Make a Donation + Tributes

Donate to Congregation Shaare Emeth

Supporting Congregation Shaare Emeth is easy and meaningful. Whether you want to commemorate a loved one or support a cause within our congregation that resonates with you, we offer a variety of giving options to suit everyone. Explore the various funds below to find the perfect way to make a difference.

Thank you for your contribution.

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Tributes

You can make a gift to a fund of your choice and make your gift a tribute. Donations of $18 or more include a listing in the Bulletin and a card with your name (not the gift amount) mailed to your recipient. Donors receive an email at the time the card is sent and a tax donation letter after year’s end.

Donations

You can simply make a donation to any of the funds that speak to you.

Endowment and Restricted Funds at Shaare Emeth

Below is a full list of the various funds at Congregation Shaare Emeth.

If you’re interested in opening a fund with us, or if you have any questions, please contact Beth Kodner, Director of Development & Membership, via email or at 314-692-5306.

Rabbis’ Special Fund (RAB)

Allows the Rabbis to share tzedakah with those in need and to support worthy causes

Cantor’s Special Fund (CAN)

Allows the Cantor to share tzedakah with those in need and to support worthy causes

B’nai El Tzedakah Fund (67)

Enables distributions to tzedakah in the St. Louis metropolitan area on behalf of the temple

Ben & Sara Wool Fund (95)

Provides cultural enrichment programs to benefit the congregation

Betty & Boris Tureen Memorial Education Fund (96)

Provides funding for special projects at Religious School

Allan M. Siegel Religious School Endowment Fund (97)

Provide funding for the Religious School

Herman & Bertha Hollander Fund (98)

Provides funds for lectures and other educational programs at Shaare Emeth

Schwartz-Taxman Music Fund Donation

Provides funds to enhance music programming

Lisa’s Star Fund for Camp Emeth (75)

Provides camp scholarships to Camp Emeth

Camp Emeth Donation

Provides funds for the purchase of needs of the camp

William Seltzer Older Adult Fund (26)

Supports senior programs, transportation and offers needs-based assistance to seniors

Joan & Harry Seltzer Fund for Improving Women’s Lives (27)

Supports and empowers women members and employees to improve their lives

Women’s Activities Fund (38)

Provides programming to enrich the lives of women at Shaare Emeth

Harvey & Leanne Schneider Interfaith Forum (64)

Educates and supports meaningful Jewish and inter-faith programs

Milton & Henrietta Kushkin Landscape Fund (9)

Provides funds for landscaping and large landscaping equipment

Temple Endowment Fund (17)

Supplements membership donations towards temple operating costs

Stiffman Rabbinic Chair Fund (30)

Provides funding to keep and attract top Rabbinic leadership at Shaare Emeth

Albert & Ruth Kopolow Beautification Fund (40)

Supports the beautification of Shaare Emeth

Isadore & Edith Bonnett Kowarsky Fund for Technology (54)

Provides funds to purchase and update technology

Werner Art Fund (55)

Supports art expenditures at Shaare Emeth

Bohm Family Campus Fund (68)

Supports the beautification of the Bohm Campus

Operations Enhancement Fund (69)

Provides additional funds to supplement the operating budget of Shaare Emeth

Building Maintenance Fund (87)

Supports building maintenance and new building projects

AV Club 2024 Donation

Provides funds to maintain technology needs to keep our community connected through technology

Simons Family Equal Access Fund (16)

Provides funding for inclusion programming at Shaare Emeth facilities

Ida & Harris Kramer Social Action Fund (32)

Supplements Social Action activities and funds, and contributes to worthy causes

Mann Family Hunger Fund (45)

Supports organizations which engage in the fight against hunger

Gary & Marilyn Ratkin Social Action Education Fund (64)

Provide funding for Social Action educational programs

Brockman-Siegelman Gemilut Hasadim Fund (67)

Provides “basic Jewish dignity” for at-risk Shaare Emeth members

Al & Eva Fleischer Healing Fund (74)

Compensates the program leader of the healing service and provides caring committee funds

Mitzvah Garden Donation

Provides funding for operating the garden to provide harvests to the Jewish Food Pantry

Tzedakah Box Contribution

Provides contributions to agencies that reflect the values of our congregation

Caring Committee Donation

Provides funding for this committee to address the needs of our congregants in times of need and joy.

