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JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

THE 2016 ANNUAL MEETING TOOK PLACE AT BUSCH STADIUM AT 5:30 PM ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AS DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT.

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2016 ANNUAL MEETING SCRIPT-FINAL

5:30 (HARVEY TO THE PODIUM)

WELCOME – HARVEY WALLACE

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS HARVEY WALLACE, AND I AM THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE JEWISH

FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US AT OUR 115TH ANNUAL MEETING.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME FORMER JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS CEO, BARRY

ROSENBERG.

BEFORE WE BEGIN THE BUSINESS OF OUR MEETING I WANT TO BEGIN WITH A MOMENT OF

SILENCE TO REMEMBER OUR FORMER BOARD CHAIR, ALYN ESSMAN, WHO PASSED AWAY JUST

LAST WEEKEND. WAIT 30 SECONDS. THANK YOU. WE WILL SAY SOMETHING MORE ABOUT

ALYN AND HAVE A PLANNED TRIBUTE TO SIG HALPERN WHO ALSO PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS

SUMMER. AND NOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN, IT IS MY GREAT HONOR TO ASK RABBI MOSHE

SHULMAN TO LEAD US IN AN INVOCATION.

5:32 (RABBI TO THE PODIUM)

INVOCATION – RABBI MOSHE SHULMAN

5:35 (MOSHE TO SEAT, HARVEY TO THE PODIUM)

CHAIR’S REPORT- HARVEY WALLACE

[7 MINUTES]

THANK YOU RABBI SHULMAN

TONIGHT WE GATHER FOR THE 115TH TIME IN OUR ORGANIZATION’S HISTORY TO RECOGNIZE

OUR WORK, ACHIEVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ELECT THE LAY LEADERSHIP FOR THE

NEXT YEAR. IN ADDITION TO A TRIBUTE TO AND REMEMBRANCE OF OUR DEPARTED BOARD

CHAIRS, WE WILL BE RECOGNIZING ANGELA FLOTKEN AND BURT GARLAND FOR THEIR

EXEMPLARY VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP, HONORING JEAN CAVENDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF

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FEDERATION’S HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND LEARNING CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE,

AND ELECTING OUR PREVIOUS CHIEF EXECUTIVE, BARRY ROSENBERG TO THE COUNCIL OF LIFE

OF OUR ORGANIZATION. WE WILL ALSO BE HEARING FROM OUR CURRENT CEO, ANDREW

REHFELD, ON THE STATE OF OUR ORGANIZATION. AND THEN I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME AS WE

“TAKE THE FIELD” AND BEGIN OUR 2016 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN WITH “100 DAYS TO MAKE AN

IMPACT!” IT SHOULD BE A MEMORABLE NIGHT.

LAST YEAR, JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS VENTURED OFF OF THE MILLSTONE

CAMPUS TO HOLD OUR ANNUAL MEETING AND WE ARE DOING SO AGAIN TONIGHT. THOUGH

THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS HAD ALREADY BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 19 YEARS WHEN THE JEWISH

FEDERATION BEGAN IN 1901, IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT NO ONE THEN WOULD HAVE IMAGINED

WE WOULD HOLD AN ANNUAL MEETING IN ITS REDBIRD CLUB! THE VENUE THIS YEAR, JUST AS

LAST YEAR, RECOGNIZES TWO FACTS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH OF WHICH POSE

CHALLENGES THAT THE FEDERATION IS HERE TO MEET.

FIRST, WE ARE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY LIVING THROUGHOUT OUR ST. LOUIS REGION.

HOLDING OUR MEETING IN THIS LOCATION SENDS A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT OUR

COMMUNITY IS FULLY INTEGRATED WITH THE REGION AND THAT OUR OWN SUCCESS DEPENDS

ON THE VIBRANCY OF OUR ST. LOUIS REGION. THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS WILL

CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH OUR MISSION TO BE PARTNERS IN

IMPROVING OUR REGION. THAT CAN MEAN WORKING WITH BIOSTL AND THE DANFORTH PLANT

SCIENCE CENTER TO HELP THEM CONTINUE TO ATTRACT BUSINESS FROM ISRAEL—AND I

WELCOME DONN RUBIN, THE CEO OF BIOSTL WHO IS WITH US TONIGHT AND WHO HAS BEEN

CENTRAL IN ALREADY ATTRACTING 4 AG-TECH PROGRAMS TO OUR REGIONS CREATING OVER

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100 NEW JOBS. THAT CAN MEAN WORKING WITH OUR STATE ELECTED LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE

