Building Belonging Campaign
MaTovu is excited to announce the public phase of our $750,000 Building Belonging campaign to purchase our building, expand our staff, and establish a permanent, sustainable home for our growing community! The campaign marks a major milestone in MaTovu’s evolution from a grassroots, volunteer-led initiative into a thriving, community-powered organization. Early supporters have already pledged 90% toward our campaign’s goal–an incredible investment in sustainable Jewish life in the City of St. Louis. We are grateful for their commitment and invite you to join them as we continue building belonging together!
This campaign will allow us to:
Purchase our building, the original South Side Hebrew Congregation, ensuring a permanent and stable home for MaTovu’s community
Expand staff capacity to increase high-quality programming and support volunteer leadership
Strengthen long-term sustainability, positioning MaTovu for continued growth and increased impact
Since its founding in 2018, MaTovu’s mission has been to create an inclusive Jewish space in St. Louis City that fosters connection and enriches our community’s spiritual, cultural, and social life. Just in 2025 alone, more than 1,400 participants engaged in 61 MaTovu programs and events. Our cooperative leadership structure continues to grow, with 35 Builders actively shaping our programming and operations, and a diverse network of strong community partners keeps our work deeply rooted in St. Louis City.
“Entering the public phase of our capital campaign is a major milestone and an invitation for everyone who cares about building grassroots Jewish community to contribute,” said Nava Kantor, board member at MaTovu. “We’ve seen what’s possible when community leads—this next chapter allows us to deepen our impact and continue to build a sustainable future for our inclusive Jewish space rooted in South City.”
MaTovu is impacting the St. Louis community by…
Creating grassroots, accessible Jewish programming: Through its community-driven model, innovative offerings, progressive values, and low barriers to entry, MaTovu engages many people who might not otherwise connect with Jewish institutions.
Increasing Jewish connection in the City: With 22% of the region’s Jewish population (about 10,000 people) living in St. Louis City–but few institutions located there–MaTovu is helping to provide critical, place-based access to Jewish life.
Engaging young Jewish adults: As City-based Jews skew younger and more diverse–and often seek inclusive, relevant experiences outside traditional institutions–MaTovu is uniquely positioned to meet this growing need.
Building relationships across communities: By welcoming many non-Jewish participants, MaTovu fosters connections rooted in curiosity and mutual understanding, strengthening partnerships across cultures and faiths.
Join us Sunday, April 26, 4:00 - 6:00 PM at MaTovu as we kick off the public phase of our campaign! Enjoy live music, drinks, and sweet treats as we celebrate this exciting turning point together. The party is just the beginning—throughout the spring, we’ll continue rolling out community events and opportunities for supporters to get to know MaTovu and contribute at every level. Please be on the lookout for updates!
Hope you can join April 26 to celebrate this milestone with us!
Please email us at hello@matovustl.org with any questions about donating, the campaign, MaTovu, or anything else.
We hope you’ll join us in MaTovu’s Building Belonging campaign to secure a permanent home of Jewish life in St. Louis City!