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Israel: The Possibilities

Future: Dr. Ayala Hendin will help inspire and strengthen our collective hope for the United States and for Israel.

The Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948 by David Ben-Gurion. Using the Israeli Declaration of Independence as a guide, we will explore the hope, successes, and challenges facing Israel to implement the document, which states:

“The State of Israel will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace… it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.”

This three-part series will be taught by Dr. Ayala Hendin, Israel Fellow at Washington University, and special guest Dr. Mona Khoury, the first Arab Vice President of Diversity and Strategy at Hebrew University.

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Date
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
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Location
Congregation Shaare Emeth
11645 Ladue Road, St. Louis, MO 63141
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Speaker

  • Dr. Ayala Hendin
    Dr. Ayala Hendin Israel Fellow, Washington University in St. Louis
    Dr. Ayala Hendin
    Dr. Ayala Hendin
    Israel Fellow, Washington University in St. Louis

    Dr. Ayala Hendin is an Israel fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, teaching Israeli politics, policy, and society, focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies; higher education policy; and activism in Israel. She was the founding director of “Israeli Hope in Academia,” a flagship national program of Israel’s 10th President, Reuven Rivlin. She completed her PhD at Ben-Gurion University and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Minerva Center for Human Rights at Hebrew University, and is passionate about connecting research, policy, and practice.

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.