Chused Israel Experience Fund (35)

Provides High School aged students scholarships to participate in peer trips to Israel

Sam I. Golman Israel Fund (56)

Matches family contributions to the Passport to Israel Program

Joseph & Lillian Beil Israel Fund (59)

Matches family contributions to the Passport to Israel Program

Buddy & Hadassah Lebman/MOSHE Fund for Shinshinim and Israel Engagement (94)

Provides funding to offset expenses associated with the Shinshinim program and other programs to create strong Israel engagement

Mindfulness Center Donation

Supports the work of the community-based center to help incorporate mindfulness practices into daily life within a Jewish context

Bema Flower Donation

Allows the congregation to provide flowers each week for Shabbat

Prayer Book Fund

Purchases Shabbat prayer books

Sadie & Sidney S. Cohen Music Fund (3)

Provides funds to enhance musical events and special musical programs

Reichman Music Fund (36)

Provides funds to enhance the music fund at Shaare Emeth

Michael Matlof Connection and Communication Fund (58)

Supports live-streaming of temple services and general programming

Sam & Goldye Rosen Music Fund (65)

Provides funds to offsets costs of special music programs

Building Security Donation

Helps to defray costs of day-to-day security expenses

Rubin & Rose Hersh and Jerry & Joyce Swedroe Fund for Safety and Security (79)

Provides funds to enhance the ongoing safety and security needs of our membership and facilities

Shirley Solomon Play Yard Fund (6)

Provides funds for the purchase, replacement, or maintenance of playground equipment

Nancy Levin Preschool Fund (21)

Provides for any resources for Shirlee Green Preschool

Audrey Montague Preschool Operations Enhancement Fund (34)

Benefits the Shirlee Green Preschool

Anthony B. Lake Scholarship Fund (39)

Provides financial assistance to preschool families in need

Shirlee Green Preschool Fund (47)

Supports preschool programs and preschool expansion

Lisha Gayle Preschool Enrichment Fund (60)

Supports preschool enrichment, special programming, and teacher enrichment

Alan Greenberg Early Childhood Fund (71)

Provides early childhood programming in preschool or religious school

Marshall C. Weisman Fund for Preschool Special Needs Children (85)

Provides funding for inclusion programming at Shirlee Green Preschool

Kathy & Marty Zigler Fund for Enrichment of Preschool Teachers (90)

Provides preschool teacher education and enrichment

SGP Parent Advisory Council Fund

Provides funding for teacher gifts and various resources for the school

Milton & Henrietta Kushkin Education Enrichment Fund (10)

Provides funds to be used for education enrichment and Passport to Israel

Steven Morgan Ferman Memorial for Gifted Education Fund (15)

Provides classroom resources for gifted children in Shaare Emeth Religious School

Frank & Mary Siteman Education Fund (19)

Provides scholarships for religious school or youth programs

Micah Davis Memorial Fund (23)

Provides funding for siddurs and classroom resources for Shaare Emeth Religious School

Religious School Fund (43)

Enables Religious School to enhance programs, services, and equipment

Jane Wohl Education Fund (46)

Provides funds to enhance programs, services, and equipment for educational programming

Eunice Mann Jewish Education Fund (52)

Provides needs-based scholarships for Religious School

Ed & Estelle Fischer Children’s Scholarship Fund (70)

Provides funds for religious school and other youth programs

Milford & Lee Bohm Religious School Enhancement Fund (78)

Provides funding for education & enhancement programs for students ages 4-18

Harry & Lucille Midows Religious School Fund (86)

Enhances the operation of the Religious School

Pauline & Louis Krasner JQuest@Shaare Emeth Fund (89)

Provides free Religious School and outreach to families with pre-K and kindergarten children

Library Donation Fund (LIB)

Purchases books and materials for the Hyman A. Rubin Library and Learning Center

Stanley Lyss & Esther Lyss-Greenstein Lifelong Learning Fund (12)

Provides educational programming at Shaare Emeth

Elsie & Fred Deutsch Lectureship (24)

Sponsors Scholar-In-Residence programs for Shaare Emeth

Estelle & Bernard Schwartzman Lectureship (33)

Provides funding for special lectures

Max & Bernice Babchick Jewish Family Involvement Fund (42)

Provides funds to Shaare Emeth family life activities based on need

Donna Meyers Children’s Book Nook Fund (91)

Maintains the children’s book area in the Rubin Library

Rabbi Jeffrey B. Stiffman Lecture Fund (92)

Provides an annual adult education lecture, speaker, or program

Todd Jason Kronemer Youth Scholarship Fund (5)

Provides subsidies and scholarships to youth for regional activities, camp, and trips

Essman-Schaeffer Camp Scholarship Fund (10)

