Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis (JCRC)

Thank you again to to all those who came out to support JCRC at our annual Tzedek Awards - and to all the honorees whose work is so well deserving, to all our sponsors, and to an amazing board and staff who help us achieve our mission of building bridges across differences and pursuing justice locally and globally.

Please use the link below or visit our website to view event photos and our amazing tribute videos - or to make a tribute to one or more of our honorees.

https://conta.cc/4uIEmm9
www.jcrcstl.org

Such a pleasure to honor Affton High School teacher Brian Jennings and to have Affton School District administrators at our recent JCRC Tzedek Awards.

It is friends and partners like these that make this event so special and that makes the work such an honor and a privilege to do!

Just a few photos from our amazing event last night - the 2026 JCRC Tzedek Awards. Thank you to all those who came out to support JCRC, thanks to all the honorees whose work is so well deserving, thank you to all our sponsors and thanks to an amazing board and staff who help us achieve our mission. Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof. Justice, Justice you must pursue!

JCRC is proud to have been a part of the creation of this statement with our other community interfaith partners.

Our Cabinet has made a statement regarding the shooting at a Mosque in San Diego. Our traditions stand and work very well together!

The JCRC of St. Louis stands in solidarity with our Muslim community partners after the violent attack that targeted the Islamic Center of San Diego and left 5 people dead.

This expression of hate against the Islamic Center and Mosque have no place in our society. The young perpetrators had an apparent connection to a White Nationalist ideology that promotes replacement theories, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and innumerable expressions of racism and bigotry. This belief system is becoming frighteningly normalized and is slowly eating away at the bedrock of pluralism this country was founded on.

The attackers clearly had political considerations in mind that they thought justified their actions. This is a common refrain from both the left and the right of our nation's extremes today - one that attempts to cleanse all acts of hate and violence against Muslims or Jews. This too must end.

And most importantly, we need a new effort in this country to say there is no political justification for bringing hostility or violence to a church, synagogue, or mosque. All leaders of conscience must state that loudly and clearly with no equivocation.

We will keep in our hearts all those who lost their lives as a result of this attack - especially the beloved security guard tasked with protecting students and community members. We long for a day when those guards are no longer needed.

Until then let us please see no more images of young children being led away from a school shooting hand in hand with their teachers and aids. Those images burn, remain, and create the trauma we all carry with us now when we seek to simply worship in peace.

Salam Aleykum ... Aleichem Shalom

What to know about a deadly attack by teen gunmen on a San Diego mosque Police say a shooting at a San Diego mosque has killed three men and left both shooters dead of apparent self-inflicted wounds.

Join the Museum, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, for an important conversation featuring leading voices on digital hate, extremist movements, and antisemitism.

🎙 Moderator: Mark Weitzman
Featured panelists:
▪ Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor — Founder & Executive Director of CyberWell and global expert on digital antisemitism
▪ Mike Rothschild — Journalist and author of Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories
▪ Anna Merlan — Investigative reporter covering conspiracy culture and extremist communities in the U.S, and author of Republic of Lies.

Together, they’ll explore how antisemitism evolves online, why it continues to spread, and what each of us can do to recognize, resist, and respond to hate.

Register here:https://bit.ly/4sXF2CB

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms, grandmothers, and GREAT-grandmothers in our lives!

Dear Friends,

JCRC is proud to announce this year's Michael and Barbara Newmark Institute for Human Relations Pluralism Awards Honorees - Brian Jennings, Joyce Jones, Blake Hamilton, and Mary Pedersen.

We hope you will join us on May 20th at the Clayton Plaza Hotel for the Annual JCRC Tzedek Awards, where we will honor Brian, Joyce, Blake, and Mary for all they have done to build bridges in our community and create a more just and pluralistic society.

Brian Jennings is in his 26th year of teaching in the English Language Arts and Fine Arts departments at Affton High School where he also co-sponsors the International Club and AHS Freedom Fighters. He is the 2025-2026 Affton School District Teacher of the Year and a recipient of a 2025 Emerson Excellence in Teaching award. Brian is passionate about creating authentic learning experiences grounded in collaboration with the community that fosters inclusivity and social justice.

According to Brian, there is no work he has done that better aligns with this passion than his work with the JCRC and his hosting of student presenters from Student to Student program of the Newmark Institute. What began as a presentation to a multicultural literature class he taught in his first year on the job, has expanded to a comprehensive partnership with JCRC that ensures every student at Affton High School encounters a Student to Student presentation before they graduate. Through this collaboration, misconceptions and generalities are replaced with an understanding of the richness of the Jewish community. This program is the epitome of authentic learning experiences that make our community stronger.

Joyce Jones is a native of St. Louis, and serves as Director of the Office of Racial Harmony and Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of St. LouisArchdiocese of St. Louis. In this role, she leads initiatives that promote racial healing, dialogue, and unity across parishes, schools, and communities, grounded in prayer, education, and relationship-building.

