From the Desk of Danny Cohn
November 28, 2025
Contact: Sarah Manley
Communications and Public Relations Coordinator
Jewish Federation of St. Louis
314-442-3813 | SManley@JFedSTL.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jewish Federation of St. Louis Brings Together Community Leaders to Celebrate Latest Cohort of Levy Fellows
ST. LOUIS, MO – Dec. 8, 2025 – At its annual Presidents Circle event, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis gathered with community board presidents, presidents-elect, executive leaders, and clergy to recognize the 2025 class of Levy Fellows.
Established in 2022, the Levy Fellows program convenes lay leadership from Jewish organizations in St. Louis to enhance their leadership skills, improve board effectiveness, and build lasting connections within a supportive community network. Participants are nominated their organization’s CEO/executive, senior Rabbi, or board president. There is no program fee for Levy Fellows, thanks to the support of the Jewish Federation, Mont & Karen Levy and the Lubin-Green Foundation, a supporting foundation of Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
“The strength of our community rests not only on dedicated staff, but on committed lay leaders who generously give their time, wisdom, and passion for Jewish life,” said Danny Cohn, President & CEO of the Jewish Federation in St. Louis. “Through the Levy Fellows program, we’re empowering these volunteers to lead with greater clarity and purpose. This leads to building stronger boards, nurturing effective governance, and ensuring that the institutions that contribute to the fabric of our vibrant Jewish community continue to flourish for generations to come.”
Congratulations to the 2025 Levy Fellows, listed below with the organization they represent:
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- Evan Axelbaum, Young Israel of St. Louis
- Jon Baris, Congregation B’nai Amoona
- Matt Berman, St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum
- Elliot Kleiman, Jewish Federation of St. Louis
- Roey Kruvi, Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School
- Sarah Lander, LEAD STL
- Matt Lourie, Jewish Family Services (JFS)
- Phil Ruben, Congregation Temple Israel
- Corey Walls, United Hebrew Congregation
- Nikki Weinstein, Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis (JCRC) and Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School
- Jonathan Wolff, Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis
- Danny Wolk, Congregation Temple Israel
To learn more about the 2026 Levy Fellows, visit JFedSTL.org/LevyFellows.
During the evening, guest speaker David Cygielman, founder and CEO of Mem Global (formerly Moishe House), shared about his organization’s efforts to engage young Jewish adults in their 20s and 30s. Mem Global leads more than 14,000 programs a year, serving more than 75,000 participants through its suite of program offerings, including Moishe Houses, Moishe Pods, Moishe House Without Walls, Base, Embark, Camp Nai Nai Nai, Immersive Learning Retreats, and the Jewish Learning Collaborative.
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Jewish Federation of St. Louis mobilizes the Jewish community—its people, philanthropic power and financial resources—to grow, sustain and enhance Jewish life in St. Louis, in Israel and around the world. Founded in 1901, it serves as the community’s central philanthropic, planning and community-building organization. Federation engages more than 85 local, national and international agencies, programs, services and innovative initiatives to strengthen Jewish identity, build vibrant community, and meet the needs of our most vulnerable. Through its Annual Campaign, corporate and foundation partnerships, and planned giving opportunities, the Federation raises and invests mission-critical resources to foster Jewish connection, ensure a secure Jewish future and empower leadership for tomorrow. Find out more at JFedSTL.org.
