Rabbi Howard and Susan Kaplansky will receive the American Jewish Committee’s Netzach Award on May 25. at the Four Seasons Hotel, 999 N. Second St., in downtown St. Louis. AJC St. Louis is honoring the Kaplanskys for their exemplary commitment to Jewish peoplehood, social justice and tikkun olam. Howard Kaplansky is rabbi emeritus at United Hebrew Congregation.  

Bob Kaiser, a partner at the Armstrong Teasdale law firm, has been honored by St. Louis Small Business Monthly as one of the “Top 100 St. Louisans to Know to Succeed in Business.” The award recognizes outstanding leaders in the local business community. Kaiser was honored at a luncheon and networking event in April. He is a member of Nusach Hari B’nai Zion.

Gail Appleson, a member of Kol Rinah, joined the Barnes Jewish Hospital Foundation as senior writer. 

Appleson, Gary Sarachan and Charles Weiss are among the founding members of the newly formed nonprofit Missouri Coalition for the Rights to Counsel. It serves as a vehicle through which law firms can volunteer their staff to handle cases for the Missouri Public Defender System. Appleson was named secretary/treasurer; Sarachan, shareholder and general counsel of Capes, Sokol, Goodman & Sarachan PC, was named vice chair; and Weiss, partner at Bryan Cave LLP, was added to the board. 

Dr. Gary A. Ratkin and Dr. Paul S. Simons were honored at the 50th reunion of their class at the Washington University School of Medicine. Ratkin, a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth, received the Alumni Achievement Award; Simons received the award for Distinguished Service. 

Barry Greenberg is the first Jewish mayor elected in Maplewood. Greenberg, who represented Ward 3 on the City Council for 14 years, is the founder and president of Architectural Design Guild, an architecture and engineering firm located in Maplewood. 

Robert Litz, president of United States Arbitration & Mediation, has been selected for membership in the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. Membership consists of mediators and arbitrators distinguished by their hands-on experience in the field of civil and commercial conflict resolution. Litz attends Congregation Temple Israel.

Burfield Kantor Group, consisting of Realtors Thomas Craig Burfield and Lynnsie Balk Kantor, has become part of the Luxury Division of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate. In 2016, the team ranked in the top 2 percent of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices agents nationwide, earning the Chairman’s Circle Gold award. Kantor is a member of Congregation B’nai Amoona. 

Yvette Drury Dubinsky has received a Distinguished Alumni Award in Art from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University. Dubinsky has had more than 22 solo exhibitions and numerous group show across the United States, Europe and India.

Marlita Weiss was recently named a life member of the Piano Teachers Roundtable of St. Louis. A piano teacher for 42 years, her students won 16 honors at the Missouri Music Teachers State Competition in Springfield this academic year. These included three first place awards, two second place awards and honorable mentions. She is a 45-year member of the Music-Worship Committee at Temple Israel. 

Maxine Clark was recently inducted into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame. This honor was bestowed upon those who use their skills and abilities to effect positive change on people from around the world. They exemplify the characteristics of ethical leadership, community engagement and cultural competence. 

St. Louis native Sara Brodsky graduated first in her class of 80 students from the Bradley University School of Nursing. In a recent spring induction ceremony, she was presented with the June Snow Award, which is named after the founding chairperson of the Bradley University Department of Nursing. Brodsky will continue her career at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis on the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) starting in July. She is the daughter of Andrea and Randy Brodsky, who attend Congregation Shaare Emeth.   

Former St. Louisan Jack J. Schramm was honored with a 2017 Washington University School of Law Distinguished Law Alumni Award for career distinction. A member of the class of 1959, he has worked in politics and public policy development, with a 50-year career in governance at state, federal and international levels. Schramm lives in Alexandria, Va.

Ladue Horton Watkins High School senior Teddy Vincent has won the seventh annual Mr. Laude contest. This year, 35 young men competed in games, talent roulette and a dance-off. Teddy, also known as Mr. Soccer, selected the talent of demonstrating a makeup tutorial. More than $8,000 was raised through ticket sales and will go directly to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis. Teddy is the son of Keri and Patrick Vincent and will attend the University of Georgia as a Ramsey scholar with plans to study physics or another STEM field. His family attends Temple Israel.

Fourth-graders Bella Hylan, Jordyn Green and Allie Schenberg from the NiMoli Studio won first place in the Midwest Starz Dance Competition, Hip-Hop preteen division. Bella and Allie attend Green Trails Elementary School and are the daughters of Kelly and Jason Hylan and Tami and David Schenberg. Jordyn, a student at Mirowitz Community Day School, is the daughter of Liane Levy and Michael Green.

Thompson Coburn health care partner Evan Goldfarb has been named a Women’s Justice Award winner by Missouri Lawyers Media. She will be honored in the Business Practitioner category, which recognizes female business practitioners who fulfill the ideals of leadership, professionalism and a passion for improving the quality of the justice system or contributing to the betterment of the legal profession. Goldfarb is a member of B’nai Amoona. 

State Sen. Jill Schupp received the Legislator of the Year award from the St. Louis Crisis Nursery at its Razzle Dazzle Ball. She is a longtime member of the nursery’s advisory board and Congregation Shaare Emeth.

St. Louis-based Gershman Mortgage, founded by the late Solon Gershman, has moved their headquarters from 7 N. Bemiston in Clayton to Chesterfield. Their new address is 16253 Swingley Ridge Road, Suite 400, Chesterfield, Mo., 63017. The company will close its existing Chesterfield location at 187 Hilltown Village Center and will maintain a Clayton presence with an office at 7801 Forsyth Blvd.