Congregation B'nai Amoona

Congregation B'nai Amoona is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue located at 324 South Mason Road Road in St. Louis, Missouri.
Sometime in 1882 a few members of Sheerith Israel, St. Louis' largest Orthodox congregation, left to form a new congregation which, by 1884 was worshiping under the guidance of Rabbi Arron Levy. In January 1885 Rabbi Levy was succeeded by 26 year old Rabbi Adolph Rosentreter newly arrived from Berlin. The first public notice of the new congregation appeared in the St. Louis Post Dispatch on August 15, 1884 as follows:
A concert for the benefit of the Rev. Aaron Levy, the Jewish rabbi whose congregation seceded recently from Sheerith Israel Church, will be given at Druid's Hall, August 17. The congregation now worships regularly at Pohlman’s Hall Broadway and Franklin Avenue, under the name B’nei Emounoh which means "Sons of Faith".History - Congregational Heritage
Since those days B’nai Amoona has evolved from a small Orthodox congregation of primarily German speaking members into one of the most prominent, conservative congregations in the United States.
Led by Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose, the synagogue is associated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
==Congregational History==
===1882 - Breaking Off===
1882 - 1888 Rented Halls
1885 - 1913 Rabbi Adolph Rosentreter
1888 - 1906 13th & Carr
1893 - B'nai Amoona Cemetery Established
===Garrison & Lucas===
1903 - 1911 Hazzan Friedman
1906 - 1919 Garrison and Lucas
===Vernon and Academy & Rabbi Halpern===
1917 - 1962 Rabbi Halpern
1919 - 1914 Academy and Vernon
1920 - 1960 Hazzan Gowseiow
1930 Men's Club Founded
1945 - 1949 Washington Avenue converted office space
===Washington and Trinity===
1948 State of Israel Founded
1949 - 1985 Washington and Trinity
1949 USY Founded
===Rabbi Lipnick===
1951 - Present Rabbi Bernard Lipnick (Emeritus)
1969 - Present Hazzen Leon Lissek (Emeritus)
===Mason Road===
1986 Mason Road
1991 - 2003 Rabbi Eric Cytryn
1998 - 2003 Cantor Robert Lieberman
2003 - Present Cantorial Designate Sharon Nathenson
2005 - Present Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose
==B'nai Amoona Today==
Today, Congregaton B’nai Amoona is a fully egalitarian Conservative Synagogue where spiritual experiences, educational opportunities and warm fellowship are the lifeblood of this Congregation.
Synagogue life features a Minyannaires program which guarantees Minyan twice daily, in the morning and evening. Shabbat Services are especially welcoming as there are at least three services to choose from, each week: The Family Service geared toward families and children up to 2nd grade; Junior Congregation for 3rd – 6th graders; the Learner's Service as well as the Traditional Shabbat Morning Service in the Sanctuary.
Children in Kindergarten through 12th grade attend the B’nai Amoona Religious School which combines Hebrew and religious studies in an integrated program which meets twice weekly. The Early Childhood Center offers programs for infants through pre-kindergarten. The Al Fleishman Day Camps, B’nai Ami and Ramot Amoona, are modeled after Camp Ramah and keep children in preschool through 6th grade busy all summer with a nurturing innovative Jewish learning experience. The B’nai Amoona United Synagogue Youth (BAUSY) is a regionally award-winning chapter offering programs for children beginning in the 3rd grade all the way up to 12th grade. B’nai Amoona and Solomon Schechter Day School share a special relationship as they are housed on the same campus.
Adult Education is conducted with classes on Wednesday evening, Sunday and Wednesday mornings. Topics change often availing the program to a wide variety of interests. There are also scholar-in-residence programs which are popular and informative.
Auxiliary groups are active at B’nai Amoona. Sisterhood and Men's Club have programs throughout the year. The Chavurah program (friendship groups) cater to various interests and age groups. The Award Winning Social Action committee is constantly engaged in Tikkun Olam or "healing the world" bringing everyone together to help those in need.
B’nai Amoona is a Kosher institution and employs its own Masgichah to supervise Kashrut. In addition, B’nai Amoona is the only Conservative Synagogue in St. Louis that maintains its own cemetery, located in University City.
B’nai Amoona serves approximately 800 families serving Jews by birth and by choice as well as Interfaith couples.
==Services==
The congregation maintains daily services including Minyan everyday of the week supported by a group known as the "Minyanaires" who ensure that there is always a quorum of 10 people to hold the services. The current services include:
Morning Minyan
* 7:00 a.m. Monday - Friday
* 9:00 a.m. Sunday and Secular Holidays
* 9:00 a.m. Shabbat Service
* 9:30 a.m. Childcare
Evening Minyan
* 6:15 p.m. Sunday through Thursday
* 6:00 p.m. Friday
Office Hours
* Monday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
* Tuesday - Thursdsay: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm
* Friday: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
* Sunday: 9:00 am - Noon, when Religious School is in session
==Programs==
===Education===
The congregation has recently redesigned its educational programs to better meet the needs of the congregant families as well as to meet the educational required by the Conservative movement. Entitled "Pardes", The Meyer Kranzberg Center for Jewish Living and learning seeks to aspires to teach the congregation's children what they need to know, both in terms of Judaics as well as Hebrew, to become educated, knowledgeable and engaged adult Jews. Pardes starts in Kindergarten and continues through twelfth grade, and encompasses formal, informal and family education. The school aims to not only educate children but to inspire them, as well as their parents, to embrace the strong Jewish tradition they are a part of. 
===Youth Programs===
====USY====
The synagogue youth program is a vibrant program for the congregational youth beginning in grades 5-6 with Atid Amoona; Kadima (grades 7 and 8) and BAUSY for grades 9 through 12. The program is encourages activity in United Synagogue Youth (USY) on the Chapter, Regional and International levels; Membership in several local clubs and conducts weekly meetings for all the programs. BAUSY also actively conducts Shabbat Dinners, Saturday night programs and sleepovers all to encourage congregational youth to not only continue their connection to B'nai Amoona but to grow as Jewish leaders of the future.
For its efforts, B'nai Amoona USY was voted the EMTZA Region Chapter of the Year for 2009 - 2010.BAUSY
====Youth Camps====
===Men's Club===
===Women's Club===
==Notes==
==References==
* 
* 
* Congregation B'nai Amoona Golden Jubilee (1882-5642, 1932-5692) Commemorating the Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of our congregation
* The Souvenir book for the Sixtieth Anniversary of B'nai Amoona; 1882-1942
* The Modern View-25th Anniversary - 1900-1925 (A weekly newspaper chronicling Jewish life in St. Louis)
* Olitzky, Kerry M.; Raphael, Marc Lee. The American Synagogue: A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook, Greenwood Press, June 30, 1996, pp. 196-198.
==External links==
Category:Buildings and structures in St. Louis, Missouri
Category:Religion in St. Louis, Missouri
Category:Religious organizations established in 1882
Category:Synagogues in Missouri
Category:Conservative synagogues in the United States