A quartet of outstanding individuals will receive prestigious awards from the Solomon Schechter Day School on Sunday, March 2 at 6 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Amoona, 324 S. Mason Road.

At the school’s “Main Event,” Christine and Dr. Alan Lyss, Harvey Greenstein and Eileen Schneider Edelman will be honored for their significant contributions, not just monetarily, to the school and to the community.

The Lysses, she an oncology research nurse and he a medical oncologist, were actively involved when their three sons attended Schechter, so it is a natural that they should be the school’s 2008 Honorees of Distinction.

Greenstein, a past president of Congregation B’nai Amoona, will receive the Leo I. Mirowitz Distinguished Service Award for his ongoing support of the school since its inception. Eileen, honorary chair, is a tireless volunteer for numerous organizations including the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival, Jewish Federation and J Associates, just for starters.

All four work hard so that every child who wants a Jewish education receives a Jewish education.

The Main Event will include a cocktail reception with, I am told, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a gala auction, entertainment by Paper Slip Theatre: Night at the Improv and music by Encore.

The cost of the event is $125 per person and reservations may be made by calling Martha Brodsky at the school at 314-576-6177.

Proceeds from this fundraising evening will benefit the Solomon Schechter Scholarship Fund.

Last year SSDS awarded $267,865 in financial aid, allowing the school to educate all students regardless of their financial need.

To refresh your memory or in case you are not familiar with it, here is a bit of background about the Solomon Schechter Day School: It is a co-educational, kindergarten through 8th grade day school affiliated with the Conservative Jewish movement.

Schechter is grounded in the belief that Jewish education is vital to our children’s future and fundamental to the survival of the Jewish people. It is an outstanding educational institution whose dual curriculum combines Jewish learning with general studies.

Holy Toledo! The New Jewish Theatre has received nine Kevin Kline Nominations!

Just last week it was announced that NJT was nominated for nine awards in six categories, more than any other local small professional theatre.

Those categories are Outstanding Ensemble; Outstanding Supporting Actor; Outstanding Support-ing Actress; Outstanding Actress; Outstanding Produc-tion; and Outstanding Director and in two of those categories, Supporting Actress and Director, there were two NJT actresses and directors nominated.

I would like to nominate Kathleen Sitzer, NJT’s Artistic Director, for the Most Creative and Dedicated Theater Person Award in the city.

Truly, it is due to her tenacity, sensitivity and creativity that the NJT has become the premier small professional theatre in St. Louis.

The Kevin Kline Awards ceremony, our community’s version of the Tony Awards, will take place on Monday, March 31 at the Loretto Hilton Theatre in Webster Groves.

For information on attending, call the New Jewish Theatre at 314-442-3283 or check the Kevin Kline website at www.kevinklineawards.org.

ROB KAPILOW, composer, conductor, pianist and commentator is to 21st Century children’s musical programs what Leonard Bernstein was to such programs in the 20th Century. On March 7, 8 and 9, he will conduct the University City Symphony Orchestra in five performances of the great timeless tale of Peter and the Wolf at COCA, 524 Trinity Avenue.

Adding physical expression to this performance is the PickleShoes Dance Company, a group of exceptional dancers.

Rob Kapilow, a Phi Beta Kappa Yale University graduate who studied composition with Nadia Boulanger, has conducted various orchestras and has written numerous commissioned works including the famed Green Eggs and Hamadeus.

He is the conductor/director for FamilyMusik for Boston and New York’s Lincoln Center. The University City Symphony Orchestra established in 1960 is a non-profit community orchestra giving amateur and professional musicians in the St. Louis area the opportunity to play challenging orchestral literature. Its director and conductor is the absolutely delightful Leon Burke III.

Tickets for Peter and the Wolf — one evening and four matinee performances — are available at the COCA Box office, 314-725-1834, ext. 124 or at Metrotix, 314-534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.