A respected leader both locally and nationally, Joyce has served on the Executive Board of Good Shepherd Children and Family Services and the Board of Directors for the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center. She is also a past chair and member of the Missouri Catholic Conference’s Public Policy Committee. At the national level, she contributed to a United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) initiative focused on supporting young adults of color at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Joyce also leads an annual Civil Rights pilgrimage for high school students to Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama, helping form the next generation of faith-driven leaders committed to justice.

Joyce has engaged in interfaith collaboration with the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis (JCRC), including participation in a Washington, D.C. delegation of Black and Jewish leaders and as an alumna of the inaugural Rekindle STL cohort for Black/Jewish dialogue, later serving as a co-facilitator for the program. Both the trip and the Rekindle program are initiatives of the Newmark Institute at JCRC.


Blake Hamilton is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Institute St. Louis. Before stepping into the CEO role, Blake served as Senior Vice President for Talent Development and Advocacy. His 16-year journey at the International Institute began in 2009 as a Job Developer, connecting newly arrived refugees to employment opportunities in St. Louis and ensuring they had the skills needed to contribute to the local workforce during the Great Recession. In other roles, Blake has overseen the successful implementation of a variety of programs in the agency’s Workforce Solutions, Community Development Corporation, Refugee Resettlement, Social Work, Education and Training departments. He has been a member of the organization’s Executive Leadership team since 2016.

Blake has overseen the development and implementation of programs that have been both locally and nationally recognized by The St. Louis Partnership's Arcus Awards, FOCUS St. Louis’ What’s Right With the Region Awards, and the White House Task Force on New Americans. He served on the Executive Team of the Immigrant Service Provider Network (ISPN) from 2020–2022, including serving as the chair of the Language Justice Committee of ISPN, and has served on the board of the Tower Grove Neighborhood Community Development Corporation since 2022.

Mary Pedersen has been engaged in interfaith work for nearly three decades, including the past three years professionally with Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis. Her involvement with the organization began in 1997 as a volunteer, where she played a key role in shaping its community service initiatives. Over the years, she served ten years on its Board of Directors, contributed as a staff member twice during seasons of transition, and currently serves as an Interfaith Relations Specialist, helping guide its mission and outreach.

In addition to her work with Interfaith Partnership, Mary has served for the past 15 years on the Board of The Living Insights Center and earned a degree in Religion Studies from Webster University in 2019, to further deepen her commitment to interfaith understanding and collaboration. She is a frequent presenter in diverse interfaith settings and often represents her own faith tradition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We truly hope the entire community will join us in honoring Brian, Joyce, Blake, and Mary on May 20th!

David Cohen,
JCRC Executive Director

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The Michael and Barbara Newmark Institute for Human Relations Pluralism Awards, inaugurated in 2023, are given to individuals whose work advances a pluralistic society where diverse religious, racial, and ethnic groups live and work together - appreciating how their differences enhance the wider community.

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See email using this link:
https://conta.cc/4d98DTk

To purchase tickets, tables and tributes use this link:
https://jcrcstl.org/take-action/tzedek-awards-2026.html

**These are the final days to guarantee your ad or trubite gets into the printed program!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Congregation Shaare Emeth
United Hebrew Congregation
Congregation B'nai Amoona
Kol Rinah Congregation
Jewish Federation of St. Louis
St. Louis Jewish Light
Royal Banks of Missouri@
Arts & Faith STL
The Staenberg Group
Staenberg Family Foundation
National Student to Student
David and Joan Bohm
Susan Block and Frieda Smith
Joel and Joanne Iskiwitch
Neil and Wendy Jaffe

What a great story in the St. Louis Jewish Light about our upcoming JCRC Tzedek Awards.

Check out our honorees and some of the great work they do.

All are incredibly dedicated volenteers and professionals that don't seek the limelight but do have amazing impact in building a better St. Louis and a more just society.

Clcik below for tickets, tables, and tribute ads.
(https://jcrcstl.org/tzedek-awards-2026.html)

This week is the last chance to guarantee your tribute or ad gets in our program. May 12th is the deadline for tickets.

If you have any questions or would prefer not to register on line - please contact Jennifer Schaefer at [email protected] or 314-442-3871

https://stljewishlight.org/news/news-local/the-tzedek-awards-honor-the-people-who-dont-make-headlines/

The Tzedek Awards honor the people who don’t make headlines   Justice, in Hebrew, is “tzedek.” In St. Louis, it’s often the result of work that doesn’t make headlines—it just happens quietly. On May 20, the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis will recognize those efforts at its annual Tzedek Awards at the Clayton Plaza Hotel, honoring ...

Dear Friends,

JCRC is thrilled to announce this year's Student to Student Outstanding Volunteer Honorees, Jean Estrin and Judy Hoffman, along with our Michael and Barbara Newmark Emerging Leader Honoree, Nikki Weinstein.

