Nine individuals and one married couple will be recognized as the 2024 Jewish Light Unsung Heroes on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. This year’s 15th annual event will take place at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum.
Unsung Heroes, which began in 2010, shines a light on individuals of any background or faith who generously volunteer or go above and beyond to help the St. Louis Jewish community, and Jewish St. Louisans who volunteer, either within the local Jewish community and/or the community at large. Since its inception, more than 130 St. Louisans have been honored.
What follows is a brief snapshot into the volunteerism of the Class of 2024 Unsung Heroes. For a more in-depth profile about each, be sure to check out the Light’s Unsung Heroes magazine, which will be published and distributed in the printed newspaper on Nov. 20 and appear online in the days that follow.
This year’s Heroes are:
Ram Lakshmanan, an active member of his local Hindu Temple, who serves as a core member of the Newmark Institute’s Interfaith Breakfast Dialogue group and has been very involved with the planning of the Aurelia Konrad Community Seder. An active, enthusiastic and engaging partner of the Jewish Community Relation Council’s interfaith work, he has earned the nickname “Rabbi Ram” through his constant and unwavering presence within Jewish communal spaces. He has continued to be a bridge-builder across communities and is a dedicated volunteer, ready to serve wherever he is needed most.
Sharon Weissman, who wears multiple hats in service to her Judaism and Congregation Shaare Emeth. Weissman has led numerous “wise aging” training groups for adults 55-plus wanting spiritual resources and Jewish mindfulness as they navigate senior adulthood. At Shaare Emeth, she is a longtime member of the shiva committee, provides ride and meals for congregants and founded a mishpocha (family) group. Weissman also was trained by Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) to be a para-rabbinic, to gain more knowledge in matters of Torah study, Jewish ritual and communal leadership.
Linda Sandmel, who like Weisman is a Shaare Emeth congregant and has launched multiple projects there, formed the synagogue’s shiva committee in 1998. She has trained volunteers to lead shiva minyans and also went through HUC-JIR’s para-rabbinic training. Sandmel has led Kabbalat Shabbat services at a wide variety of area senior homes and organized many of the women’s retreats at Shaare Emeth. She has been an active participant in Shabbat morning Torah study there and formed a Rosh Chodesh group that is still meeting after 25 years.
Hillary Friedman, who is a longtime volunteer at the National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis, where she has co-chaired the annual Couturier event and will do so again this year. The many projects she has begun and the committees she has served on at NCJWSTL include its child abuse prevention program (with Jewish Family Services), its leadership training program and its advisory council. She also is very involved in the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival.
Married couple Barb and Rich Kramer, who seem to have a limitless supply of energy for volunteerism. Barb has served on boards of organizations ensuring seniors and those with disabilities get transportation to and from work, doctor’s appointments and more; has volunteered with NCJWSTL’s Community Closet for Kids; chaired the Jewish Book Festival and since 2020, has made over 200 lasagnas as part of Lasagna Love, which helps address food insecurity. Rich, in addition to driving Barb as they bring food to the greater St. Louis community, volunteers with the USO, has fundraised for the March of Dimes and its Bikers for Babies events, and has served on various Shaare Emeth boards and committees.
Wendy Flusser, who is another example of an uber volunteer, especially in the area of social justice. She has volunteered as a tutor with Oasis, a lifelong learning program for aging adults; packed books in warehouses for Ready Readers; served on multiple committees for the JCRC, Shaare Emeth and NCJWSTL; worked on racial justice and Medicaid expansion issues; volunteered at Oak Hill Elementary School in the city and Shirlee Green Preschool at Shaare Emeth and more.
Ellen Schapiro, who has spent more than 15 years advocating for women’s rights and abortion access. She is also a board member of Spirit of St. Louis, a women’s philanthropy group that works to support non-profits and a volunteer and past board member of Nishmah, a women’s support and empowerment group at the Jewish Community Center. Currently, she serves on the board of the J.
Rachel Sanger, who has been a volunteer for Burns Recovered for 15 years, first as a counselor, then as camp nurse and currently, medical director. Most of the children come from a lower socioeconomic background and have never been to a camp. Sanger has created several very successful fundraisers to raise money for these campers, including one called the Summit for Seventy Campaign, which involved her mastering difficult physical feats that garnered more than $80,000.
Ken Weintraub, a licensed social worker, for his volunteer work over the past nine years with The Kaufman Fund, serving veterans and their families in need. Weintraub’s efforts on behalf of the organization include writing the grant to secure Missouri NAP tax credits to provide dental health care for 200 veterans’ families; recruiting more than 115 lawyers to volunteer their time on behalf of the veterans and securing the assistance of 13 therapists to work with veterans, most of whom are dealing with significant levels of PTSD.
Peggy (Margaret) Cohen Voss, who has positively impacted numerous local non-profits with her volunteer efforts, including Cultural Leadership, HateBrakers and NCJWSTL, where she continues on its board. She has been particularly active in NCJWSTL’s Jean Stein Bloch “Wife, Widow and Woman” program as a volunteer leader and coordinator of special events. At Temple Emanuel, she has helped helm the twice monthly preparation and delivery of homemade pasta and cookies for the refugee and homeless clients of Little Angels Foundation, which strives to alleviate food insecurity in the region. She has also represented TE as part of the JCRC’s Jewish Coalition for Racial Equality and Jewish Coalition for New Americans.
