On a sun-dappled evening last Thursday (Sept. 27), the Jewish Federation of St. Louis held its 117th Annual Meeting, celebrating the completion of major renovations to its building, which has been renamed the Kaplan Feldman Complex. 

More than 350 people attended the event, which featured remarks by community leaders and donors, an awards presentation, election of new members to the Federation board and a festive meal in the atrium of the building. But the real star of the night was the Kaplan Feldman Complex itself. The newly renovated building drew high praise from many attendees, who noted its “open and welcoming” design.

“It pulls you into such a nice, wide-open space that is beautiful,” said Shaare Emeth congregant Betty Kagan, who attended the meeting. “Before it felt like you were walking through a guarded gate — the entrance felt tight. Now, it’s so welcoming and attractive, with lots of natural light. It’s a place the whole community can be so proud of and use.”

The evening began with an outdoor ceremony that thanked key donors who were instrumental in making the remodeled building possible. The renovations cost $3.5 million and took roughly 18 months to complete. Andrew Rehfeld, president and CEO of Federation, took note of the dedication coinciding with the holiday of Sukkot.

“We are here tonight during these middle days of Sukkot to rededicate our community services building,” he said. “Sukkot commemorates that time when we lived away from our home. The sukkah was a shelter, a place of temporary refuge, literally, a house outside our home.”

A sukkah had been erected on the parking lot of the building, and provided a shady place to sit and eat. The rededication program took place on the space just outside the building’s main entrance; the annual meeting was held inside the new boardroom. 

“For 36 years, the Kopolow Building served as our community’s ‘house outside of its home,’ ” Rehfeld said before a mezuzah was placed on the right side of the door leading to the complex. Named in honor of Louis and Rose Kopolow, the Jewish Federation moved to the location in 1982. Today it also houses several Jewish organizations, including the Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center.

“The Kopolow Building was the place where we addressed our community’s most pressing needs,” Rehfeld added.

Explaining why Federation decided to renovate its building, he said, “Buildings don’t last forever. After almost four decades, the Kopolow Building was showing its age.”

He listed a number of reasons for the upgrades, including: 

• The elevator, which had served only two of the three levels, had started to leak hydraulic fluid.

• Second floor windows had become “porous.” 

• The bathroom and chair areas were not fully accessible. 

• The roof also needed a replacement and the mortar surrounding bricks on the building was crumbling.

• Building security needed improvement.

Rehfeld stressed that while the original design was innovative and evoked the Israeli Knesset, “over time, design standards changed and our technology lacked. We needed to create a more open and light-filled space for the community, a welcoming place for all.”

It appears the renovated building has met that goal. The main entrance foyer has a new white stone floor that connects various sections of the entry level, including a wide-open, circular atrium. Other elements include large windows that let more light in; improved security; and a new elevator, now toward the back of the building, which services all three floors. The offices of agencies on the second floor were not renovated, but Federation replaced their windows to make them more energy efficient.

In his opening remarks, Rehfeld offered thanks to the philanthropic leadership of three families: the Staenbergs, the Kranzbergs and the Kaplan-Feldman family. “Their investments covered the bulk of the costs of this building and allowed our community resources to remain focused on the pressing needs of others,” he said. “The Staenberg Family Atrium, the central focus of our facility, now represents Michael and Carol’s own work to bring so much of our disparate community together. The Kranzberg Family Welcome Desk appropriately honors the warmth and humility of a family who has done so much for our community and our entire region.”

Rehfeld also praised Gloria Feldman for her philanthropy and that of her late husband, Rubin, given in honor of the Kaplan and Feldman families of St. Louis and in honor of their loved ones who died in the Shoah.

“Your philanthropy enabled us to expand our building and plan for a future reconstruction of our Holocaust Museum,” Rehfeld said, explaining that Federation plans to expand the museum significantly, including adding a separate entrance.

Gloria Feldman said she and her family were eager to provide for the future of the Holocaust Museum. Her family lost many members in the Shoah, and “we must assure that the loss of six million of our fellow Jews is never forgotten,” she told the attendees.

{{tncms-inline alignment=”left” content=”<p><strong>Erin Kessler Schneider</strong> and <strong>Eli Abeles</strong>, were recognized with the 2018 David N. and Roselin Grosberg Young Leadership Award. The award recognizes volunteer leaders in the Jewish community who demonstrate commitment to the Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ mission through volunteer leadership and participation in the Annual Campaign. </p> <p>Sadly, Abeles died last month at the age of 40 after a yearlong battle with renal cancer; his wife, Stacy, accepted the award on his behalf.</p> <p><strong>Cheryl Maayan</strong> was selected for the 2018 Fred A. Goldstein Professional Excellence Award. This award recognizes outstanding professionals in a St. Louis Jewish organization 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.</p> <p><strong>Diane Katzman Custom Jewelry & Accessories</strong> was selected as the RubinBrown Corporate Leadership Award Recipient. This award is given to a company that exemplifies philanthropic leadership in the local Jewish community. The recipient of this award demonstrates a commitment and dedication to philanthropy that enhances the community in a meaningful way.</p>” id=”9f672981-40b1-4bf8-a5d8-64997629cad4″ style-type=”info” title=”Jewish Federation Annual Meeting honorees” type=”relcontent”}}

Sheryl Feldman, Gloria’s daughter, came in from Minneapolis to attend the ceremony. “My parents were wonderful examples and role models, who inspired all of us to emulate their generosity,” she said.

Rehfeld also noted the generosity of the Kopolow family who significantly funded the Federation building decades ago, adding, “The Kopolow family is now prominently memorialized on the wall in the entry hall, and this will remain the Kopolow Entrance to the Kaplan Feldman Complex,” said Rehfeld.

In his remarks, Michael Staenberg compared the effect of giving to throwing small stones or big rocks into a pond, causing a ripple effect. 

“Don’t get me wrong, we need and love the big stones,” he said. “I don’t know where our community would be without big stones being tossed into our pond by generous and caring people like Tom Green, I. E. Millstone, Gloria Feldman, and the Kaplan, Wohl, Kopolow, Siteman, Edison, Fox, Kranzberg, Gershman and May families and many other generous individuals and families.

“My dad taught me that even small gifts matter,” Staenberg added, encouraging all those in attendance to give what they can to Federation.

The meeting also included the formal election of new trustees and board members and the presenting of several awards for community service. Gerry Greiman, board chair of the Federation, said, “Annual meetings of an organization like ours have a number of purposes. There is some formal business to be conducted. But more importantly, it’s a chance to come together to celebrate our community, and to hear about what’s been happening and what’s going to be happening at Federation.”

Editor Ellen Futterman contributed information to this story.