Five local Jewish organizations are joining with a coalition of more than 60 North American Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and corporations to launch Shine A Light, an effort that works to illuminate the dangers of antisemitism through education, community partnerships, workplace engagement and advocacy.

Co-sponsors of the effort locally are:

Jewish Federation of St. Louis | Jewish Community Relations Council |Anti-Defamation League’s Heartland chapter | American Jewish Committee-St. Louis chapter | National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis

The groups are asking community members to join in the campaign by posting pictures of themselves with a candle or flashlight on their social media during Hanukkah, Nov. 28 to Dec. 6, and using the hashtag #ShineALight.

Jewish Federation of St. Louis, as well as several Jewish and interfaith organizations, reacted with promises to combat hate and antisemitism in the wake of the news that a St. Louis man threatened to blow up Central Reform Congregation. Rori Picker Neiss, executive director of the JCRC, said in an email that her organization had received many phone calls, emails, and texts Thursday from local interfaith and intergroup partners asking what they can do to support the St. Louis Jewish community. “It is heartening to see so much support amidst a scary time,” she said.

Critics of the Board of Aldermen’s ward redistricting process and its most prominent supporter, Aldermanic President Lewis Reed, squared off in separate news conferences at City Hall on Wednesday. JCRC was among the speakers calling for greater transparency in the redistricting process. Other speakers included representatives of the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis, Forward through Ferguson, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation, the Greater Fairfax Missionary Baptist Church, and the Hispanic Leaders Group of Greater St. Louis.