THE CREATION OF AN ISRAEL TRADE DESK THAT HELPS PROMOTE STRONG BUSINESS

RELATIONSHIPS WITH ISRAEL, NOT ONLY ADVANCING OUR MISSION OF A STRONG AND SECURE

DEMOCRATIC JEWISH STATE, BUT ALSO COMBATING THE MOVEMENT TO WAGE ECONOMIC

WAR AGAINST ISRAEL THROUGH BOYCOTTS.

AND IT MEANS SPONSORING A COLLEGE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR UP TO 20 COLLEGE

STUDENTS IN WHICH THE FEDERATION PARTNERS WITH AREA BUSINESSES AND NON-PROFITS

TO HELP STUDENTS WITH A ST. LOUIS CONNECTION TO DEVELOP THEMSELVES PROFESSIONALLY

WHILE THEY CONNECT AS A GROUP TO EACH OTHER AND THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN A

SPECIALLY DESIGNED SEMINAR.

AND IT MEANS SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO SOLVE THE CONTINUING PROBLEMS OF RACIAL AND

SOCIAL INJUSTICE THAT WE SEE THROUGHOUT OUR REGION, AND FOR THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE

CONTINUED LEADERSHIP OF THE JCRC AND ITS LAY AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP BOB

MILLSTONE AND MAHARAT RORI PICKER NEISS. THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST. LOUIS

RECOGNIZES THAT THE VIBRANCY OF OUR OWN JEWISH COMMUNITY IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED

TO THE VIBRANCY OF OUR STATE AND LOCAL REGION.

THE CHOICE OF THIS VENUE IS ALSO A TANGIBLE RECOGNITION OF FEDERATION’S

WILLINGNESS TO “THINK DIFFERENTLY” AND “OUT OF THE BOX” AS WE SEEK TO ENGAGE A NEW

GENERATION IN JEWISH LIFE. AS OUR 2014 COMMUNITY STUDY SHOWED, ON VIRTUALLY EVERY

MEASURE OF ENGAGEMENT WE ARE SEEING A GENERAL LEVEL OF DECLINE—FROM RELIGIOUS

RITUALS TO OVERALL MEMBERSHIP IN SYNAGOGUES TO SUPPORT OF JEWISH NON-PROFITS

INCLUDING THE JEWISH FEDERATION. HERE, FEDERATION WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK

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PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY TO INNOVATE ON NEW IDEAS. THIS YEAR, WE LAUNCHED

THE SECOND YEAR OF JFACE, A JEWISH IDEAS ACCELERATOR, AND TAKEN OUT SPACE IN CORTEX.

THIS FOLLOWS WHAT WE LEARNED FROM OUR INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM. AND WE WILL

CONTINUE TO DO SO IN THE YEARS TO COME.

AND YET, AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT JEWISH LIFE HAS BEEN

AROUND FOR 3,000 YEARS! WHILE MUCH OF THAT IS A STORY OF CONSTANT INNOVATION, IT

IS ALSO THE STORY OF PRESERVING A RICH TRADITION OF WHAT WORKS.

THERE IS NO BETTER PREDICTOR OF ENGAGEMENT IN JEWISH LIFE THAN WHETHER AN

INDIVIDUAL HAD A DAY SCHOOL EDUCATION. THERE IS NO BETTER PREDICTOR OF JEWISH

IDENTITY THAN WHETHER A PERSON IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THEIR SYNAGOGUE. INDEED, WE

AS A COMMUNITY MUST RECOGNIZE THE SINGULAR VALUE OF SYNAGOGUE MEMBERSHIP—NO,

LET ME REVISE THAT—THE SINGULAR VALUE OF SYNAGOGUE INVOLVEMENT IN FORMING,

PRESERVING AND TRANSMITTING THE VALUE OF JUDAISM AS PART OF A LIFE WELL LIVED. WE

NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING EVEN MORE STRONGLY TO FOSTER HEALTHY PARTNERSHIPS AND

MAKE SURE THAT THE ACTIONS WE TAKE AS A FEDERATION ENHANCE AND STRENGTHEN THAT

WORK, NOT UNDERMINE IT.

