Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Congregation’s is holding its 114th Anniversary Banquet on Sunday, Dec. 15 at the Clayton Plaza Hotel, 7750 Carondelet Ave. in Clayton.  

The congregation will honor Bob and Joni Kaiser for their years of dedicated service to NHBZ and to the St. Louis Jewish Community. The congregation is also honoring Teree Farbstein as recipient of its HaKaras HaTov Award (recognizing the good)  for gratitude and inspirational service. In keeping with the synagogue’s mission to promote education, understanding and leadership in support of Israel, the NHBZ  Israel Advocacy Award recipients will be presented Rick and Marcy Cornfeld. 

 An hors d’oeuvres reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner and program at 6:30 p.m.  The cost is $125 per person, with various sponsorship opportunities available.  For information, call the NHBZ office at 314-991-2100, ext. 2, or email [email protected].  Each year, NHBZ Congregation publishes a commemorative journal in conjunction with the anniversary dinner, and individuals as well as businesses are invited to participate in this fundraising event by submitting ads.

Bob Kaiser is a partner with Armstrong Teasdale. His professional career is matched by his equal passion for general and Jewish communal work, having provided pro bono legal and other services for many community organizations. He was a past President of Traditional Congregation, a board member and outreach chair for many years at NHBZ, and twice proudly served as NHBZ’s President. He has been a longtime board member and is the current President of Aish Hatorah’s Board.

Joni Kaiser has been a lifelong partner in all of the Kaiser Jewish communal work.  While taking primary responsibility for raising the couple’s two daughters, Hannah and Rebecca, Joni still volunteered extensively at the girls’ school, Solomon Schechter Day School. She is also a regular and longtime volunteer at NHBZ including having served on the synagogue board.

 Teree Farbstein, an accountant, serves as President of the NHBZ Sisterhood. She is the immediate past president of Hadassah’s Great Plains Region, the current National Grassroots Israel Recognition Chair, and is involved in many facets of Hadassah, as well as JNF and other organizations. 

Israel Advocacy Award recipients Rick and Marcy Cornfeld are co-chairs of the AIPAC St. Louis Council. Marcy, a teacher and writer, and Rick, a St. Louis attorney, are longtime advocates for Israel, frequently lobbying on Capitol Hill. Rick’s legal expertise in Consumer Protection Class Actions led to the favorable settlement of the class action against the former St. Louis Rams on behalf of owners of personal seat licenses. The Cornfelds attend United Hebrew Congregation, where Rick was a past president.