Marking Yom HaZikaron Away from Home

Marking Yom HaZikaron Away from Home

Shalom! My name is Ziv Shalev, and I’m the ShinShin here at Congregation Shaare Emeth from Israel for the year. It’s an honor to write to you and to be able to share a bit of my perspective. Being part of a Jewish community outside of Israel reminds me how deeply connected we all are, no matter where we are in the world.

As a Jewish people, we share many holidays and traditions that unite us across the globe. Whether we are in Israel, the United States, or anywhere else, our shared customs keep us connected as one people. However, Israel also has its own national days—ones that may appear on the global calendar but are truly felt only in Israel. And tonight, I would love to tell you about one of these days: Yom HaZikaron – a day that deeply shapes not only Israel’s history but also my own personal story.

Yom HaZikaron is one of the most difficult days in Israel. It is a day when we stop everything to remember and honor the Israeli soldiers and victims who lost their lives in war and acts of terror. Some of my first recollections of Yom HaZikaron are from first grade, standing at the school ceremony, listening to the heartbreaking words of families who lost their loved ones. I remember sitting quietly, absorbing the sorrowful songs with lyrics that carried so much pain.

From first grade through high school, Yom HaZikaron was always a solemn and meaningful day. As I grew older, I began to understand its significance on a deeper level. Suddenly, I knew names, faces—people I had met—who were no longer with us.

I never imagined that one day I would hear their names being honored in the ceremony.

This day is painful for all of Israel, yet at the same time, it is a day of unity. We feel each other’s pain, we share in the grief, and we remember together. We recognize that those who fell sacrificed their lives to protect us, to protect Israel, to ensure that we can live in peace and security. They fought so that children could grow up without fear, so that we could live in a reality that feels normal, not one filled with uncertainty and danger.

This year, for the first time in my life, I will be observing Yom HaZikaron outside of Israel. I will be far from my family, my friends, and the place where I am used to marking this day in a formal and respectful ceremony. I worry that it will feel different, that I will feel distant from my people at a time when all of Israel mourns together.

But I find comfort in knowing that even here, outside of Israel, in this Jewish community, we will come together to commemorate this day. I hope that we will stand together, remember together, and connect with the grief of the families and the mourning of the entire nation of Israel. I hope to see our whole Jewish community come to this year’s Yom HaZikaron ceremony at the JCC on Tuesday, April 29, at 7 p.m., to show support, to offer a distant embrace, and to remind ourselves that no matter where we are, we are one, connected at heart. RSVP here.

In addition to the ceremony, I will also be leading a special class on Tuesday, April 29, at 10 a.m. with Rabbi Lori Levine in honor of Yom HaZikaron. This will be a meaningful opportunity to dive deeper into personal stories, discuss the impact of this day, and explore the importance of days of memory in Israeli society. You can find details and RSVP for this program here.

I would love for you to join me at one or both of these programs for a moment of reflection and learning. Thank you.

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Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman

Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Shaare Emeth

Rabbi Emeritus Jeffrey Stiffman received his undergraduate degree from Loyola College and was ordained in 1965 at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. He earned his Ph.D. in Theology in 1972. He served as Assistant Rabbi of Shaare Emeth from 1965-1968 and was named Senior Rabbi in 1971, serving in that capacity until his retirement in 2004, when he was named Rabbi Emeritus. During his tenure, Rabbi Stiffman and his staff instituted many innovative programs of worship, education, and social justice. Rabbi Stiffman and his wife, Arlene, have three adult children and eight grandchildren.

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Rabbi Morgan Tobey

Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Emeth

Rabbi Morgan Tobey joined the congregation as Assistant Rabbi on July 1, 2026, bringing with her a deep commitment to Jewish learning, leadership, and community building. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Rabbi Tobey’s Jewish journey began during her undergraduate years at the University of Southern California, where her involvement with Hillel introduced her to rabbinical students who challenged her assumptions about Judaism and inspired her own path to the rabbinate. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from USC before returning to Dallas, where she worked as an elementary and early childhood educator and served in numerous lay leadership roles at Temple Emanu-El.

Rabbi Tobey was ordained in May 2026 from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, where she also earned a Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature and a Certificate in Jewish Organizational Leadership from the Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management. During her time at HUC-JIR, she distinguished herself as a talented leader and community builder, receiving the Burton Lehman Prize in Jewish Leadership, the Sylvia Levenstein Prize in Human Relations, and the Gavi Klonsky Award for Amitz Lev—recognizing spirit, character, and strength of heart. Her rabbinical training included service to the Community Synagogue of Rye, Cornell University Hillel, and her classmates as Student Association President.

Outside of synagogue life, you can find Rabbi Tobey cheering on the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Wings, obsessing over Amy Poehler’s podcast, and planning Disney trips!

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Rabbi Andrew Terkel

Associate Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Emeth

Rabbi Andrew Terkel joined Congregation Shaare Emeth as Associate Rabbi in 2026. A warm and relationship-centered Reform rabbi, he is passionate about helping individuals and families find meaning, connection, and belonging through Jewish life. Prior to coming to Shaare Emeth, Rabbi Terkel served as Executive Director of Student to Student, a national program of the Jewish Federations of North America, and previously held leadership roles with Be The Narrative, the Union for Reform Judaism’s NFTY youth movement, Greene Family Camp, and Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim in Charleston, South Carolina, where he served as Assistant Rabbi.

Rabbi Terkel was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where he also earned a Certificate in Jewish Nonprofit Management, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Kansas. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, he credits synagogue life, Jewish camp, and youth groups with shaping his Jewish identity and inspiring his rabbinate. Rabbi Terkel enjoys music, storytelling, and creating meaningful Jewish experiences across generations. He and his wife, Hannah, and their sons, Avi and Micah, have been proud members of the Shaare Emeth community since moving to St. Louis in 2022.

