Nusach Hari B’nai Zion has announced that Janet Haber has been named board President-the first female president in the congregation’s history.

“I’m not excited because having a woman president is simply groundbreaking, or because it’s daring to break with precedent. I’m excited because it is Janet Haber who is our new president,” said Rabbi Ze’ev Smason. “We’ve seen what a difference a competent, ambitious, committed person can make as president of our shul.

Janet is intelligent, professional, successful and is passionate about our shul and about Judaism.”

In her remarks to the congregation, Haber said the congregation’s new building in Olivette offered opportunities for growth. “With our new building, we have opportunities to bring in new families, new programming and to better serve our congregants,” she said. “We must enthusiastically grab every opportunity to provide rich and meaningful religious services, learner’s services, programs and activities.”

Along with Haber, NHBZ’s top three lay leaders are now women, with Robin Rickerman and Trudy Sudin named as Vice Presidents.

The congregation also named Gary Sudin as Treasurer, Bobby Levine as Recording Secretary and Mayer Taller as Gabbai.

New board members include Fran Alper, Francine Attoun, Ken Bressler, Larry Chervitz, Don Eisenberg, Esther Gelb, Sandy Kahn, Fran Reisler, Bobby Levine, Les Sabol, Phyllis Silverman, Richard Woolf and Bert Zakroff.

The congregation also instituted new options for families on Saturdays, with childcare for age 4 and under from 10 a.m. to noon and youth programming for those over age 4 from 10:15 a.m. to noon.

For adults, there will be learner’s services from 10:15 a.m. to approximately 11:30 a.m. and regular services will take place from 9 a.m. to approximately 11:45 p.m.

NHBZ is located at 650 N. Price Road in Olivette. Call Rabbi Smason at 314-991-2100, ext. 1 for more information.