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 their burgeoning Jewish awareness, the founders decided, after much soul-searching, to create a new Jewish place of worship within the City of St. Louis. Out of that effort grew Central Reform Congregation. The name derived from the twin goals of having a central geographical location and a synagogue that would provide a central focus in congregants’ lives.