MONTCLAIR, N.J. — When I was growing up in the 1960s in Skokie, Ill., reading was the main sport in my family. I’m pretty sure it was also the main sport in most families in my predominantly Jewish neighborhood: Neither my friends nor I ever heard...

In May, Dr. William A. Peck was presented with the William Greenleaf Eliot Society’s Search Award at the organization’s 45th annual dinner. Peck, a professor of medicine and director of the Center for Health Policy at Washington University, was honored...

Shirley Gelman, Congregation B’nai Amoona Shirley Gelman loves to dance. So what better way to share her love of dance then to invite her friends and family to her first Dancers Against Childhood Cancer Dance-a-Thon? Daughter of Mercedes and Miguel...

In the summer of 2009, Mia Brown experienced the first symptoms of what soon was diagnosed as Crohn’s disease, a chronic disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive or gastrointestinal tract. The incidence is highest in Caucasians and Ashkenazi...

Ben Novack wanted to honor the members of his family who have been affected by cancer.  Son of Debbie and Brian Novack of Westwood, Ben rode in Pedal the Cause, a fundraiser whose mission is to provide funding for cancer research and cancer discovery...

For her mitzvah project, Sari volunteered at SPENSA, Special Needs Soccer Association, a non-profit St Louis-based soccer program for young people who have mental or physical disabilities. Daughter of Ellie and Scott Cohen of Wildwood, Sari loves soccer...

Alex and his family have been involved with Friends of Kids with Cancer for the past nine years. His 10-year old sister, Blair, is a cancer survivor. So it was a no surprise when he chose to support this organization for his mitzvah project. Son of Karen...

Matthew, son of Jodi and Michael Kaplan of Creve Coeur, knows how fortunate he is just by eating a nourishing breakfast before school. Or by having a healthy snack prior to his sport practice and special food to celebrate a birthday or other happy occasion....

Maggie has a love for arts and crafts. The idea of using art to help children feel better was very important to her. “Even before my bat mitzvah, I knew I wanted to do something with art and kids,” she said.   Daughter of Julie and Neil Walkoff of...

Grant Fox loves the game of “sporting clays,” a form of clay pigeon shooting often described as “golf with a shotgun.” Son of Karen and Rick Fox of Wildwood, Grant held a sporting clays tournament to benefit Thank Israeli Soldiers (TIS), a non-profit...

As Rebecca said in her bat mitzvah speech, “Volunteering at Project Backpack is my way of giving back to the community and maybe making life a little more bearable for these unfortunate kids.”  Daughter of Bonnie and Steve Davis of Town & Country,...

When the 6 a.m. spin class she favored was cancelled, optometrist Maxine Mirowitz had to find another way to start her day. Reluctantly, she signed up for a yoga class. In a short time, she was teaching the class.  “I had never gone anywhere near yoga...