Simcha Series

Congregation Shaare Emeth’s Simcha Series

Introducing our new Simcha Series! Each class is an opportunity to GROW, CELEBRATE, and CONNECT with others experiencing similar milestones!

Beshert 101: For the Engaged and Soon-to-Be-Engaged

Dates TBD

Mazel Tov on finding your Beshert (your meant-to-be)!
If you are engaged or anticipate being engaged soon, then you’re invited to Beshert 101- a special workshop that will introduce you the many Jewish customs that can add meaning to your wedding and your marriage! Plus, you’ll have the chance to meet other Jewish and interfaith couples who are in a similar chapter in their lives.

Beshert 101 will provide a safe and joyful space for engaged (and almost-engaged) people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, races, and religious backgrounds. It is open to the entire St. Louis community; you do not need to be a Shaare Emeth member to attend.

B’Sha’Ah Tovah*: A Class for Expecting Parents

Dates TBD

We know that each path to parenthood is unique and personal. Whether you are single or partnered; whether you anticipate the arrival of your child through pregnancy, adoption, surrogacy, or another path; whether or not you and your partner are both Jewish; whether you are already a parent or this will be your first child, you are invited to join us for B’sha’ah Tovah: A Class for Expecting Parents.  

B’sha’ah Tovah will provide you with opportunities to connect with other expecting parents and to explore both traditional and contemporary ways that Judaism can add meaning to every stage of your journey to parenthood – from anticipating, to welcoming, to celebrating.  

B’sha’ah Tovah is open to Shaare Emeth members and to the broader community. Please feel free to share information about this class with friends and family members who are expecting parents. 

Questions? Email Rabbi Rachel Bearman.  

*Did you know: The traditional, Jewish response to learning that someone is expecting a child is “B’sha’ah Tovah” which literally means “at a good hour” but is understood to mean “may everything go well and happen at the right time.”* 

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.