RSVP by July 12, 2026. Feel free to bring a friend! New readers are always welcome.
Please note: The host’s home is vegan, and while snacks do not have to be vegan, they ask that attendees do not bring meat. Fruit, veggies, wine, nuts, sweets, etc. are welcome!

About the Book
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is a 2023 novel by James McBride. The story tells of a Black community and Jewish immigrants in the 1930s in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, centered around a grocery store that acts as a community hub. The narrative, framed by the discovery of a skeleton in 1972, explores themes of racism, community, and resilience as it reveals the secrets and interconnected lives of the residents of Chicken Hill, highlighting acts of love and solidarity that cross racial divides. The book won the Kirkus Prize for Fiction and was named a best book of the year by several publications.

Registration
FREE | Registration required
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