Shabbat Shalom and Shalom u’veracha, – Peace and blessings to all of you.
As I end my second week as the new President & CEO of our Federation it is with great joy that I send you my first Shabbat message. I have arrived to St. Louis and the Federation with a deep sense of humility and responsibility as we embark together on this important next chapter for our community.
There are many ways I could begin this introduction. I could tell you about my youth, my beautiful family, or how I started on my Federation journey with my first gift to the Jewish Federation of Omaha at the age of 16. Instead, I begin with a single word from our tradition—Hineni.
“Hineni”—Here I am. This was the response of our ancestors—Abraham, Moses, and others—when called upon for a sacred mission. It is a word that signifies presence, readiness, and a commitment to serve. This Shabbat I say “Hineni”—I am here, fully present and dedicated to our shared commitment to our Jewish community.
Our Federation has long been a pillar of strength, tzedakah, and leadership, ensuring that Jewish life in St. Louis, in Israel, and across the world remains strong and vibrant. We are builders—of community, of connection, of the future. The foundation has been laid by those who came before us and it is now our time to strengthen and expand upon their vision.
Pirkei Avot teaches us: Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, “All of Israel is responsible for one another.” This responsibility is what drives our work. Together, we will uplift those in need, empower the next generation, and ensure that our Jewish community remains a beacon of hope, resilience, and unity.
This past week, I met many of you at the unveiling of our 2024 Greater St. Louis Jewish Community Study, conducted in partnership with the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University and NORC at the University of Chicago. This is an important investment in the future of our community, helping the Federation and all our partners and religious organizations better identify opportunities to reach, engage, and serve Jews throughout our region. I encourage you to review the study results here. If there is something you would like to explore in-depth, please reach out to me and we can share a cup of coffee and discuss it together.
In the coming weeks and months, you will hear about new initiatives arising from the Federation to strengthen our already deep commitment to Israel as well as the formation of new programming, partnerships, and enhanced public affairs capabilities to help educate and eradicate the ever-present problem of antisemitism.
Before I close, I want to extend an invitation to our Evening of Impact at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum on Wednesday, April 2 at 6:30. There is still time to register here. Together, we will celebrate the growth of last year’s annual campaign, the impact your dollars have on our local and international community partners, and learn more about the implementation of our strategic plan. And, most exciting for me, I finally get to meet many of you in person. I am eager to listen, to learn, and to lead alongside each of you.
Wishing each of you a restful Shabbat and a week of peace. B’yachad natzliach—together, we will succeed.
B’Shalom,
Danny
Danny Cohn
President & CEO
Jewish Federation of St. Louis