COMPILED BY MIKE SHERWIN, ASSISTANT EDITOR

TORAH PREP instructor Shari Glestein has been named the Stuart I. Raskas Outstanding Jewish Day School Teacher Award Winner by the Central Agency for Jewish Education.

Glestein has taught Hebrew studies and math at the school for 12 years. Michelle Brooks, CAJE’s director of school services, presented Glestein with the honor at Torah Prep’s eighth grade commencement ceremony. CAJE has given the award since 1991 to honor local day school educators who “exemplify excellence in teaching and convey a love of learning.”

Shari has also been named a Grinspoon-Steinhardt award winner for excellence in Jewish Education. The international award honors outstanding Jewish educators in North America. As the award winner, Shari receives $1,000 to use at her discretion and $1,500 in matching funds provided by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation for her professional development. The local award is administered by CAJE, and the national award is administered by the Jewish Education Service of North America.

THE JEWISH LIGHT’S OWN Account Executive David Cohen, also the organist and assistant music director at United Hebrew Congregation was named Secretary of the Executive Board of the Guild of Temple Musicians. Cohen recently traveled to San Francisco for the group’s annual conference jointly held by the Guild and the American Conference of Cantors. Cohen attended workshops, seminars and concerts, and they exercised their musical talents with several performances themselves. Cohen will serve two years as Secretary for the Guild, an organization he has belonged to for more than a decade.

GARY A. RATKIN, M.D. recently received the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Alumni Award from Washington University. Alpha Omega Alpha is the national honor medical society which recognizes excellence in the medical profession by electing outstanding medical students, graduates, alumni, faculty, and honorary members to its ranks. A 1967 graduate of Washington University School of Medicine, Dr. Ratkin is the Medical Director of the Missouri Baptist Cancer Center and Clinical Associate of Medicine at the Washington U. School of Medicine.

CHARLES S. ELBERT has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2008 in Labor and Employment law. Elbert, a resident of Clayton and a member of Temple Israel, is an attorney with Kohn, Shands, Elbert, Gianoulakis & Giljum, LLP. He has been with the firm for 32 years.

ST. LOUIS HILLEL has hired Mindee Fredman and Matthew Frank. Fredman is an MSW with a Masters in Jewish Communal Service who previously worked at St. Louis Hillel. She rejoins the staff this summer as Program Coordinator. Matt Frank is a recent graduate of Virginia Technical University, where he was very active in Hillel. He will join St. Louis Hillel as Engagement Associate.

Have a news tip you’d like to include in “Reporter’s Notebook”? Send it to Assistant Editor Mike Sherwin at [email protected] or call 314-743-3665. We’re hoping to highlight the personal milestones, much-deserved kudos and career accomplishments of people in the community.