The Anti-Defamation League of Missouri/Southern Illinois has awarded local high school seniors Matt Frischer and Sam Kahn the 18th Annual Meyer and Marcelle Kranzberg Memorial Scholarship.  Each will receive a $2,000 college scholarship. Kahn attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School and will be going to Vanderbilt University in the fall.  Frischer attended Parkway Central and will be going to Indiana University.

Finalists Michelle Bennett, Janine Norman and Alyson Yawitz will receive a $100 book stipend.

The selection process is interactive and highlights current events on the ADL regional agenda; nominees were asked to reflect on issues including when allegedly anti-Semitic graffiti is not a hate crime, how to respond to an anti-Zionist faculty member teaching a course called “Perspectives on Zionism,” and how to answer questions posed about “what happened in Ferguson” to new campus friends.

“All our participants were remarkably thoughtful, showed significant leadership skills and will not hesitate to respond when issues of anti-Semitism, bias or bigotry require an ADL response,” said Adinah Raskas, chair of the selection committee. “They have the confidence and understand the value of connecting with allies to do the work.  We were very impressed.” 

Ken Kranzberg, a member of ADL’s National Executive Committee and former chair of the ADL’s regional advisory board established the scholarship in his parents’ memory. Members of the committee include Dr. Marc Bernstein, Rhiannon Kaye, Rhoda Kahn Nussbaum, Michele Kopolow, Constance Levy and Mary Ann Srenco.