IN BUSINESS TERMS WE HAVE TO STRENGTHEN THE BASE AND FIND NEW CONSUMERS.

HOW DO WE KEEP THE OLD AS WELL AS GROWING THE NEW?

IN MY VIEW WE HAVE TO STRENGTHEN THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR JEWISH

COMMUNITY BY CONTINUING TO BUILD A STRONG SENSE OF SHARED COMMUNITY

PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE FEDERATION AND ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS. OUR

BENEFICIARY AGENCIES—PLACES LIKE JF&CS, JCC, COVENANT PLACE, HILLELS THROUGHOUT

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OUR REGION, JCRC, THE JEWISH LIGHT, AND OUR DAY SCHOOLS—HAVE A HISTORIC

RELATIONSHIP WITH FEDERATION AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THEIR SINGULAR SERVICES TO

THE COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THAT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE QUITE STRONG AND HAVE BEEN

GROWING STRONGER IN RECENT YEARS. BUT IT IS NOW TIME TO RENEW THAT COLLABORATIVE

PARTNERSHIP AND I HAVE MADE AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS ONE OF MY TOP TWO PRIORITIES OF

MY TERM AS BOARD CHAIR. TO THAT END, ANDREW AND I HAVE ALREADY STARTED MEETING

WITH EACH BOARD CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EACH AGENCY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE

THAT UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF OUR AGENCIES AND JUST LISTENING IS THE FIRST MOST

IMPORTANT TASK.

IF OUR BENEFICIARY AGENCIES WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR

COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THEIR HISTORY, WE ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE STRENGTH

OF OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON THE OVERALL STRENGTH OF THE ENTIRE JEWISH

ECOSYSTEM OF INSTITUTIONS, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. TO THAT END FEDERATION HAS JUST

INAUGURATED A NEW COMMUNITY-WIDE AGENCY-EXECUTIVES-ROUNDTABLE, A QUARTERLY

MEETING OF ALL EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF ANY JEWISH ORGANIZATION IN OUR REGION,

INCLUDING NON-BENEFICIARY AGENCIES AND SYNAGOGUES. THEIR FIRST MEETING WAS HELD

LAST WEEK AND FOCUSED ON PRESENTING TO OUR COMMUNITY THE MULTIPLE WAYS THAT

FEDERATION CAN HELP MAKE EVERYONE STRONGER—THROUGH STRATEGIC PROGRAM

GRANTS, GRANT WRITING SUPPORT, PUBLICITY OF VISITING SPEAKERS THROUGH FEDERATION’S

SH’MA! SPEAKERS SERIES, BACK OFFICE BUSINESS SERVICES…AND THE LIST GOES ON. I BELIEVE

THAT THIS PROFESSIONAL GROUP WILL BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE WHO

PROVIDE THE LONG-TERM STABILITY TO OUR COMMUNITY.

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MY OTHER PRIORITY IS KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE GIVEN THE

THREATS THAT WE FACE SIMPLY FOR BEING JEWISH. WHILE OUR PRESENCE HERE AT BUSCH

STADIUM MAY INDICATE OUR DESIRE TO SIGNAL OUR COMMITMENT TO THE REGION, WE NEED

TO RECOGNIZE THAT ANTI-SEMITISM IS NOT GOING A WAY AND ITS GROWTH HAS BEEN

PARTICULARLY TROUBLING IN EUROPE AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. TO THAT END

FEDERATION WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT WE

MADE AFTER THE 2014 ATTACKS ON THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CAMPUS IN KANSAS CITY. WE

HAVE ALREADY MADE AN INVESTMENT IN RAVE A COMMUNITY WIDE EMERGENCY

NOTIFICATION SYSTEM BECAUSE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR

TO SAVING LIVES IN A REAL EMERGENCY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP

WITH THE JCRC AND THE ADL TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR LOCAL AND NATIONAL LAW

ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO COORDINATE SECURITY REVIEWS

FOR ALL JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ST. LOUIS REGION. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE UNIQUE

VALUE THAT FEDERATION CAN AND MUST SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

NONE OF THIS WORK WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE ONGOING FINANCIAL

INVESTMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. EACH OF YOU HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN

HELPING SUSTAIN OUR ORGANIZATION AND ENABLE US TO DO THE WORK WE ARE DOING.

