Make a Donation + Tributes

Donate to Congregation Shaare Emeth

There are a variety of ways to support Congregation Shaare Emeth. From making a tribute to honor a loved one, to donating to the Security Fund, to giving to a Congregational cause that is close to your heart – there is a giving option for everyone. Read below about some of our funds that you can help support.

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Tribute Gifts

A tribute gift made in another’s name is a lovely way to celebrate a friend for a recent simcha (joyous occasion), to honor the memory of a deceased loved one on their yahrzeit (anniversary of death), or to show appreciation for someone. To make a tribute donation, click on the “Donate Now” button. Hard copy forms are available in the Shaare Emeth North lobby vestibule or you may email Jana.

Funds at Shaare Emeth

Below is a full list of the various funds at Congregation Shaare Emeth. If you’re interested in opening a fund with us, or if you have any questions about the donation process, please contact Beth Kodner, Director of Development & Membership, via email or at (314) 692.5306.

Rabbi’s Special Fund

Allows the Rabbis to share tzedakah with those in need and to support worthy causes.

Cantor’s Special Fund

Allows the Cantor to share tzedakah with those in need and to support worthy causes.

Seltzer Older Adult Fund

Supports senior programs and transportation, and offers need-based assistance to senior adults.

Joan & Harry Seltzer Fund for Improving Women’s Lives

Supports and empowers members and employees of the temple who identify as women to improve their lives.

Sisterhood Women’s Programming Fund

Provides programming to enrich the lives of women of Shaare Emeth and the Jewish Community.

Harvey & Leanne Schneider Interfaith Forum Fund

The purpose of this fund is to establish and support meaningful programs and experiences for members of the congregation and the larger Jewish community about and in relationship with people of other faiths through education and engagement.

Dr. Stanley B. Lyss Adult Education Fund

The distribution will be used for educational purposes within the congregation.

Elsie & Fred Deutsch Lectureship

This fund is to be used to sponsor scholar-in-residence lectures at the discretion of the Senior Rabbi, the Adult Education Committee and the Deutsch family

William Seltzer Older Adult Fund

This fund was established to aid the senior citizen programs of the Congregation. The distribution may be used to fund activities of the Seniors Group, transportation for seniors to any Temple function and/or to subsidize meals for seniors.

Estelle & Bernard Schwartzman Lectureship Fund

This fund will be used to sponsor a lectureship each year at the Congregation.

Sisterhood Women’s Programming Fund

This fund will be used to provide funding for programs that will impact women’s lives.

Max & Bernice Babchick Jewish Family Involvement Fund

The distribution from the fund is to be used to allow families, who could not otherwise afford to do so, to participate in the family life activities of Shaare Emeth Congregation.

Al & Eva Fleischer Healing Fund

Funds from this endowment can be used to compensate healing services speakers, leaders and can be used to provide caring committee funds.

Donna Meyers Children’s Nook Fund

The purpose of the fund is to establish and maintain the Donna Meyers Children’s Nook in the Rubin Library at the Temple.

Harvey & Leanne Schneider Interfaith Forum Fund

The purpose of this fund is to establish and support meaningful programs and experiences for members of the congregation and the larger Jewish community about and in relationship with people of other faiths through education and engagement.

Jeffrey B. Stiffman Lecture

Will provide funds for an annual adult education lecture, speaker, program or event to further the knowledge and commitment of the congregation in areas such as Jewish current events, Israel and Diaspora relations, or Interfaith relations.

Library Fund

The purpose of this fund is to provide support for the purchases for the Hyman A. Rubin Library and Learning Center at the Temple.

Ben & Sara Wool Fund

The purpose of this fund is to supplement special programs for the Congregation.

Sadie & Sidney S. Cohen Music Fund

Distribution is to be used to enrich the musical fabric of the Congregation through special programs of Jewish music throughout the year. Funds are used to hire musicians and chorus people for events, such as “Jewish Music Month” or to augment “special Sabbaths.”

Reichman Family Music Fund

The purpose of this fund is to enhance the music program at Shaare Emeth. Funds can be used for special music-in-residence programs.

