Life Cycles

Reform Jewish Lifecycles at Shaare Emeth

Jewish life is marked by sacred moments that help us celebrate, grow, connect, and remember. In the Reform Jewish tradition, life cycle events offer opportunities to deepen our relationships with Judaism, family, our synagogue community, and with God.

At every stage of life, whether in moments of profound joy or deep sadness, Shaare Emeth’s clergy are here to rejoice with, guide, and care for our members and their families. They help bring meaning and connection to life’s most significant Jewish moments.

To notify us of a Life Cycle event, please call the Temple Office at 314-569-0010 or e-mail us.

If you would like to deepen your connection to the Shaare Emeth community, you are invited to join the email list to be informed of significant life cycle moments of our members. Join the mailing list.

Special Birthdays & Anniversaries

At Congregation Shaare Emeth, we would be honored to help consecrate these special milestones in your life. If you are celebrating a significant birthday or wedding anniversary and would like to receive a blessing in front of the Ark during a Shabbat evening service, contact Stacy Jespersen by email or at 314-692-5302.

Birth

Brit & Baby Naming

The rituals of brit and baby naming are ceremonies that welcome and confirm a child’s membership in the covenantal Jewish community.

Traditionally, the brit for boys includes circumcision and is held on the eighth day of life. Some parents choose to have the circumcision in the hospital and the naming ceremony on the eighth day in their home or at a later date in the synagogue.

Baby girls are welcomed into the covenant with a Brit Bat ceremony, which can also be held on the eighth day or at a later date, at home or in the synagogue.

All Brit ceremonies include blessing the baby with a Hebrew name, which connects them to their family and community. The clergy is available to help families choose just the right name for their new baby.

For more information or to schedule a time to meet with a member of the clergy, please contact Stacy Jespersen by email or at 314-692-5302.

Consecration marks the celebration of the beginning of a student’s formal Jewish learning. It includes kindergarten students, as well as those who are new to Shaare Emeth’s religious school post-kindergarten. Consecration occurs during a Friday evening Shabbat service, and is a life cycle moment filled with hope and joy for the entire community.

For more information regarding Consecration, please contact our Religious School team by email or at 314-569-1273.

Why B’Mitzvah?

Rather than using the gendered terms Bat or Bar Mitzvah (daughter/son of the commandment), we refer to our program for 6th and 7th grade students by the more inclusive term, “B’Mitzvah.”

For each individual ceremony, students are able to choose the name for their ceremony that suits them best: Bar Mitzvah (son of the commandment), Bat Mitzvah (daughter of the commandment), B’nei (masculine plural) or B’not (feminine plural) Mitzvah (for multiple students), Simchat Mitzvah (celebration of the commandments), Kabbalat Mitzvah (receiving the commandments), B’Mitzvah (in or subject to the commandments), or Brit Mitzvah (covenant of the commandments).

Visit this page for complete information about our B’Mitzvah program.

Confirmation

Confirmation marks the completion of our 8th–10th grade Tikkun program, celebrating the completion of a young person’s formal Jewish education at Shaare Emeth. The Service of Confirmation takes place on a Shabbat evening in May, and is planned, written, and led by the Confirmation class in partnership with our Clergy team.

Visit this page for more information about Tikkun, or contact our Religious School team by email or at 314-569-1273.

Graduation

Some students choose to continue their Jewish learning (which in an obligation of every Jewish person, regardless of age) through our Post Con program for 11th and 12th graders. At the completion of their 12th grade year, these students are celebrated during a Shabbat evening service with a special graduation blessing.

Visit this page for more information about Post Con, or contact our Religious School team by email or at 314-569-1273.

The process of converting to Judaism is unique to each person who chooses to make this journey. Some people are introduced to Judaism through a friend or a class at school. Others choose to become Jewish when they fall in love with a Jewish partner. Still others choose Judaism later in life, while raising Jewish children or being exposed to Judaism through a variety of experiences.  

Whatever your path, the clergy are excited to meet with anyone who is curious about conversion to learn more.  

Many Jews-by-Choice begin their studies with an Introduction to Judaism course, offered through the five St. Louis-area Reform congregations.

Click here for information on the current or upcoming session.

To schedule a time to speak with a clergy member about your potential Jewish journey contact Stacy Jespersen by email or at 314-692-5302.

Our clergy love celebrating with wedding couples and are honored to help guide them through this sacred time. Through intentional meetings and discussions, the clergy will fashion a Jewish wedding ceremony that is personal, warm, and a celebration of the unique love between partners. As an inclusive congregation, Shaare Emeth’s clergy participate in weddings for couples who value Jewish tradition, including those in interfaith and LGBTQ+ partnerships. We are also happy to offer a special blessing to couples in anticipation of their wedding at any Shabbat evening service.