I DO HOWEVER WANT TO SINGLE OUT MICHAEL AND CAROL STAENBERG TONIGHT. AS

ANDREW ANNOUNCED AT OUR MAJOR GIFTS EVENT LAST SPRING, MICHAEL AND CAROL

STAENBERG PROVIDED OUR COMMUNITY’S LEADERSHIP GIFT WITH A $550,000 INVESTMENT IN

THE 2016 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN. THAT IS AN HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT. AND IT SIGNIFICANTLY

UNDERSTATES THE PHILANTHROPIC WORK THAT THE STAENBERGS DO. THEIR PRIMARY

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METHOD OF GIVING IS THROUGH THE STAENBERG FAMILY FOUNDATION THAT IS CELEBRATING

ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. THE IMPACT OF THAT FOUNDATION ON JEWISH LIFE IN THE

UNITED STATES OVER THE LAST DECADE, AND ON PROJECTS THAT HELP THOUSANDS OF

INDIVIDUALS LIVE GREAT LIVES, FAR EXCEEDS EVEN THE CONTRIBUTION I JUST MENTIONED.

COMMUNITIES IN DENVER AND OMAHA HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE TRANSFORMATIONAL

IMPACT OF MICHAEL’S PHILANTHROPIC VISION. AND EVEN AT THE FEDERATION, THE

STAENBERG’S GIFT TO THE ANNUAL CAMPAIGN IS JUST ONE OF MANY WAYS THEY HELP.

THROUGH HIS PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, FOR EXAMPLE, MICHAEL HAS SAVED OUR COMMUNITY

ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE FEDERATION, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN

OVERHEAD COSTS RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE. WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR THIS LEADERSHIP

AND KNOW THAT THE PHILANTHROPY THAT YOU PRACTICE WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE

GENERATIONS TO COME.

FINALLY I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STEADFAST COMMITMENT OF OUR DEDICATED

VOLUNTEERS WHO’S SERVICE HAS MADE OUR ORGANIZATION TRULY AND COMMUNITY

ORGANIZATION. AND IN PARTICULAR I WANT TO THANK THE OUTGOING MEMBERS OF THE

BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THEIR INTERESTS IN ENGAGING IN OUR WORK, TO THE BOARD OF

DIRECTORS FOR THEIR SENSITIVE LEADERSHIP AND WISE DECISION MAKING, AND MY FELLOW

OFFICERS WHO REGULARLY GRAPPLE WITH THE TOP LEVEL ISSUES THAT EMERGE DAY TO DAY.

FINALLY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MICHAEL OBERLANDER’S SERVICE. AFTER 5 YEARS AS AN

OFFICER OF THIS ORGANIZATION, HE HAS DECIDED TO MOVE TO THE DARK SIDE!

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER, AND WE ALL

LOOK FOR GREAT THINGS FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP AS PART OF ANDREW’S TEAM.

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WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY RESTS UPON A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND

RESULTS OF OUR FEDERATION. WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO TO CELEBRATE THAT LEGACY

FOLLOWED BY A TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED BY HESCHEL RASKAS.

5:42 (HARVEY TO SEAT, LEGACY VIDEO PLAYS)

LEGACY VIDEO

[PLAY VIDEO 1: LEGACY VIDEO]

5:52 (HESCHEL RASKAS TO PODIUM)

TRIBUTE TO SIEGMUND HALPERN/ESSMAN

[PICTURE OF ESSMANS ON SCREEN]

[PICTURE OF SIEGMUND ON SCREEN]

6:00 (HESCHEL TO SEAT, HARVEY TO THE PODIUM)

DAVID N. & ROSELIN GROSBERG YOUNG LEADERSHIP AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT

VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP OCCURS THROUGHOUT THE FEDERATION. TO RECGONIZE

OUTSTANDING ACTIVE LEADERSHIP IN THE ORGANIZATION, THE DAVID N. AND ROSELIN

GROSBERG YOUNG LEADERSHIP AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1961 BY THE GROSBERG FAMILY.

