Youth Groups

Youth Programming at Shaare Emeth

Shaare Emeth’s youth programming provides our youth with opportunities to engage in Jewish life at Shaare Emeth and in the broader Jewish community. Our program combines community building and Jewish experiences that deepen kids’ and teens’ connections to Jewish tradition and to one another. Social events, social action, learning, and Jewish observance provide our youth with a range of different ways to connect with Jewish life on their terms surrounded by a caring community of their peers.

SETYG

SETYG (Shaare Emeth Temple Youth Group) is Shaare Emeth’s youth group for high school students. Run by an elected board of teens, SETYG hosts exciting and engaging programming created by and for teens. SETYG also serves as Shaare Emeth’s connection to Jewish teens from across the country through NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth), which is the national Reform Jewish youth movement. SETYG is a part of the NFTY-Missouri Valley Region, through which our teens convene through the year for Chavurot (weekend long gatherings of the region) which provide our teens with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, explore their Jewish identity, and connect with teens from across the Midwest.

SE678

SE678 is Shaare Emeth’s youth group for 6th, 7th, & 8th graders. With events like snow tubing at Hidden Valley, private tours of Busch Stadium, and many more, our middle schoolers are able to strengthen social bonds with their peers while engaging in fun programs exclusively for them! This group meets on a monthly basis.

SE345

SE345 is Shaare Emeth’s youth program for 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders. SE345 hosts community-building events, with trips to the Zoo, the Science Center, ice skating at Steinberg Ice Rink in Forest Park, and much more. This group meets on a monthly basis.

Shir Emeth

Shir Emeth (meaning Song of Truth) is Shaare Emeth’s youth choir for 3rd-7th graders. All are welcome, regardless of musical ability, experience, or membership. This group rehearses approximately twice a month, and performs a number of times per year, including at Shabbat services, holiday celebrations, Busch Stadium, retirement communities, and more!

Click here for additional information about Shir Emeth

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.