For questions, to schedule an appointment with a member of the clergy, or to schedule a special wedding blessing during Shabbat, contact Stacy Jespersen by email or at 314-692-5302.

Though a religious divorce is not required in Reform Jewish practice, the clergy of Shaare Emeth are available to help couples develop a meaningful ritual of separation that may help bring a sense of closure.

Those seeking a traditional Jewish get (bill of divorce) will be referred to Kayama – Preserving Jewish Continuity.

The support of your religious community can be a source of comfort when facing or recovering from an illness. If you or someone you love is struggling with an illness, please let us know. Notifying us of hospitalizations and admissions to rehab and long-term care communities is also appreciated. Our clergy is happy to visit local hospitals and long-term care centers, but they can only do so when we are alerted. Please let the clergy know of any current or upcoming hospitalizations (i.e., for surgery) or illness by contacting Stacy Jespersen at 314-692-5302 or by email. Members of Shaare Emeth are also here to lend a hand. If you or someone you love could benefit from a meal or a caring phone call or visit, please let us know. You can find all the information you need here.

Being Prepared

There are important things that can be considered before the death of a loved one. Choosing a funeral home and cemetery and finding out the wishes of your loved one are important tasks to complete prior to death whenever possible. Our clergy and both Jewish funeral homes in town are happy to meet with individuals and families to provide guidance and support.

Funeral Homes

New Mt. Sinai Cemetery

Congregation Shaare Emeth and Congregation Temple Israel co-own New Mt. Sinai Cemetery, a historic Jewish cemetery, located at 8430 Gravois Road, St. Louis, MO 63123.

As Death Approaches

Near the end of life, if you or your loved one would like a visit from a member of the clergy to share prayers and provide support, please contact the synagogue at 314-569-0010.

Funeral & Burial

When a loved one dies, the clergy, staff, and members of Shaare Emeth are here to support you. Please contact Shaare Emeth at 314-569-0010 to let us know about your loss. If you would like a member of the Shaare Emeth clergy to officiate at the funeral, the funeral home will help to make those arrangements. To plan the funeral, this Reform Jewish Guide to Funerals can be helpful.

Shiva

Shiva is the traditional seven-day period of mourning following the burial of a loved one. Families “sit shiva” in a home or other venue while friends provide meals and visits, and a clergy member can conduct a short service of memory. Today, many families choose to sit shiva for as few as one to three days following the burial. The clergy can help you determine what is the right choice for your family.

Congregational Support

As a member of the congregation, you do not have to face this time of loss alone. Your Shaare Emeth family is here for you.

See how our team of Chesed/Caring Committee volunteers can help during this difficult time.

Yahrzeit

A yahrzeit is the anniversary of a loved one’s death. One can commemorate a yahrzeit by lighting a yahrzeit candle at home (a special candle that burns for 24 hours and is lit at sundown on the night prior to the anniversary), reciting the Mourner’s Kaddish, and sharing memories. On the Shabbat closest to the yahrzeit, one can also attend Friday evening services to hear the deceased’s name shared aloud. To hear the name of a loved one read during Shabbat services or to establish a perpetual memorial, contact Stacy Jespersen at 314-692-5302 or by email..

Perpetual Memorials

One way of honoring our loved ones is by establishing a perpetual memorial. At Congregation Shaare Emeth, we have a Memorial Room where plaques with the names of beloved family and friends are displayed. Establishing a Perpetual Memorial means that a plaque will be engraved with your loved one’s name and you will receive a notification prior to their yahrzeit, or anniversary of death. Establishing a Perpetual Memorial also means that the name of your loved one will automatically be read during the Shabbat service closest to their yahrzeit. If you cannot attend services to hear the name of your loved one and recite the Mourner’s Kaddish, please consider joining us virtually. Our services are broadcast through a live stream on our website.

For clarification on when a name will be read, or for information about establishing a perpetual memorial, please contact Stacy Jespersen at 314-692-5302 or by email.

Yizkor

Yizkor comes from the Hebrew word zakhor, which means to remember. Four times each year (Yom Kippur, Simchat Torah, Passover, and Shavuot), it is traditional to participate in a Yizkor service, or memorial service, at the synagogue to honor those who have died in years past.

Days and times of all of our Yizkor services are shared in our quarterly Bulletin, through our weekly Shaare Mail, and on this page of our website.

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.