THIS YEAR’S GROSSBERG YOUNG LEADERSHIP AWARD IS PROUDLY PRESENTED TO ANGELA

FLOTKEN AND BURT GARLAND FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP. PLEASE TURN YOUR

ATTENTION TO THE SCREENS TO SEE WHY.

[PLAY VIDEO 2: BURT GARLAND + ANGELA FLOTKEN]

ANGELA AND BURT, PLEASE JOIN ME ON THE STAGE. FOR EACH OF YOU, WE HAVE A

COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE AND BECAUSE OF THE GENEROSITY OF THE GROSBERG FAMILY,

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YOU ARE EACH RECEIVING A SIGNIFICANT HONORARIUM TO ATTEND A LEADERSHIP OR JEWISH

EDUCATION PROGRAM OF YOUR CHOICE.

I WANT TO THANK JONATHAN DEUTSCH, PAST GROSBERG AWARD RECIPIENT, WHO CHAIRED

THIS YEAR’S SELECTION PROCESS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ALL PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE

GROSBERG AWARD TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL. CONGRATULATIONS!

[APPLAUSE WHILE ANGELA AND BURT JOIN HARVEY ON STAGE. HARVEY HANDS AWARDS TO

THEM AND POSES FOR PICTURES. ANGELA, BURT AND HARVEY LEAVE THE STAGE].

6:10 (ANDREW TO THE PODIUM)

2016 Annual Meeting: State of the Federation

Andrew Rehfeld, President and CEO

On the walls of my home are posted candid snapshots of Morris and Frances Slotnick,

my grandmother and grandfather whose family’s migration from Eastern Europe in 1906

lead ultimately to this annual meeting tonight. You see my grandfather trained as a

chazzan and brought me up to love the Sabbath and feel so deeply connected to our

tradition and the importance Jewish learning. I lived for a year in Israel and considered

on three different occasions entering the Rabbinate. I am so honored to be here for

now the fifth time to address this annual meeting. It is a night of remembrance and

celebration, devoted to all the great things that we have done, and all the remarkable

things we have yet in store.

The Jewish Federation began in 1901 in order to “preserve and enhance Jewish life in

St. Louis, Israel and around the world.” Part of a system that began in 1895 to meet the

needs of 2.5million immigrants like my grandparents. Today our community is different,

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and our challenges are unique. But at its core our mission remains the same. We are

here for each other in times of joy, and in times of need, building a strong and vibrant

St. Louis connected to the Jewish people around the world, in a manner that helps them

live lives of dignity, meaning and purpose.

Dignity: to make sure that no one in our community goes without basic support—food,

clothing, housing.

Meaning: to ensure multiple points of access to the Jewish learning, Israel and the

Jewish people as part of a life well lived.

And Purpose, leveraging our human and financial resources to help anyone in need on

the basis of Jewish values.

The Federation achieves these aims through 2 lines of business.

First, we are a Foundation for Jewish Philanthropy—since 1901. We Assess, Plan,

Raise, Invest, and we Evaluate Impact. And we are delighted to welcome Michael

Oberlander to our senior team as Chief Philanthropy Officer.

Second, we also are a provider of Direct Services—and we have been for over 30

years. We run the HMLC, the CJL, Brodsky, Archives, NORC, PJ Library, Community

Concierge, NextGen (Thanks to the Staenberg Family Foundation). And I thank Sonia

Dubinsky’s leadership as VP of Direct Services to ensure that we are making an impact

in the work that we do.

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So how are we doing?

As a community development organization, any measure of our work must in the first

instance be the measure of the vitality of our community, the connections we foster to

the Jewish People and their tradition, our support for Israel and Jewish communities

around the world, and our ability to mobilize our community to help those suffering from

injustice and inequity particularly in our own midst. In so many ways we are seeing

positive signs. Covenant place: (director Joan Dennison, her board chair, Scott Malin a

tremendous round of applause). JCC Maccabi Games (director Lynn Wittels who is

celebrating her son’s wedding this weekend in Philly, and Steven Goldenberg, Board

Chair for their mobilization of an amazing event). And the 25th anniversary of the

Kornblum Food Pantry (Lou Albert and Karen Suroff). The Jewish Light is a must read

paper every week for anyone who wants to stay in touch with our community (Larry

Levin and Jane Rubin).

