Welcome (back) To St. Louis

Over the past two weeks, graduate students at St. Louis' institutions of higher learning have been moving in and getting situated. Many of them start classes this week. So now that you are here... or back for another year in St. Louis, you probably want to know what's happening.

A quick overview of St. Louis: For those of you from the East Coast, it is a real city, beyond the barriers of campus. There are a number of great areas in which to spend your time and money, and getting to know all of them can take some time.

We recommend South Grand, Tower Grove, Soulard, Lafayette Square, Benton Park, and the Central West End for urban destinations.

For those of you from smaller communities, St. Louis is unique in that it maintains a small-town city feel. People are friendly, helpful, and generally not totally self-absorbed. If someone invites you over for Shabbat, they are serious about the offer.

Nearly any activity that you are looking to get involved with, you will be able to find and there are a host of organizations in and outside of the Jewish community that can help you connect with those activities.

St. Louis isn't the largest Jewish community in the world, but it does have some incredibly Jewish neighborhoods. If you aren't from the area, it can seem like a daunting task to meet people who share your interests and level of observance (or lack thereof).

To connect with other grad students and young professionals, check out the Young Professionals Division of the Federation, Gesher City, JGrads, and Moishe House. Once the Next Dor house opens up, that should also be a fantastic resource to meet other people who share your interests.

To learn more about Israel Advocacy, hit up the St. Louis Israel Connection (SLIC)

For a community directory, listing congregations and basically anything else, check out jewishinstlouis.org

You can also send questions to thestloujew @ gmail.com

Welcome to St. Louis. Let us know how we can help make your transition easier.