Jewish Federation of St. Louis announced the recipients of the Fred A. Goldstein Award for Professional Leadership and David N. and Roselin Grosberg Young Leadership Awards. Both awards will be presented at Federation’s 2017 Annual Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 7 at The Magic House. 

Lynn Wittels, President and Chief Executive Officer at the Jewish Community Center, will receive the Fred A. Goldstein Award for Professional Leadership, which recognizes an outstanding professional working in a St. Louis Jewish organization. The award honors individuals who excel in their field, have a significant track record over time, have introduced important innovations, and are perceived as role models by other professionals and volunteers.

Wittels just celebrated her 10th anniversary in this role and is the first woman to hold this position in the agency’s 130+ year history. Under her leadership, the J has more than doubled its annual budget, transitioned to a healthy financial model and is considered one of the most successful Jewish Community Centers in the country. 

Wittels has been involved in the community for many years in a variety of capacities. As a volunteer she served on boards of the Federation, the  J and Congregation B’nai Amoona and was President of the Business & Professional Women’s Division of the Federation. She also served on the Ladue School District Budget Task Force and on the Planning Committee for the Ladue School District’s Education Foundation. 

A native of Cincinnati, Wittels was named one of the St. Louis Business Journal’s “Most Influential Business Women” in 2010 and received a “40 Under 40.” She is also a 2010 recipient of a “What’s Right with the Region” Award in recognition of her work in promoting stronger communities. 

 Emily Stein MacDonald and Ben Cherry will be presented with the David N. and Roselin Grosberg Young Leadership Award, which recognizes young adult volunteer leaders who demonstrate active leadership in the Jewish community. 

Stein MacDonald is a native St. Louisan and fifth generation funeral director. She joined her father – Richard W. Stein – at Berger Memorial Chapel in July 2009, after spending nearly 10 years in public relations, branding and communications strategy. 

Stein MacDonald is a current member of the Federation board and chair of the marketing committee, chair of the Rubin Israel Experience (after participating in 2013) and serves on the Annual Campaign Committee, Jews in Need Overseas Committee and the Cemetery Restoration and Security Allocations Committee. She also is a former board member of Women’s Philanthropy and served as co-chair for the CommUNITY: Making a World of Difference event in February 2017. 

Stein MacDonald also is a current general board member of J Associates and past member of the executive board, serving as vice president of allocations and parliamentarian. She also participated in the American Jewish Committee’s Young Leaders Initiative (2010-2011) and is a former committee member for the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival.

 Cherry has been actively engaged with Federation for close to 10 years.  His early involvement started with becoming involved in Federation’s Young Professional’s Division (YPD) through which he has held a variety of positions including campaign director and eventually lead the reigns as president of YPD for three years. 

His current involvement includes serving as an “at large” member on the Board of Trustees, member of the Federation Facilities Committee, Cemetery Restoration and Security Allocations Committee, a member of the Ben Gurion Society as well as the Federation Board Nominations Committee. Outside of Federation, Cherry is the president of Manor Real Estate and actively sells and leases commercial properties in the St. Louis region.

  To register for the annual meeting, visit JFedSTL.org/events/2017-annual-meeting.