Jews in the News: February, 2016
Published February 3, 2016
Joe Elfanbaum, a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design, has been chosen as one of five finalists from schools across the country and the United Kingdom to attend the 52nd Annual CAS Awards where the recipient of the CAS Student Recognition Award will be presented with a $2,500 check. The Cinema Audio Society (CAS) award recognizes those students with exceptional and demonstrated passion for production or post-production sound mixing. Joe is the son of Holly and Steve Elfanbaum and attends Congregation B’nai Amoona.
J Associates announced the lineup of performers for its Lip Sync Live community event. It will take place on March 5 at The Pageant. The St. Louis Stars are: Andy Babitz, attorney with the Law Offices of Jay Umansky; Lisa Cohen, teacher at Temple Israel’s Deutsch Early Childhood Center; Jimmy Deutsch, president & CEO of Smith Moore; Fred Firestone, Principal of Ethical Selling Institute; Sheila Flom, community volunteer; Jeff Horowitz, enterprise territory manager, Honeywell; Linda Horwitz, private party planner; Gail and Keith Kitsis, co-owners of Crazy Bowls & Wraps; Julie Pepper, part-time teacher and private tutor; Billy Rubenstein, global account director, Crane Woldwide Logistics; and Sheri Sherman, community volunteer and trustee/committee chair of the Jewish Light.
Jeff Miller has joined Nusach Hari B’nai Zion as its new Synagogue Administrator. He joins NHBZ after many years of working in the Jewish community. Miller follows Sandie Abrams, who served as NHBZ’s administrator for more than 25 years.
Randy Aaranson recently moved his O’Fallon, Mo., podiatry practice to Deer Creek Footcare, 2917 Highway K. He also continues to practice at Orthopedic Associates in Des Peres. Aaranson attends Congregation Shaare Emeth.
Josh Packman joins his father, Michael Packman, as a financial advisor at CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. A recent graduate from the University of Missouri, Packman is a member of Congregation Temple Israel.
At Congregation Temple Israel’s 129th annual meeting last month, Debbie Schultz, Nancy Solomon and Derrick Bryant were recognized with The Pillar of the Temple Award. This award recognizes volunteers, staff and lay leaders who have gone above and beyond in their role and have exhibited profound leadership and dedication. Dr. David Weinstein, a past president, was given the P.A.C.E award for his longstanding history of serving the congregation in multiple leadership capacities. During the annual meeting, the congregation installed its newest slate of officers, headed by board president Dee Mogerman.
Attorney Joel Kunin has joined Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C. in Edwardsville as Of Counsel. A member of Congregation Shaare Emeth, he will focus on bankruptcy law, commercial law and debtor and creditor rights.
Dr. David H. Gutmann, the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor and Director of the Washington University Neurofibromatosis Center, was recently appointed to the Advisory Council for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.
Professional storyteller, writer and educator Diann Joy Bank published her newest book, “A Pot of Mitzvot – 18 Jewish Folktales.” This folk-tale collection focuses on the Torah commandments of mitzvot, performing good deeds, and can be purchased on Bank’s website, diannjoybank.net. Bank is a member of Traditional Congregation.
Leslie Yoffie is the new president of United Hebrew Congregation. She is an attorney in private practice in St. Charles.
A new exhibit at the St. Louis Artists’ Guild Gallery features artwork by Dr. Brett Prywitch, a radiologist who lives in Chesterfield. Prywitch uses X-rays, MRIs and CT scans as the basis of his artwork — he then digitally manipulates and colors the images. The exhibit, “Clearly Human II” runs through Feb. 27 at the St. Louis Artists’ Guild Gallery, located at the corner of Jackson Ave. and Forsyth Blvd. (in the old Famous-Barr building). Prywitch is a member of United Hebrew.
