The Jewish Federation and Forest Park Forever Partner in Restoring the Jewish Tercentenary Memorial in Forest Park
On the northeast side of Forest Park stands the Jewish Tercentenary Memorial, a monument created in 1954 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the arrival of Jews in North America.
Created by Danish-born sculptor Carl C. Mose, head of the Sculpture Department at Washington University, the monument — a flagpole with a large stone-cast ocean wave set upon a raised terraced granite base — symbolizes the journey across the Atlantic Ocean where one of the 16 ships carrying Jews who were fleeing oppression was blown off course and robbed by pirates. The 23 survivors were rescued by a French ship and taken to New York (or New Amsterdam, as it was known to them at the time).
Before and Afters of the Jewish Memorial
“Commemorating the establishment of the first Jewish settlement in America at New Amsterdam in 1654,” reads the inscription on a plaque at the base of the monument. The stone base features Biblical quotations relating to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous “Four Freedoms”: freedom from tyranny; of religion; from fear and war; and from want. On the eastern section of the monument is a replica of the ship on which the first Jews immigrated to America in 1654.
The monument was formally dedicated to the people of St. Louis on Thanksgiving Day in 1956 and has served as an important reminder of the flight of Jews from persecution.
In 1989, the memorial underwent a $275,000 restoration after it had fallen into disrepair. Major benefactors such as Stanley and Lucy Lopata and Ted and Nancy Koplar made the work possible, which included adding fountains on the west side of the monument. The section of the Park surrounding the monument was renamed the Lopata Plaza to honor the Lopata’s contribution.
Over 30 years later, the memorial just underwent a second renovation with the collaborative support of the Jewish Federation, which is providing $90,000, and Forest Park Forever, which is providing $56,000 for the project. The renovation includes:
Power washing, patching and caulking the sculpture
Removing existing steps, replacing broken pieces and repairing new mortar with caulk
Replacing the lumber on the nearby benches
Installing new light bulbs that shine directly on the flag
Michael and Carol Staenberg, longtime civic champions and supporters of both the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and Forest Park Forever, shared their appreciation for seeing these recent renovations completed for the community. “We are so pleased that the Jewish Federation and Forest Park Forever have been able to partner on this new round of restorations of the Jewish Tercentenary Memorial. For more than half a century, this monument has been a meaningful part of the Forest Park experience for millions of visitors from around the world. With ongoing care, the memorial will continue serving as a striking reminder of Jewish settlements in America and St. Louis.”