The Jewish Federation of St. Louis will have a new leader this September when attorney Sheila Greenbaum becomes the organization’s 37th president replacing current president Heschel Raskas.

Greenbaum was nominated unanimously by the Nominating and Board Development Committee and will officially be elected and installed on Sept. 5 at the Federation’s annual meeting held at the Jewish Federation Kopolow Building.

Greenbaum was unavailable for comment about the announcement.

Heschel Raskas, current board president of the St. Louis Jewish Federation, said he has complete respect for the committee’s decision.

“I can tell you Sheila was the unanimous choice of the nomination committee and they enthusiastically recommended for her to be the next leader with a high degree of confidence,” Raskas said.

“She has extensive leadership roles in all aspects of the Federation,” he added.

Among her roles at the Federation was the former vice president of the Campaign and Planning & Allocations. Greenbaum was also recently elected on to the national board of United Jewish Communities, which is the parent organization of North American Jewish Federations.

Greenbaum was also instrumental in developing the Strategic Plan, which includes recent changes to the Federation’s governance model.

“One of those changes was the calendar cycle for governance,” Raskas said. “The president is elected for a two-year term, so she will become president early in September instead of late May,” he said.

Greenbaum will be the first Federation president nominated under the new structure.

Besides the new governance arrangement, Greenbaum changed “how we do business to make it more inviting, more efficient and more effective. She’s really earned this position,” said Harvey Harris, chair of the Nominating and Board Development Committee and past Federation president.

Raskas said Greenbaum’s knowledge of the support for the Jewish community and its agencies makes her an important role model.

Harris said he looked forward to her leadership. “It’s an exciting time,” he said. As for future plans for the Federation, he said, “I think we’ll see more outreach in terms of the community, younger leadership and more gender equality.”

Greenbaum is the director of the Clayton law firm Capes, Sokol, Goodman and Sarachan P.C. She is married to Dr. Gary Wasserman and has one daughter, Rubyn, all of whom are members of the Central Reform Congregation.

Greenbaum has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Case Western Reserve University and a Juris Doctor with distinction from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.vice president for the Campaign and Planning and Allocations. Greenbaum was also recently elected on to the national board of United Jewish Communities, which is the parent organization of North American Jewish Federations.

Greenbaum was also instrumental in developing the Strategic Plan, which includes recent changes to the Federation’s governance model.

“One of those changes was the calendar cycle for governance,” Raskas said. “The president is elected for a two-year term, so she will become president early in September instead of late May,” he said.

Greenbaum will be the first Federation president nominated under the new structure.

Besides the new governance arrangement, Greenbaum changed “how we do business to make it more inviting, more efficient and more effective. She’s really earned this position,” said Harvey Harris, chair of the Nominating and Board Development Committee and past Federation president.

Raskas said Greenbaum’s knowledge of the support for the Jewish community and its agencies makes her an important role model.

Harris said he looked forward to her leadership. “It’s an exciting time,” he said. As for future plans for the Federation, he said, “I think we’ll see more outreach in terms of the community, younger leadership and more gender equality.”

Greenbaum is the director of the Clayton law firm Capes, Sokol, Goodman and Sarachan P.C. She is married to Dr. Gary Wasserman and they have one daughter, Rubyn, all of whom are members of the Central Reform Congregation.

Greenbaum has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Case Western Reserve University and a Juris Doctor degree with distinction from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.