Sam and Goldye Rosen Music Fund

The purpose of this fund is to fund, in whole or part, the cost of special music events at the Temple (such as Cantorial concerts), which are not part of the annual operating budget of the Temple.

Prayerbook Fund

This fund provides funds to be used to purchase prayer books.

Harry & Lucille Midows Religious School Fund

This fund will enhance the operation of the Religious School.  Funds may be utilized for staff compensation, equipment, supplies, and scholarships, as well as other purposes for the Religious School.

Micah Davis Fund

This fund is to be used to provide “treats” for the children of the Congregation at major holidays.  In addition, prayer books for beginning Hebrew School students are to be funded by this fund.

Religious School Fund

This fund will enable the Religious School to enhance the programs, services and equipment of the Religious School

Steven Morgan Ferman Memorial Fund for Gifted Education

This fund is to be used to provide for the education and support of gifted children.

Shirley Solomon Play Yard Fund

Distribution from the fund is to be used for purchase, replacement, or maintenance of playground equipment.

Milton & Henrietta Kushkin Landscaping Fund

Distribution from this fund may be used for equipment such as mowers, trimmers, sprayers may be purchased by this fund.

Simons Family Equal Access Fund

This fund will be used to assist those with disabilities to become active participants in all Temple activities. The needs of the hearing impaired are to be given priority, although the fund may be used to help all our disabled participants.

Dorothy Levitt/Birdie Furstenberg Support Staff Pension Fund

This fund has been established to support and supplement the congregation’s pension fund for office staff.

Albert & Ruth Kopolow Beautification Fund

This fund can be used for beautifying the grounds with flowers and plants or for bema flowers.

Isadore & Edith Bonnett Kowarsky Technology Endowment Fund

The purpose of the fund is to allow Congregation Shaare Emeth the opportunity to improve and to purchase technology needs to the Temple, schools or camp.

Werner Art Fund

This fund will be a restricted fund to offset art expenditures in the operating budget.

Michael Matlof Connection and Communication Fund

This fund supports live streaming of temple services and general programming.

Dr. Seymour & Rose Brown Beautification Fund

These funds help update our rose gardens.

Bohm Family Campus Fund

This fund supports the beautification of the Bohm Campus,

Operations Enhancement Fund

This fund has been established to help provide additional monies to supplement the operating budget of the Temple each year.

Building Maintenance Fund

This fund receives money in building maintenance fund pledges from current and new members and through contributions to the fund in the form of tributes.

Temple Endowment Fund

Supplements membership donations towards temple operating costs.

Library Endowment Fund

These funds are used to purchase books for the library.

Bema Flower Fund

Funds are used to purchase weekly Kabbalat Shabbat flowers for the Bema.

Shirley Solomon Play Yard Fund

Distribution from the fund is to be used for purchase, replacement, or maintenance of playground equipment.

Nancy Levin Preschool Fund

This fund is to be made available to the Director of the Preschool for any needs or purposes of the school as may be deemed appropriate.

Audrey Montague Preschool Endowment Fund

This fund shall be used for the benefit of Shaare Emeth’ s Preschool. The use of these funds shall be selected by the Director with the approval of the Preschool board.

Anthony B. Lake Scholarship Fund

The purpose of the fund is to aid families in Preschool who need financial help.

Jane Wohl Education Fund

The purpose of this fund is to provide needed educational materials for the classrooms.

Shirlee Green Preschool Fund

This fund is to be used at the discretion of the Temple Board for Preschool programs. The principal amount of the endowment may also be applied to the physical expansion of the Preschool with the Temple Board’s approval.

Lisha Gayle Preschool Enrichment Fund

The fund is to be used for children’s or teachers’ enrichment or for opportunities to enrich the children’s preschool experience by use of specialists, special programming, etc.

Alan Greenberg Early Childhood Programming Fund

The purpose of the fund will provide funding for early childhood programming. These programs will be supervised by the preschool director. Programs can include the Religious School PreKg-2nd grade as well as children in the Shirlee Green Preschool.

