Newsmakers: August 2020
Published August 13, 2020
Rabbi Carnie Rose of Congregation B’nai Amoona has been selected to serve as a member of the Clergy Cohort for Hadar’s Jewish Wisdom Fellowship. Larissa Klebe and Tony Westbrook Jr. are two of this year’s 24 fellows. Klebe is the director of Nishmah, the St. Louis Jewish Women’s Project, a program of the Jewish Community Center. Westbrook serves as assistant director of Hillel at Washington University. Designed for Jewish clergy and professionals, this two-month fellowship aims to empower “thoughtful, passionate and engaged Jewish professionals to embark on a learning and thought development project dedicated to wrestling with the questions currently confronting the Jewish community and the world,” according to Hadar’s website. This year, the fellowship is taking place virtually.
Webster University psychology professor Linda Woolf has been awarded the Charles L. Brewer Award for Distinguished Teaching of Psychology by the American Psychological Association/American Psychological Foundation (APA). Only one professor of psychology in the United States is selected for the award annually. In addition, Woolf was elected by her peers to serve as president of APA Division 2: The Society for the Teaching of Psychology. Woolf is a member of Shaare Emeth.
Former St. Louisan Hannah Kaiser Mirowitz graduated from Designlab UX Academy and is a user experience (UX) designer at Voiceitt, a speech recognition startup in Israel that developed automatic speech recognition technology that translates nonstandard speech patterns into clear speech in real time. Formerly a special educator, Mirowitz designed a website for a local nonprofit, allowing for easy class sign-up in order to increase patron support for its unique mission.
After a four-year hiatus, Michael Uthoff hasreturned to Dance St. Louis. As the newly appointed artistic director, he will manage Dance St. Louis’ artistic endeavors and programming, education residence and community engagement, and co-curate forthcoming seasons.
Mark Diamond joined Lawyers Realty Co. as an agent specializing in restaurant and hospitality brokerage and consulting. Lawyers Realty is a local real estate brokerage, consulting, development and property management company.
Ronit Sherwin, formerly executive director of Nishmah in St. Louis, is one of nine campus support directors at Hillel International. Campus support directors work with Hillels to support them in achieving their goals, solving problems and supporting positive changes. The University of Missouri-Columbia will be one of the Hillel campuses in her portfolio. Sherwin lives in Canton, Ohio.
Bella Fisher, former St. Louisan and daughter of Joy and Simon Fisher, has been honored as Teacher of the Year at the Rafi Schwartz Religious School at Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City. She is headed to the University of Ottawa this fall as a freshman. The award recognizes Fisher’s quick action to move religious school classes online. She took on multiple additional classes, teaching online via Zoom and helping create and maintain an interactive religious school website. She also helped train teaching staff to utilize online teaching platforms.
Julie Schack, former sales director of the St. Louis Jewish Light, has joined the Milwaukee Jewish Federation as vice president of philanthropy. She will be responsible for overseeing its annual campaign, Women’s Philanthropy, and other affinity groups. Schack was most recently at Hillel Milwaukee, where she served as executive director.
Erin Schreiber is president of the JProStl board for a two-year term (2020-2022). She is a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth. JProStl is an association dedicated to supporting professionals working at Jewish organizations in St. Louis. Schreiber is director of Hillel at Maryville University.
The following teens have been elected president of their respective Jewish youth groups.
• Merav Portman will lead Kol Rinah’s USY (KRYSTL). Merav is the daughter of Molly and Alan Portman and is entering her sophomore year at University City High School.
• Alyssa Smith will lead B’nai Amoona USY (BAUSY). Alyssa is the daughter of Jennifer and Matt Smith and will be a junior at Parkway Central High School this fall.
• Katie Silver will lead Shaare Emeth’s NFTY group (SETYG). She is the daughter of Laura and Michael Silver and is entering her junior year at Ladue Horton Watkins High School.
• Abby Wallach and Carson Bush are the new leaders of BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization) in St. Louis. Abby, who was named BBYO’s Council N’siah, is the daughter of Cindy and John Wallach. She will be a senior at Clayton High School and is a member of Central Reform Congregation. Carson, who was named BBYO’s Council Gadol, is the son of Jennifer and Gregory Busch and will be a junior at Marquette High School. He is a member of Shaare Emeth.
• The USY EMTZA region, which covers the Midwest and includes chapters in 11 states, recently elected new officers. David Smith, son of Jennifer and Matt Smith, was elected social action/tikkun olam vice president. He will be a junior at Parkway Central High School. Ellior Rose, daughter of Rabbi Carnie and Paulie Rose, became religious education vice president. Halle Wasserman, daughter of Renee and Rob Wasserman, is the new membership/kadima vice president. Ellior and Halle will be juniors at Whitfield School. All are members of B’nai Amoona.
Newsmakers is a compilation of local Jews’ newsworthy professional and academic accomplishments. Submit your news to Elise Krug: [email protected]. Call 314-743-3671 for more information. Published the first edition of each month.
