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 the mid 1980s, following a chunk of the St. Louis area Jewish population, several of the larger synagogues had relocated to newer, suburban areas along the Highway 40 (now Interstate 64) corridor. Yet a new generation of young couples, seeking to provide a Jewish experience for their budding families, desired a way to honor the longtime connection between Jewish life and the City.