Provides funds for camp scholarships to Camp Emeth and NFTY Camps

Jacquelyn Wiesman Artstein Camp Scholarship Fund (13)

Provides needs based Shaare Emeth camp scholarships to Shaare Emeth families

Sam & Libby Cohen Youth Leadership Fund (28)

Supports participation in regional and national youth events sponsored by NFTY

Youth Scholarship Fund (37)

Provides scholarships for supplementary trips for youth of all ages at Shaare Emeth

Ida Stack Scholarship Fund (48)

Supports an annual award for an exceptional 6th grade Religious School student

Goldberg Camp Scholarship Fund (49)

Provides camp scholarships to Religious School students

Faye H. & Robert J. Siegel SETYG Program Fund (57)

Provides funds for Shaare Emeth Youth Programs

Dr. Seymour & Rose Brown College Fund (61)

Provides funds to enhance the Jewish identity, knowledge, and culture of our college youth

Livingston/Grossman Youth Engagement Fund (77)

Provides youth engagement opportunities at Shaare Emeth

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ABOUT

Debbie & Mike Lefton

2024 Harris Frank Community Service Award Honorees

Debbie and Michael Lefton have been dedicated members of the Shaare Emeth community and the broader St. Louis Jewish community for many years, contributing their time and talents in numerous ways.

Debbie has been a member of Shaare Emeth since the 5th grade, attending Sunday School and confirmation. Debbie and Mike have been married for 27 years and became family members of  Shaare Emeth in 1996. Their children Sydney, and Jacob, both attend Shirlee Green Preschool, celebrated their b’not mitzvah, and attended Shaare Emeth Camps. Debbie and Mike have been actively involved in various committees at Shaare Emeth throughout the years; Debbie serving as the President of the Shirlee Green Preschool and Mike serving on the Board of Trustees and the Operating Committee for 12 years including President of our congregation.

Their commitment to education and community service extends beyond Shaare Emeth. They are true examples of community service heroes. In 2019 the Lefton Family received the American Jewish Committee Netzach Award and in 2022, Debbie and Mike were honored with the JProStL Community Leader Partnership Award.

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Life Services, she worked as a Child Life Specialist at Wyler Children’s Hospital in Chicago and St. Louis Children’s Hospital for 12 years. She then earned a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Services from Washington University.

At the St. Louis Jewish Community Center, Debbie has chaired several committees, including the Children’s Activity Center, the Camp Sabra Alumni Committee, and the Mission Task Force Committee. She has also co-chaired the Jewish Book Festival Women’s Event, the St. Louis Maccabi Games Closing Ceremonies and has served on the  J Associates Board for 16 years, completing a term as President in 2022. Currently, Debbie serves as an Officer on the Executive Committee at the JCC and is Co-Chairing the Fox Building Capital Campaign. Debbie received the St. Louis Jewish Community Center Richard S. Weiss Past Presidents Award in 2018.

Debbie’s involvement in the St. Louis Jewish Federation includes serving on the Board of CAJE and Women’s Philanthropy and recently began an 8-year term on the National Jewish Federations Women’s Philanthropy Board. Debbie served on the Camp Rainbow Board of Directors and 28 years. Currently, Debbie is a board member of The St. Louis Jewish Light and The St. Louis Children’s Hospital Friends Board.  Debbie received the MAC Women of Distinction honor in 2023.

Michael holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Michael began his career with Metal Exchange in 1984 and now serves as Executive Chairman. Under his leadership, Metal Exchange has grown into a global enterprise with a strong international presence, including offices in Zurich and Shanghai. The company’s diverse operations include manufacturing, marketing, trading, metal processing, distribution, and transportation of nonferrous metals.

Mike’s commitment to community service is evident through his current roles as Board President of Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis and Regional President of the American Jewish Committee – St. Louis. Mike served as President of the St. Louis Men’s Group Against Cancer for seven years and is Immediate Past President. Mike received the Presidential Citation Award from Variety the Children’s Charity international in 2019.

Additionally, Mike currently serves on several boards, including Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, National Council of Jewish Women Advisory Council, Jewish Federation Professional Society Leadership Advisory Council, and Heat-Up/Cool Down St. Louis.

Debbie and Mike reside in St. Louis and are the proud parents of two adult children, Sydney 26, who lives in Tel Aviv, and Jacob 24, who resides in Cincinnati. The Lefton family are avid hockey fans, enjoy theatre, traveling and spending time in Colorado.

The Shaare Emeth community is honored to celebrate Debbie and Michael Lefton for their unwavering dedication and impactful contributions to our community and beyond.