Congregation
Shaare Emeth

11645 Ladue Road (at Ballas)
Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141
www.shaare-emeth.org

Shaare Emeth, meaning “Gates of Truth,” was the first Reform Jewish foundation west of the Mississippi, in contrast to older Reform congregations United Hebrew and B’nai El, which were originally orthodox. This is the congregation’s fourth building, each reflecting a popular style of its period. The 1867 building at 17th and Pine by Thomas Brady was Moorish Revival. The 1897 building at Lindell and Vandeventer by Link, Rosenheim & Ittner was Romanesque Revival, and the 1931 building at Delmar and Trinity by Alfred S. Alschuler was a restrained Art Deco. The move to Creve Coeur was gradual. The congregation purchased the 21-acre site in 1967, voted to move in 1971, dedicated the religious school and office in 1974, and opened the present sanctuary and chapel in 1980, two years after the University City building was sold. This complex was designed by Murphy, Downey, Wofford and Richman. This was the later firm of Joseph Murphy, who had earlier designed St. Peter’s in Kirkwood, but in this case Ted Wofford was the primary designer.

In spite of its size, the complex presents a modest face to the community, screened by trees and united by its consistent brown brick and pink mortar (used even for the two sign pylons), plus a repeated pattern of vertical bricks over doors and windows. The south-facing two-level glass lobby of the sanctuary wing is now superseded by the north sanctuary entry and the grander lobby of the education wing. That airy space was remodeled by Christner & Associates in 2003. Glass doors open into the central courtyard, which is equipped with its own bema or platform for outdoor services. The courtyard is dominated by the large stainless steel sculpture, “Tri-Yud” by Saunders Schultz, just one of many historic and contemporary works of art that can be seen in every part of the building. Another notable sculpture just outside the entrance is “Possibilities” by Brother Mel Meyer.

In the main sanctuary, named for Rabbi Emeritus Jeffrey Stiffman, the two candelabra are by Heikki Seppa, that to the right shaped like two ram’s horns, while to the left is a seven-branched menorah. The shape of the room itself can be seen as a menorah, with three windows on each side of the bema, which marks the highest point of the soaring roof. The glass window screens are the first public installation by Dale Chihuly, the Seattle-based glass artist who is now internationally known. They represent the pillars of cloud and of fire that guided the Israelites through the wilderness. Chihuly also blew the glass for the “Ner Tanid” (eternal light) above the ark. The metalwork around the glass was fabricated by Heikki Seppa and represents the double helix of DNA, a recent addition to God’s continuing revelation. Fabric artist Muriel Nezhnie Helfman created the torah covers and the bema panel in the adjacent Ida Pasternak Chapel. Both the chapel and the auditorium can be opened to the sanctuary for a combined seating capacity of 2,000. The Wickes organ was moved here from the University City building.


Notes by Esley Hamilton and Philip Barnes