Marshall C. Weisman Fund for Preschool Special Needs Children

The purpose of the fund is to be used to enable the preschool to achieve its goal of inclusion of special needs children in the preschool program to the extent that is best for the child.

Kathy & Marty Zigler Preschool Fund for the Enrichment of Pre-School Teachers

The purpose of the fund will be to provide pre-school teacher education and enrichment. If the available funds exceed the amount required for teacher education and enrichment, the excess available funds may be used for additional non-budgeted items for the preschool.

Ida & Harris Kramer Social Action Funds

This fund will be used to supplement the social action activities of the congregation and to contribute in Shaare Emeth’s name to worthy causes.

Mann Family Hunger Fund

This fund is to be used to support organizations which primarily engage in the fight against hunger, directly or indirectly, and which qualify under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code for individuals, Provided the Congregation can do so without tax consequences.

Brockman-Siegelman Gemilut Hasadim Fund

This fund will provide “Basic Jewish Dignity” to those members at risk who are not currently being served because of unavailable funding. Others may receive aid from this fund: to participate in school activities, to help cover school supply costs and participation fees, and to help provide appropriate clothing when needed.

Gary and Marilyn Ratkin Social Action Education Fund

This fund provides funding for Social Action educational programs.

B’nai El Tzedakah Fund

The clergy of the temple may use these funds to assist in their work for Tzedakah.

Al & Eva Fleischer Healing Fund

Funds from this endowment can be used to compensate healing services speakers, leaders and can be used to provide caring committee funds

Scholarship Funds

Essman-Schaeffer Camp Scholarship Fund

The fund is to provide scholarships to children of members of the Congregation to attend camps conducted by the Congregation. It can also be used to send members of the Congregation to attend camps sponsored by NFTY.

Jacquelyn Wiesman Artstein Camp Scholarship Fund

Provides needs based Shaare Emeth camp scholarship to Shaare Emeth families.

Sisterhood Youth Scholarship Fund

Provides scholarships for Camp Emeth, Camps sponsored by the URJ and supplementary trips for youth of all ages at Shaare Emeth.

Goldberg Camp Scholarship Fund

This fund is to be used to provide camp scholarships to our Religious School students.

Lisa’s Star Fund

This fund is to be used to provide camp scholarships to our members’ children.

Milton & Henrietta Kushkin Education Fund

This fund was established for matching grants for families of those students in Shaare Emeth’s Religious School participating in the “Passport to Israel” program co-sponsored by the Congregation and administered by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, for teacher in-service training, and general educational enhancement and guest lecturers in the field of Jewish education.

Chused Israel Experience Fund

Distribution from the fund is to be used for aiding students to learn and enjoy an experience in Israel. Students at High School age or High School graduates who have not started their college careers are eligible to receive assistance from this program.

Sam I. Golman Israel Experience Fund

The distribution from the fund will be used for young people to travel to Israel under the auspices of the Passport to Israel Matching Gift Program with the Jewish Federation and the Temple.

Joseph & Lillian Beil Israel Fund

The purpose of the fund is to help “match” the contributions to the “Passport to Israel” program which we co-sponsor with the Jewish Federation.

Frank & Mary Siteman Education Fund

Provides scholarships for Religious School or youth programs.

Milton & Henrietta Kushkin Education Fund

This fund was established for matching grants for families of those students in Shaare Emeth’s Religious School participating in the “Passport to Israel” program co-sponsored by the Congregation and administered by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, for teacher in-service training, and general educational enhancement and guest lecturers in the field of Jewish education.

Sisterhood Youth Scholarship Fund

Provides needs-based scholarships to attend religious school.

Ida Stack Religious School Scholarship Fund

Provides free tuition for Religious School 5th grade student who shows sincere dedication and enthusiasm about learning Hebrew.

Eunice Mann Jewish Education Fund

Provides subsidies and scholarships to youth for regional and local activities, camp and trips.

Ed & Estelle Fischer Children’s Scholarship Fund

Provides scholarships for Religious School and funds for religious school and other youth programs.