And just to be clear, these achievements are not Federation’s; they are the result

of the hard work of so many in our community. Yet as a Community Development

organization, we have provided foundation and will continue to be here to support them

in achieving their successes. That is partnership, that is “bottom up,” and their success

must be a measure of our own ability—we should all feel pride that we were able to help

support these initiatives.

But it is not just our agencies. Federation’s direct services continue to shine:

STL continues to have one of the most impactful PJ Library programs in the country

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thanks to the hard work of Jennifer Lotsoff; our NORC continues to receive awards

thanks to the leadership of Karen Berry-Elbert (and started by the vision of former CEO

and soon to be elected Council-of-Life member Barry Rosenberg). And the newly

created Center For Jewish Learning has attracted over 2,000 individuals to its various

adult education offerings over the last 2 years, thanks to the leadership of its director

Cyndee Levy. Finally the Millstone Institute continues to receive national recognition,

thanks to the work of its leadership Marci Meyer Eisen and Karen Sher, along with Paul

Flotken’s work as committee chair. And of course we have already celebrated Jean

Cavender, but the HMLC--now finishing its 21st year, continues to be a superstar in our

region serving over 30,000 visitors a year. Great thanks to Kent Hirschfeld for a

successful turn as Museum Chair and to Myrna Meyer for the start of her newest term of

leadership.

If our impact in the community continues to be strong, we can also measure how

we are doing by the level direct philanthropic support we receive for our work. On this

score, I am very proud to announce that in 2015 the Federation had its first significant

year of growth in the number of donors in 10 years, and our donor base grew for only

the 3rd time…since 1989. We saw the number of donors aged 35-50 years old grown by

11% and we saw the number of baby boomer donors increase by over 8%. These are

historic rates of growth. In fact, our overall donor growth exceeded the national number

by 7%: where the overall number of donors to Federations in North American declined

by a total of 4% from 2014 to 2015, in St. Louis our numbers grew by a total of 3%,

producing the 7 point gap.

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Now 3% overall donor growth is a good start—it is the largest growth since 1989

in our donor base, and only the third time in 25 years that we have seen any growth at

all. But we have our work cut out for us. We need to grow out base quickly as we have

an aging donor population.

But it is important our community recognizes this significant exposure: over 1/3

of the total value of our annual campaign comes from donors who are over the age of

80. 1/3. That is particularly high. This is why the significant growth of our donor base

is the single most important measure of our long term sustainability, and so critical to

our overall long term health. This will not be easy or quick. But with our engagement

strategy in place now for the last two years, a strategy that focuses on community

partnerships and engagement opportunities like this evening, we are seeing the results,

and I believe very much on the right track.

As a community development organization our ability to succeed depends upon

the work of our lay leadership. I just want to add my voice of thanks to all the dedicated

lay leadership who have spent countless hours devoted to making our community

better. Of special note this year is Tim Stern who single handedly recreated a volunteer

campaign committee and whose leadership is helping us attract a new generation of

support. I also want to thank Mark Zorensky for stepping up yet again into Federation

leadership—I think you may not have realized what you got yourself into, but I am very

glad all the same that you did! And finally to Harvey Wallace’s leadership: Harvey’s

singular focus on security and community relationships is making our community

simultaneously stronger and safer, and I look forward to working together during this

next final year of your chairmanship.

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Now you can read more about our accomplishments in your Annual report, as

well as have an important document to help you understand the impact of our work. I

want to take this opportunity to thank Nancy Tully, our Senior Director of Marketing and

her staff: Penny Taylor, Amy Pakett, Samantha March, Grace Cohen, and Jason

Williams who has been helping us so beautifully communicate our message over the

last two years, and is also responsible for the event this evening [Applause!] And a

special note of thanks for the work of our new campaign manager, Joel Frankel, whose

hard and passionate work have already yielded great results.

Finally, I want to thank the other members of my senior staff who are here

tonight: Stephen Cohen, our VP of Planning and Allocations; Don Hannon, our Chief

Financial Officer, and finally the person that is the key to any success that we may ever

have: my executive assistant, Clayton Merritt.

