Missouri governor cancels trip to Israel over coronavirus concerns

Gov. Mike Parson (right) and Andrew Rehfeld, former president and CEO of Jewish Federation of St. Louis (The St. Louis Jewish Light)

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has canceled a scheduled trip to Israel as a precaution because of the global spread of the coronavirus.

The Republican governor had been scheduled to travel Friday to Israel and other countries in the Middle East as part of a trade mission, the governor’s office said.

Donn Rubin, president and CEO of BioSTL, a nonprofit that has spurred Israeli startups to open offices in St. Louis, was scheduled to travel with Parson and introduce him to Israeli companies that are doing business in St. Louis, according to the organization. 

By Eric Berger /  The St. Louis Jewish Light