Why Choose St. Louis?
St. Louis boasts a strong Jewish community of approximately 60,000 people, and it offers an active and rich Jewish life in a warm, and child-friendly environment with numerous cultural, recreational, educational and employment opportunities, all in a low-cost, affordable, easy-to-live-in city.
Job opportunities are plentiful in many industries – from Fortune 500 companies and tech startups to everything in between. St. Louis is a hub for the financial service industry, is home to world famous hospitals and medical schools, and has growing biotechnology and geospatial technology districts. The low cost of living, affordable housing, low taxes and short commute times mean more time for family and personal growth. From the heart of the Jewish neighborhoods, it is 10 minutes to the airport and 15 minutes to most centers of employment. After work, It is easy to make it home for dinner or to shul for minyan.
The Orthodox community is well-established, with seven congregations, and religious amenities such as an eruv, mikvaot, and kosher restaurants. The shuls offer a variety of style and character, as well as a range of activities. Nusach Hari B’nai Zion offers:
- a modern orthodox congregation that welcomes Jews at all levels of observance
- varied programming for its diverse membership, including an active Sisterhood
- a residential setting that allows for easy and safe access from nearby homes in a neighborhood with a mix of housing styles that caters to both singles and families of diverse economic capabilities, ages and personal situations
- an excellent public school district for those who do not opt for a Jewish Day School
- a central location, providing easy access to work, school, shopping, parks and entertainment
The state of Missouri has a school choice program that provides funds that can be used for private school tuition (including religious schools), transportation to school, extra tutoring and other education-related expenses. The community is served by the following schools:
Torah Prep (2 years old through 8th grade) www.torahprep.com
Esther Miller Bais Yaakov (9th through 12th grades) – www.embystl.org
H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy (2 years old through 8th grade) – www.eha.org
Yeshivat Kadima High School – www.yeshivatkadimah.org
Missouri Torah Institute (High School and Bais Medrash) – www.missouritorah.org
Aish HaTorah, the five Chabad centers, and the Jewish Community Center all provide educational opportunities among their many services. The St. Louis Kollel and Torah MiZion Kollel provide advanced Jewish studies. The Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis provides kosher certification to retail stores, hotels, restaurants and community institutions, as well as manufacturing of both raw materials and finished goods. For details on St. Louis Jewish Community services, see these Vaad Hoeir directories: https://ovkosher.org/st-louis-community/ and https://ovkosher.org/community-services/
Anything you might want can be found in St. Louis. The city is blessed with a free Art Museum, Zoo, Science Center and History Museum all centrally located in Forest Park. The St. Louis area also boasts a Botanical Garden, Aquarium and Transportation Museum. Children especially love the City Museum, the Citygarden Sculpture Park, the Magic House, Circus Flora and two butterfly houses. St. Louis is proud of its world-renowned Fox Theater and outdoor Municipal Opera among other theaters that stage professional, local and national productions. The city has live Opera, a symphony orchestra, and an annual Shakespeare festival. St. Louis hosts Major League baseball, hockey and soccer teams. For more information, see https://explorestlouis.com/.