110 years ago my grandparents were able to come to America because of the

support that Federated philanthropies like ours were able to provide. 110 years later it

is with deep feeling and meaning that I see that continuity before my own eyes. Not just

in the legacy of our board chairs, or in the memory of Alyn and Sig, nor even just in the

hundreds of use gathered here this evening. I see that continuity very personally in the

eyes of Morris’s and Frances’s daughter, my mother Beverly who raised me to love our

tradition, our learning and our people as a catalyst to do great things in the world. It is

with a profound sense of tradition that I then see through the eyes of Miggie, to my son

Hoben who along with Beverly is here tonight, and Emma who is with us in spirit at

college in New York. It is this family, close and extended all of whom have so beautifully

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enhanced my life, all of you who work so hard for our community and demonstrate day

in and day out the power of our people, the strength of our tradition and value of making

Jewish community part of a life well lived.

Thank you so much again for this opportunity to lead.

FRED A. GOLDSTEIN AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

EACH YEAR THE FEDERATION RECOGNIZES AN OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL AMONG THOSE

WHO HAVE WORKED FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS AND MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE

COMMUNITY. I AM HONORED TO INTRODUCE THIS YEAR’S FRED A. GOLDSTEIN AWARD FOR

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP RECIPIENT, JEAN CAVENDER. JEAN, PLEASE JOIN ME ON STAGE AS

WE WATCH THIS VIDEO CELEBRATING YOUR LEADERSHIP.

[PLAY VIDEO 3: JEAN CAVENDER]

[JEAN TO THE STAGE]

JEAN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & LEARNING

CENTER AND OUR COMMUNITY.

ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE ST. LOUIS JEWISH COMMUNITY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION,

YOUR PASSION, YOUR INTELLECT AND YOUR PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK

ALL PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE GOLDSTEIN AWARD TO PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED WITH

JEAN.

[APPLAUSE. ANDREW HANDS AWARD TO JEAN AND POSES FOR PICTURE. JEAN LEAVES THE

STAGE].

6:15 (ANDREW REMAINS AT PODIUM. JEAN RETURNS TO SEAT)

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STATE OF THE FEDERATION

I WOULD NOW LIKE TO CALL UP KEN RUBIN, PARTNER AT RUBINBROWN AND FEDERATION

TRUSTEE, TO PRESENT THE RUBINBROWN CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AWARD.

(APPLAUSE)

6:20 (ANDREW REHFELD SITS DOWN. KEN RUBIN TO THE STAGE)

RUBINBROWN CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AWARD

THANK YOU, ANDREW. RUBINBROWN IS THRILLED TO SPONSOR THE CORPORATE LEADERSHIP

AWARD AGAIN THIS YEAR. THIS AWARD GOES TO A COMPANY THAT EXEMPLIFIES

PHILANTHROPIC LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD

DEMONSTRATES A COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO PHILANTHROPY THAT ENHANCES ST.

LOUIS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. THIS YEAR, THE RECIPIENT OF THE RUBINBROWN CORPORATE

LEADERSHIP AWARD IS BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL. PLEASE TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE

SCREENS TO SEE WHY BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL IS SO DESERVING OF THIS HONOR.

[PLAY VIDEO 4: BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL]

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME RICHARD STEIN, PRESIDENT OF BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, TO

PLEASE JOIN ME ON STAGE TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD.

[APPLAUSE WHILE RICHARD STEIN JOINS KEN RUBIN ON STAGE. KEN HANDS AWARD TO

RICHARD AND POSES FOR PICTURE. RICHARD LEAVES THE STAGE].

AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE PATTY CROUGHAN, OUR IMMEDIATE PAST

PRESIDENT.

6:25 (KEN TO LEAVE THE STAGE, PATTY TO THE PODIUM)

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ELECTION OF OFFICERS- PATTY CROUGHAN

