Newsmakers: March
Published March 11, 2021
Beth Feldman has been promoted to director of campaign and affinity groups at Jewish Federation of St. Louis. In this new role, Feldman, who has been with Federation for three years, will oversee all fundraising for the Annual Campaign as well as manage the staff of Women’s Philanthropy, Professional Society and Young Professionals affinity groups and the corporate partnership program. She attends United Hebrew Congregation.
Stacey Newman will receive an honorary degree from Eden Seminary at its commencement ceremony in May. Newman, a former Missouri state legislator, is the executive director of ProgressWomen, a statewide social justice group focused on justice and equality issues. She attends Central Reform Congregation.
Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose of Congregation B’nai Amoona will receive an honorary doctoral degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). This prestigious honor is awarded to only a select group of rabbis to recognize their important achievements and thank them for their leadership. Rose will receive his degree during the JTS virtual convocation ceremony June 6.
The Family Business Consulting Group has welcomed Richard J. Wolkowitz as its new vice president, serving as a primary resource for the family enterprise community and the advisers who serve them. Wolkowitz brings deep experience to his role, overseeing the firm’s external growth, operations and key relationships.
Alan Taxman, wealth management adviser with Merrill Lynch in Clayton, has been named a Forbes magazine Best-in-State Wealth Advisor for 2021. The list includes about 30 wealth advisers in Missouri. Taxman is a member of B’nai Amoona.
Hilary Gan has joined the Jewish Community Center as director of literary arts. Gan will be the driving force behind the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival and Used Book Sale. She and her husband and daughter moved to St. Louis from Los Angeles in 2018 to enjoy the numerous free cultural attractions and improve their access to T-Ravs. She is originally from Olean, N.Y.
Land Litwack & Associates have received the 2020 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chairman’s Circle Diamond Award. Matthew Litwack and his team, including Karen Polishuk, are the top agents in the Clayton office of BHHS Alliance and rank in top half of the top 1% of the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. Litwack attends Temple Israel. Polishuk attends B’nai Amoona.
Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, has been elected chair of the cabinet of Interfaith Partnership of St. Louis, an organization that is dedicated to promoting better interfaith relations, diversity and social justice. She attends Bais Abraham Congregation.
Liessa Alperin, director of innovative learning and engagement at Congregation B’nai Amoona, has been selected a Professional UpStart National Changemaker. UpStart’s change accelerator program equips “intrapreneurs” – the bold leaders making meaningful change within our community’s Jewish institutions.
Dr. Ryan C. Fields is the inaugural recipient of Washington University School of Medicine’s Kim and Tim Eberlein Distinguished Professorship, which was established by Paul and Elke Koch, longtime benefactors of WU. Fields, who attends Temple Israel, is chief of the section of surgical oncology in the department of surgery. His career is focused on surgical oncology patient care, teaching and research.
The Congregation B’nai Amoona Men’s Club has announced its award winners for Man of the Year, Youth of the Year and Medallion Awards. They will be honored at a Men’s Club Shabbat virtual event March 20.
Mark Givarz was awarded Man of the Year. He joined the temple’s men’s club and became its president in 2007. He remains a very active member, participating and leading many club events, advising the club leadership and being an advocate for the club in the B’nai Amoona community. Mark is also an active floor gabbai for Shabbat and High Holidays services.
Leetal Cohn, a senior at Ladue Horton Watkins High School, was named Youth of the Year. She is serving her second year as captain of the Ladue Sparkle Effect, a cheer and dance team for students with and without disabilities, and has been a captain of a Special Olympics team at her school. She is an alumnae of Cultural Leadership Class 14 and is a group leader in the JCRC’s Student to Student, an organization in which Jewish students teach other high schoolers about Judaism.
Madeleine Ryan, a senior at Parkway North High School, and Charlie Rosenzweig, a senior at Parkway Central High School, are recipients of the Medallion Award. Ryan is captain of both the Girls Cross Country and State Champion track teams. She is also secretary and treasurer of the National Honors Society and a peer teacher in the Safe and Drug Free Program. She also is part of the Student to Student program. Rosenzweig is also involved in National Honor Society, serving as chapter treasurer, FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), where he has competed at the regional, state and national FBLA competitions, and was a member of Cultural Leadership Class 15.
Newsmakers is a compilation of local Jews’ newsworthy professional and academic accomplishments. Submit your news to [email protected]. Call 314-743-3669 for more information. Published the first print edition of each month.
