H eadlines
Ginny O’s Tips
For Dressing The Simply Smart
Travel Way For St. Louis:
Tourists can be comfortable
with casual dress. Even though
it is a big city, there is no need to
dress up for tourist attractions.

This Destination at a
Glance Mobility Level: Moderate.

There are some hills around
the riverbank, and some
attractions require walking
and climbing some stairs.

When to Go: The shoulder
seasons of April and May and
September through October are
good choices. Summers are hot
and humid, and winters are cold.

Where to Stay: The Drury
Plaza Hotel at the Gateway Arch
is centrally located and has a
great happy hour. Most national
chains have locations nearby.

Special Travel Interests:
U.S. westward expansion. l
Jeffrey and Virginia Orenstein
are travel writers from Sarasota,
Florida. Jewish St. Louis
A list of area Jewish houses of worship can be found at
THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS released a
jfedstl.org/synagogues/. There are almost 20 different Jewish
major survey of that metropolitan area’s Jewish commu-
congregations in
the region.

The institutional network of
nity in 2014. Overall, the study shows that St. Louis’ Jewish
Jewish organizations
is also
fairly dense in St. Louis. See a
community is stable, with a wide range of Jewish engagement.

list at jfedstl.org/community-engagement/. There is also an
independent Jewish newspaper called the St. Louis Jewish
Finding include:
• There are about 61,000 Jewish people in St. Louis and Light.

Jews have been in the region at least since Joseph Philipson
another 28,000 non-Jewish persons living in households
arrived from Pennsylvania in 1807. Wolf Bloch, a native of
with at least one Jewish adult.

Schwihau, Bohemia, settled there in 1816.

• Of the approximately 89,000 people in at least partially
Early arrivals
were not religiously observant and probably
Jewish households, 11% consider themselves “partly
intermarried and,
in this way, may have lost their Jewish
Jewish,” and 31% are not Jewish.

identity; by
1836, the
first religious services were held when 10
• The majority of local Jews live in Creve Coeur, Chesterfield,
men rented
a little
room over Max’s Grocery and Restaurant
Olivette/Ladue and University City/Clayton.

on the
corner of
Second and
Spruce streets — now occupied
• 71% percent of Jews under age 65 in St. Louis are employed,
by the
Gateway Arch.

The next
year these pioneers organized
and 70% have earned a college degree. Just over half were
the United
Hebrew Congregation,
which is still in existence.

born in the St. Louis area.

It is
the oldest
synagogue west
of the
Mississippi River.

• 13% of Jewish households are multi-racial, Hispanic or
The B’nai
El congregation
was organized in 1852. In
non-white. 4% are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

1866 Congregation
Shaare Emeth
was organized. In 1886,
• 91% give to charitable causes, and 80% have volunteered
a number
of dissatisfied
members organized
Congregation in the past year.

• Area Jews practice Jewish rituals less today than a Temple Israel. l
generation ago.

— Jeff and Virginia Orenstein
The Gateway Arch, located in
the Gateway Arch National Park
and branded as the Gateway to the
West, is a prominent landmark in
St. Louis.
Photo by Jeff Orenstein
Compassionate Memory Care C fo ome
r a
The very best in memory
care for your loved one and
peace of mind for you!
Visit! Call 1-877-205-9428 or visit
www.TheHearthAtDrexel.org/Care to schedule your in-person or virtual tour
or to obtain additional information.

238 Belmont Ave. | Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
www.TheHearthAtDrexel.org OCTOBER 28, 2021
13