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Rabbi Lori Levine

Associate Rabbi & Director of Education of Congregation Shaare Emeth

Rabbi Lori Levine serves as Associate Rabbi and Director of Education at Congregation Shaare Emeth, overseeing the Religious School and creating connections for our families with children to the wider temple community. Originally from New Jersey, Rabbi Levine was shaped by her years at Jewish summer camp, non-profit work, working as a community organizer, living in Israel on the URJ Heller High program, and volunteer work with elders. She received her undergraduate degree from New York University in European and Mediterranean Studies in 2010. She received her rabbinic ordination and Master’s in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, CA, in 2018.

Rabbi Levine is an experienced and passionate educator with extensive experience in curriculum writing, teacher mentorship, programming, and more. She believes that rigorous, relevant, and joyful learning is the key to creating vibrant Jewish communities and Jewish identities. Rabbi Levine is an active member of the national Association of Reform Jewish Educators (ARJE) and Past President of JPro StL. She is married to Joe Ferris and the proud mom of two boys. 

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Cantor Seth Warner

Cantor of Congregation Shaare Emeth

Cantor Seth Warner, originally from Southern California, has degrees from University of Redlands and Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. He was ordained in 2001.

He has served two synagogues with distinction during his career. First, he served the historic Touro Synagogue in New Orleans, weathering Hurricane Katrina and producing Touro’s Jazz Fest Shabbat to high acclaim.

He began serving Congregation Shaare Emeth in 2007. He oversees the Congregation’s music and worship portfolios and leads the B’Mitzvah program, in addition to his other cantorial duties as a full clergy partner with his colleagues.

He currently serves as Immediate Past President of the American Conference of Cantors.

Seth and his wife, Shayna, are the proud parents of two boys.

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Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, D.Min

Successor Senior Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Emeth

Rabbi Andrea Goldstein received her undergraduate degree in Communications Studies from Northwestern University and was ordained from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1998. In May of 2023, Rabbi Goldstein earned her Doctor of Ministry and her honorary Doctor of Divinity from HUC-JIR. She has served as rabbi at Congregation Shaare Emeth for the past 28 years, and in 2028 she will become the congregation’s first female Senior Rabbi.

Rabbi Goldstein is a graduate of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s Rabbinic Leadership Program and the Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teachers’ Training Program, and she holds a certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Aquinas Institute in St. Louis. In 2018, she founded and became the director of the Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis.

Locally, Rabbi Goldstein is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinic and Cantorial Association, serves on the AccessMO Advisory Board, the NCJW Advisory Council, and the Advisory Committee of the Jewish Fund for Human Needs. Nationally, Rabbi Goldstein is an at-large board member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

Rabbi Goldstein’s rabbinate is centered around the creation of sacred community, the call for social justice, and the cultivation of spiritual practices. Rabbi Goldstein is married to Brett Goldstein and is the proud mother of Macey, Eli, and Lila.

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Rabbi Jim Bennett

Senior Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Emeth

Rabbi James M. Bennett became Senior Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Emeth in 2004. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and was ordained in 1984 at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Upon ordination, Rabbi Bennett served Shaare Emeth as Assistant and Associate Rabbi from 1984 to 1993. He then served as Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth El in Charlotte, NC, from 1993-2003 before returning to St. Louis and Shaare Emeth. Rabbi Bennett has devoted his career to strengthening the involvement of youth and adults in programs of education, social justice, spiritual growth, community building, and interfaith relations. Rabbi Bennett and his wife, Amy, have three children, Abigail, Ethan, and Michelle, and their Labrador Retrievers, Gus and Ophelia.


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Leanne & Harvey Schneider

2026 Harris Frank Community Service Award Honorees

Harvey and Leanne Schneider have devoted their lives to strengthening both the Jewish and broader St. Louis communities through leadership, service, education, and a deep commitment to bringing people together.

A St. Louis native, Harvey Schneider attended local public schools before earning both his undergraduate business degree and law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Following graduation, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he served as a trial attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. After five years of federal service, he returned to St. Louis and became a partner in private law practice. Over a legal career spanning more than five decades, Harvey represented family-owned businesses and private individuals in a wide range of business matters.

Harvey’s commitment to civic and Jewish communal life has been equally extensive. He has served as President of Congregation Shaare Emeth, the Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis, the Central Agency for Jewish Education, the Little Symphony Concerts Association, and the Forever Young Club at the Missouri Athletic Club. In addition, he dedicated 26 years to public service on the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Town and Country, including three years as chairman.

After graduating from Washington University, Leanne Schneider spent a year studying in France. Upon her return to St. Louis, she became deeply involved in international student exchange programs, first with the Experiment in International Living and later with AFS, fostering cross-cultural understanding and lifelong connections among people of different backgrounds. This commitment to building bridges naturally extended to her involvement with the Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis.

Leanne also taught French and Spanish at Brittany Junior High School before she and Harvey started their family. Throughout the years, she has shared her passion for education and community service by tutoring New Americans through the English Language School, serving on Congregation Shaare Emeth’s first Caring Committee, and volunteering as a reader with Ready Readers. Today, she continues to nurture her love of learning and literature through a book club that includes many members of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Together, Harvey and Leanne have exemplified a lifetime of generosity, service, and leadership. Their dedication to education, interfaith understanding, civic engagement, and Jewish communal life has enriched countless lives throughout St. Louis. They are the proud parents of three children and grandparents of four, and their enduring legacy continues to inspire future generations.