Rachel Pereles has always been passionate about Federation. “Federation has touched every part of my life—from JCC summer camps to youth groups to going to Israel to Hillel on my college campus, Federation has always been there,” she says. Now Rachel, having recently become the interim campaign director for Jewish Federation of St. Louis, says she feels lucky because she gets to give both her time as a professional and her dollars as a donor.
Rachel moved into the position after being an integral part of Federation’s development management team for the last 18 months. Before that, she was vice president of the Atlanta Federation in charge of campaign.“My husband is from St. Louis, and once we started our family we decided to move back and make this home,” Rachel says. “I’m excited to be able to build a strong and vibrant community for my children.” Her role has also helped her reinforce her values with her children. “My 3-year-old is learning about tzedakah in preschool, and it means a lot to me to be able to model it for her.”
Rachel likes to tell people that Federation is there even when you don’t know you need it. Her own family has experienced this. “My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, and the support groups at her local Jewish Family Services were there to support her,” she says. “Federation does so much, and I am honored to do my part.”