What We Do

Our Commitments

Our seven commitments serve as a roadmap to achieving our mission. Everything Shaare Emeth does is guided by one or more of these responsibilities:

Living in Community

We strive to be a diverse and welcoming Congregation, and we accept the responsibility of celebrating with and caring for one another in times of joy and need.

Lifelong Jewish Learning

From preschool through adulthood, we bring alive the tenets, values, texts and traditions of Judaism.

Acting as Agents of Social Justice and Change

Through advocacy and volunteerism, we work together to fulfill the Jewish mandate of Tikkun Olam, repairing our world, by alleviating poverty and hunger, fighting injustice, caring for human beings in times of need, protecting the environment and bringing peace.

Living with an Awareness of the Sacred in our Lives

We honor the holiness that surrounds us at every moment of our lives, through meaningful rituals and ceremonies, moments of worship and prayer, and joyful Shabbat and Jewish holiday celebrations.

The Land and People of Israel

We recognize and value our place as a part of K’lal Yisrael, the People of Israel, and our connection to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel, both historical and modern. We work to support and advocate for the Jewish people wherever they may be, and in particular, for the State of Israel.

Acknowledging our Community

We recognize that we are citizens of a larger religious and secular community, and we accept and embrace our communal and civic responsibility through our words and deeds.

Managing our Resources

We recognize our need to provide, utilize and carefully manage the resources necessary to fulfill each of the other commitments of our Mission, while taking the measured financial risks necessary for our future.

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.