Todd Jason Kronemer Youth Activities Fund

Provides subsidies and scholarships to youth for regional and local activities, camp and trips.

Sam & Libby Cohen Youth Leadership Fund

Distribution is to be used to support participation in regional and national events sponsored by NFTY’s MO. Valley Region.

Sisterhood Youth Scholarship Fund

This fund provides needs-based scholarships for youth involvement in Religious School and Camp experiences.

Faye & Robert J. Siegel SETYG Youth Programming Fund

Provides needs-based scholarships for youth involvement in SETYG. This fund also provides programming funds for youth programming.

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ABOUT

Debbie & Mike Lefton

2024 Harris Frank Community Service Award Honorees

Debbie and Michael Lefton have been dedicated members of the Shaare Emeth community and the broader St. Louis Jewish community for many years, contributing their time and talents in numerous ways.

Debbie has been a member of Shaare Emeth since the 5th grade, attending Sunday School and confirmation. Debbie and Mike have been married for 27 years and became family members of  Shaare Emeth in 1996. Their children Sydney, and Jacob, both attend Shirlee Green Preschool, celebrated their b’not mitzvah, and attended Shaare Emeth Camps. Debbie and Mike have been actively involved in various committees at Shaare Emeth throughout the years; Debbie serving as the President of the Shirlee Green Preschool and Mike serving on the Board of Trustees and the Operating Committee for 12 years including President of our congregation.

Their commitment to education and community service extends beyond Shaare Emeth. They are true examples of community service heroes. In 2019 the Lefton Family received the American Jewish Committee Netzach Award and in 2022, Debbie and Mike were honored with the JProStL Community Leader Partnership Award.

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Life Services, she worked as a Child Life Specialist at Wyler Children’s Hospital in Chicago and St. Louis Children’s Hospital for 12 years. She then earned a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Services from Washington University.

At the St. Louis Jewish Community Center, Debbie has chaired several committees, including the Children’s Activity Center, the Camp Sabra Alumni Committee, and the Mission Task Force Committee. She has also co-chaired the Jewish Book Festival Women’s Event, the St. Louis Maccabi Games Closing Ceremonies and has served on the  J Associates Board for 16 years, completing a term as President in 2022. Currently, Debbie serves as an Officer on the Executive Committee at the JCC and is Co-Chairing the Fox Building Capital Campaign. Debbie received the St. Louis Jewish Community Center Richard S. Weiss Past Presidents Award in 2018.

Debbie’s involvement in the St. Louis Jewish Federation includes serving on the Board of CAJE and Women’s Philanthropy and recently began an 8-year term on the National Jewish Federations Women’s Philanthropy Board. Debbie served on the Camp Rainbow Board of Directors and 28 years. Currently, Debbie is a board member of The St. Louis Jewish Light and The St. Louis Children’s Hospital Friends Board.  Debbie received the MAC Women of Distinction honor in 2023.

Michael holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Michael began his career with Metal Exchange in 1984 and now serves as Executive Chairman. Under his leadership, Metal Exchange has grown into a global enterprise with a strong international presence, including offices in Zurich and Shanghai. The company’s diverse operations include manufacturing, marketing, trading, metal processing, distribution, and transportation of nonferrous metals.

Mike’s commitment to community service is evident through his current roles as Board President of Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis and Regional President of the American Jewish Committee – St. Louis. Mike served as President of the St. Louis Men’s Group Against Cancer for seven years and is Immediate Past President. Mike received the Presidential Citation Award from Variety the Children’s Charity international in 2019.

Additionally, Mike currently serves on several boards, including Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, National Council of Jewish Women Advisory Council, Jewish Federation Professional Society Leadership Advisory Council, and Heat-Up/Cool Down St. Louis.

Debbie and Mike reside in St. Louis and are the proud parents of two adult children, Sydney 26, who lives in Tel Aviv, and Jacob 24, who resides in Cincinnati. The Lefton family are avid hockey fans, enjoy theatre, traveling and spending time in Colorado.

The Shaare Emeth community is honored to celebrate Debbie and Michael Lefton for their unwavering dedication and impactful contributions to our community and beyond.