Anshei Mitzvah: Adult B’Mitzvah

Congrecation Shaare Emeth’s Exciting New Adult B’Mitzvah Program:

Anshei Mitzvah

Adults of all ages are invited to embark on a sacred journey of learning and discovery culminating in a milestone ceremony you might have missed in childhood. Gathering together weekly, participants study Hebrew, explore Jewish traditions and texts, and reflect on their personal relationships with faith and tradition. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow spiritually in a joyful community of new learners and friends. You can still fully participate even if you had a B’Mitzvah as a child!

Join our reimagined Adult B’Mitzvah program, Anshei Mitzvah, to learn, study, and reflect in a nurturing and inspiring class where self-discovery meets community. Anshei Mitzvah means People of the Commandments, demonstrating that age is never a boundary to studying, learning, and accomplishing.

Joining Cantor Warner will be master Hebrew teacher Carol Rubin, and the Shaare Emeth Clergy Team. We will study Hebrew, Torah, liturgy and prayers, customs, traditions, and much more.

The class will meet on Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 11 a.m. when Religious School is in session beginning on October 12, 2025. The Anshei Mitzvah – Adult B’Mitzvah Ceremony will take place at Congregation Shaare Emeth on Friday evening, February 12, 2027. The fee for this 16-month class is $450. Payment plans and scholarships are available.

For questions or to register for the class, contact Stacy Jespersen or Cantor Warner.

Anshei Mitzvah At-A-Glance

  • Sundays from October 12, 2025 – February 7, 2027
  • 9:15 – 11 a.m.
  • At Congregation Shaare Emeth
  • Anshei Mitzvah Ceremony on Friday, February 12, 2027
  • Tuition of $450 for 16-month class
  • Taught by Cantor Warner, Carol Rubin, and the Shaare Emeth Clergy Team

ABOUT

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.