A Jewish Presence in the City of St. Louis
A timeline of CRC’s histroy
Rabbi Karen Kriger Bogard and Rabbi Daniel Bogard (who grew up at CRC) joined the Rabbinic team including Rabbi Susan and Rabbi Randy in July, 2018. More than thirty years later, we’ve grown from just a couple dozen households to over 700 today. We remain a bastion of Judaism in the City of St. Louis, …
Rabbi Karen and Daniel Bogard join CRC’s Rabbinic team Read More »
The large stones you see are a sculpture called “Tikkun”, created by local artist Ilene Berman. Its form is based on the Jewish mystical story of creation about the shattering of vessels, the gathering of hidden sparks, and the repair of the world. The “Shema”—the holiest Jewish prayer–is written inside. The largest opening is facing …
As the congregation grew, the staff also expanded to serve the greater number and diversity of families and individuals. Rabbi Randy Fleisher came to CRC in 2000. Rabbi Ed Harris, a founding CRC member and a psychologist who later received his ordination, served as a part-time rabbi from 2008-2014. Rabbi Deanna Sussman, who had been …
The answer was to rent space in an existing community facility, and this has been accomplished in a number of locales around St. Louis, even up to the present day. Several different venues have served as home to the High Holiday services: The Center of Contemporary Arts in University City; the Westport Theatre in northwest …
The concept of CRC was of a spiritual community with shared values, rather than of a synagogue defined by a building and grounds. But a congregation needs a place and, at peak times like the Jewish High Holidays, a rather large one. CRC began its synagogue operations with an office above the Straubs grocery store …
Rabbi Susan Talve, who had been serving Congregation Shaare Emeth, consulted with the founding families in 1984, as they determined what kind of community they wanted to create. The initial group held services in a park during the summer of 1984 to build interest about the new community. CRC was formally founded that year, with …
The congregation they sought to create, however, was not centered solely around religious practice. They wanted a group of families that not only embraced Judaism but would also create and engage an inclusive, gender-neutral and non-patriarchal community committed to social justice and all aspects of Tikkun Olam, Healing the World. Wedding their social consciousness to …
There’s a rich and lengthy history of synagogues in the City of St. Louis, dating well back into the 19th century. With the growth and development of the Gateway City came dozens of congregations; with very few exceptions, synagogues here found their origins either in the City or the adjacent suburb of University City. By …