Please join us on May 20th at the Clayton Plaza Hotel for the Annual JCRC Tzedek Awards, where we will honor Jean, Judy, and Nikki for all they have given to help shape the work of JCRC and the programs of the Newmark Institute.

Jean Estrin and Judy Hoffman were early volunteers in the Student to Student program and were instrumental to its early growth and success. Whether it was transporting students or working with them to hone their presentations, Jean and Judy were always there when needed and understand the impact of the program so well. They both reflect glowingly on how Student to Student not only dispels myths and fosters interfaith understanding, but also how the program equips Jewish students with the tools to confront antisemitism and advocate for themselves - even preparing them for the ongoing challenges of future college life.

Jean Estrin’s career specialized in the design, development, and delivery of training for performance improvement, leadership development, and customer service. That is also the experience she brought from her professional background to the Student to Student program. She helped facilitate orientation sessions for high school presenters, guided students to strengthen their communication and presentation skills, and helped them build confidence in sharing their personal stories. Jean supported our students during their presentations over the course of two decades, directly enhancing the students’ impact in their peer-to-peer encounters.

Judy Hoffman first volunteered with Student to Student when her three daughters were in high school and each participated in the program. Prior to raising her family, Judy's first career was as an occupational therapist working with adults with physical disabilities. Her instincts as an educator and one who thrives on supporting and nurturing the growth of others was evident, and translated well into her work supporting the Student to Student program. Judy also helped train students at the annual orientation at the beginning of each school year and accompanied students to presentations to help if/when challenging questions or situations arose. And yes - Judy also drove students to their presentations when needed. While Judy was volunteering for the Student to Student program she also worked at JCRC for a time, focusing on Israel advocacy. Even after her children graduated, Judy continued on as a Student to Student volunteer.

Volunteers like Jean Estrin and Judy Hoffman were dedicated to educating and preparing our students for their presentations. Their commitment to the program was vital to the early growth of Student to Student, launching it to where it is today - one of the region's premier programs that builds bridges of understanding and breaks down bias, prejudice, and stereotypes. Volunteers like Jean Estrin and Judy Hoffman are not only to thank for the current success of Student to Student, but quite literally, organizations like JCRC simply could not do the work we do without such loving and caring volunteers.

Similarly, Nikki Weinstein, our Michael and Barbara Newmark Emerging Leader Honoree is that same kind of volunteer - one we could not do without. Nikki currently serves as the Vice Chair of the JCRC and in that role has shown her immense value to our organization and to the community.

Nikki has made our board better and stronger, helping us work smarter and more strategically. She has long been dedicated to economic justice and social services - now working in Public Health conducting research and policy development. Because of that background, Nikki is a strong force behind the advocacy and justice work we are committed to at JCRC.

Nikki grew up in West County and has worked at the Jewish Federation here in St. Louis, and so brings a great knowledge of the community to her current role with JCRC. We are so fortunate to have Nikki on our leadership team helping to drive the direction of our work. As an emerging leader, Nikki has already shown how well she understands systems and the complex problems our community faces. We look forward to having Nikki involved for years to come - something that will not only benefit JCRC but the entire community as well.

We truly hope the entire community will join us in honoring Jean, Judy, and Nikki on May 20th!

David L. Cohen,
JCRC Executive Director

David G. Rosenstock,
JCRC Board Chair

Lauren Abraham,
Student to Student Director

To purchase tickets, tables and tributes use this link:
https://jcrcstl.org/take-action/tzedek-awards-2026.html

See email using this link:
https://conta.cc/4f4Xrtw

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The recognition of outstanding Student to Student volunteers and alumni began in 2025 when JCRC and the Newmark Institute celebrated 30 years of impact of the Student to Student program. These awards will continue as this incredible program continues to grow and establish itself as one of the premier programs in the country that builds bridges of understanding between the Jewish and non-Jewish community.
(Student to Student is a program of the Newmark Institute at JCRC.)

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The Michael and Barbara Newmark Emerging Leader Award honors individuals who are early in their tenure with JCRC and have demonstrated strong leadership in the St. Louis Jewish community. The award was generously established by Michael & Barbara Newmark to inspire emerging leaders to be more active in their roles within the JCRC and to intensify their community relations experiences on both a local and national level. Emerging Leader awardees are invited as a guest of the JCRC to the Jewish Council for Public Affairs annual conference and/or other relevant national gatherings in which attendees bring their experience back to St. Louis and help shape our Jewish community’s broad ranging agenda.

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Thank you to our sponsors!

United Hebrew Congregation
Congregation B'nai Amoona
Congregation Shaare Emeth
Kol Rinah Congregation
Congregation Shaare Emeth
Jewish Federation of St. Louis
St. Louis Jewish Light
Royal Banks of Missouri
Arts & Faith STL
The Staenberg Group
Staenberg Family Foundation
National Student to Student
David and Joan Bohm
Susan Block and Frieda Smith
Joel and Joanne Iskiwitch
Neil and Wendy Jaffe