To celebrate its 30th annual scholarship banquet, the Louis and Sarah Block Yeshiva High School will honor two of the school’s supporters and one longtime teacher on Sunday, March 23 at the Doubletree Hotel St. Louis at Westport.

The school will honor Drs. Stuart and Betty Ozar, both psychiatrists, who have been strong supporters over the years, according to Rabbi Gabriel Munk, Block Yeshiva’s head of school.

“They have been major supporters of the school, both financially, and in their passion for the school,” Rabbi Munk said. “They are a real leadership force.”

Stuart Ozar has served as Block Yeshiva’s president in the past, and was a key figure in the for Block Yeshiva’s new building.

“A large part of he impetus for the new building was due to his drive,” Munk said.

Four of the couple’s five children have attended Block Yeshiva High School (with three graduates and one child currently attending the school).

“They have been big supporters, big helpers, and big leaders,” Munk said.

In honor of the school’s 30th anniversary, Munk said they are also creating a new Faculty Hall of Fame. The school will honor their inaugural inductee, William Heyde III.

Heyde has taught English at the school for around 15 years, Munk said. Before coming to Block Yeshiva, Heyde taught for close to 40 years at Ladue High School. In addition, he has taught at the state’s summer gifted program and at Meramec Community College.

“He’s probably the most famous English teacher in the State of Missouri,” Munk said.

Munk said that at the dinner, the school’s current president, Alan Kandel, was a student of Heyde at Ladue High School. Now Kandel’s daughter is Heyde’s student at Block.

So, Kandel and his daughter will be introducing Heyde at the dinner.

“We’ll have the whole panorama of almost 50 years teaching in Missouri,” Munk said.

“He’s an incredible guy,” Munk said. “He’s one of the most positive defenders of kids I’ve ever met in my life. There’s never a kid that he doesn’t feel he can affect and help grow and develop.”

The Block Yeshiva dinner benefits the school’s scholarship fund. The school, which has 64 students, gives approximately $250,000. The annual scholarship dinner helps provide about half of that total, according to Munk. Around 40 percent of the school’s students receive financial aid.

This year’s dinner is chaired by Maurie and Dr. Richard Axelbaum and Myra and Andrew Peskin. For more information, or to help support the school, contact Block Yeshiva High School at 314-872-8701.