The Jewish Federation of St. Louis is pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of the Stuart I. Pessin Award: Sadie Levy, Chaya Kula, Nash Pratt, and Georgia Bland. Each receives a $1,250 award. The Pessin Award is only open to current high school students participating in a 2023 Israel experience. Candidates are considered on the basis of a combination of academic and personal achievement.

The awards, which are allocated from the Stuart I. Pessin Scholarship Fund, complement the existing Israel grant program funded by Jewish Federation of St. Louis. The merit-based award provides a means for select high school students to receive community funds by demonstrating their commitment to Judaism and the St. Louis Jewish community.

Sadie Levy is a sophomore at Parkway Central High School and a member of United Hebrew Congregation. At school, Sadie is an honorable student- she is involved with Yearbook, Student Council, Dance Marathon, Basketball, and Soccer. She is also a member of JSU. She plays club soccer for Lou Fusz Athletics and will be competing at nationals. For school sports, in soccer she received second-team all-conference, and first-team all-conference for basketball. She attended Camp Sabra for eight years, and this year she will be returning as a counselor for her ninth year. She is very excited about her trip to Israel this summer on her Israel Bound trip.

Chaya Kula is a senior at Esther Miller Bais Yaakov, and a member of Agudas Israel. At school, Chaya is head of Student Council and is involved in extracurricular activities. Throughout her high school years, she has headed many activities/programs some of which include a school overnight on Leadership training and choir head. Chaya takes part in yearly school performances, put on for the Jewish community, participating in drama and choir. She gives guitar lessons to girls in her community and plays at school kumzitzes. She leads a girls youth group on Shabbos afternoons and helps out around the community. This fall Chaya will be attending a year of seminary at Machon Bnos Yehuda in Israel.

Nash Pratt is a sophomore at Parkway Central High School and a member of Shaare Emeth. He plays on the varsity tennis team at school and at Forest Lake. Nash volunteers weekly as a madrich, he participates in confirmation and is the youth social action chair on the SETYG board. Nash also serves on the adult social action committee and the immigration committee at Shaare Emeth. This summer, Nash will be traveling to Central Europe and Israel with BBYO.

Georgia Bland is a student at Ladue High School and a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth. At school, she plays field hockey and lacrosse. Georgia is also on the Dance Marathon Executive Board and raised over $1000 this year. Outside of school Georgia volunteers weekly with the National Charity League and plays club field hockey and dance. Georgia is very excited about Israel Bound this summer! Georgia is also a member of The Jewish Light’s Ohr Chadash Teen Page project.

Previous Stuart I. Pessin Awardees

2022       Sarah Rumfelt, Yechiel Shulman, Zoe Klevens
2021       Liam Harir, Liam Oiknine, Hayley Lerner, Noah Kleinlehrer
2020       Amarah Friedman, Rachel Perera, Halle Wasserman, Ethan Winograd
2019       Jonah Boyer, Emma Cantor, Amit Harir & Kobi Recht
2018       Jacob Mann & Melissa Rush
2017       Rina Gersten & Yonah Shafner
2016       Aaron Koshner & Eitan Oberlander
2015       Kyla Gersten & Rachel Somorov
2014       Sarah Casteel & Jonathan Samuels
2013       Ryan Finkelstein & David Iken
2012       Andrew Brick & Noah Oberlander
2011       Shira LeDeaux & Miranda Siler
2010       Ethan Bennett & Hannah Kaiser
2009      Hannah Barg & Jennifer Koshner
2008      Lior Melnick & Stuart Portman
2007      Jennifer Levy & Phillip Weber
2006      Alana Baron & Donna Iken
2005      Jamie Dalin & Avraham Rovinsky

If you have any questions, contact Ben Panet at [email protected] or 314-442-3881.