THANK YOU, KEN. NOW IT IS TIME TO CONDUCT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS - ELECTION OF

TRUSTEES, DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

BEFORE WE CONDUCT THE ELECTION FOR 2016-2017, WE HAVE TO ANNOUNCE A CHANGE IN

THE SLATE. TWO WEEKS AGO MICHAEL OBERLANDER STEPPED DOWN FROM HIS ROLE AS

TREASURER TO SERVE AS OUR NEW CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER. BECAUSE OUR BY-LAWS

REQUIRE THAT AT LEAST A 20 DAY NOTICE IS GIVEN FOR ANYONE TO BE ELECTED TO THE

BOARD. THE SLATE OF OFFICERS HAS CHANGED FROM WHAT WAS PUBLISHED. WE WILL THUS

BE LEAVING THE OFFICE OF TREASURER UNFILLED FOR THE NEXT BOARD TO

APPOINT. HOWEVER THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE HAS MET AND NOMINATED MARK

ZORENSKY TO SERVE AS TREASURER. MARK IS A FORMER FEDERATION BOARD MEMBER,

CHAIR OF OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE, AND A LONG TIME MEMBER OF THE BUDGET FINANCE AND

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE. FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING

MARK’S NAME AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE ROLE OF TREASURER DURING THE ELECTION,

HOWEVER FORMALLY THIS APPOINTMENT WILL TAKE AFFECT AFTER THE NEW BOARD

APPOINTS HIM TO THAT POSITION.

BEFORE WE BEING OUR ELECTIONS, WE WOULD LIKE TO FIRST SAY ‘THANK YOU’ TO ALL THOSE

WHO END THEIR CURRENT TERMS AS AT LARGE DIRECTORS AND TRUSTEES. SUSAN GODWIN

KOFKOFF, IAN SILBERMAN, KEN RUBIN AND DANA EMMENEGER. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO

THANK MICHAEL OBERLANDER FOR HIS DECADE OF SERVICE ON THE BOARD AND FIVE YEARS

AS AN OFFICER AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM IN HIS NEW PROFESSIONAL

ROLE.

(APPLAUSE)

WE BEGIN OUR ELECTIONS WITH A VOTE ON THE CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

LISTED IN YOUR PROGRAM. THIS INCLUDES 16 AT LARGE CANDIDATES AND 1 NEW COUNCIL OF

LIFE MEMBER.

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TONIGHT WE ARE HONORED TO NOMINATE BARRY ROSENBERG TO THE COUNCIL OF LIFE, A

POSITION THAT, PENDING YOUR VOTE, WILL MAKE BARRY A FEDERATION TRUSTEE. YOU ALL

KNOW THAT BARRY WAS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR HISTORY, HAVING SERVED AS CHIEF

EXECUTIVE OFFICER FROM 1993 – 2012, CAPPING OFF A 37 YEAR CAREER OF SUCCESSFUL NON-

PROFIT MANAGEMENT IN THE FEDERATION SYSTEM. BARRY HAS ALSO REMAINED ACTIVELY

INVOLVED IN OUR WORK AS AN IMPORTANT ADVISOR TO ANDREW, AS A VOLUNTEER

SOLICITOR AND AS A MAJOR DONOR. ADDITIONALLY, BARRY NOW LEADS THE ISRAEL

STRATEGY COMMITTEE OF THE JCRC. BARRY, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE AND WE

LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU FULLY ONTO THIS “OTHER SIDE” AS A MEMBER OF OUR

ESTEEMED COUNCIL OF LIFE.

[APPLAUSE]

IN ADDITION TO BARRY’S NOMINATION, WE HAVE 16 AT LARGE TRUSTEES NOMINATED FOR A

TWO YEAR TERM, INCLUDING 3 NEW MEMBERS. PLEASE RISE AS I CALL YOUR NAME: ALLEN

FINE, LEXIE GOLDSMITH AND SUSAN GODWIN KOFKOFF. ALLEN, LEXIE AND SUSAN JOIN 13

CURRENT TRUSTEES ELECTED FOR ANOTHER TERM OF SERVICE: STUART BLOCK, JASON COHEN,

CHARLIE DEUTSCH, PHIL FRISCHER, STEPHANIE GROSS, AMY BENDER LEVY, AUDREY KATCHER,

MILTON MOVITZ, RABBI HERSHEY NOVACK, GERALD PADAWER, BRAD SNITZER, JOHN WALLACH

AND JOSH WALLACH.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ELECT THESE NOMINEES? A SECOND?

“ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAY NAY. HEARING NONE, THE AT LARGE TRUSTEES

ARE ELECTED UNANIMOUSLY.”

WE CONTINUE OUR ELECTIONS WITH A VOTE BY THE TRUSTEES ON OUR NEW DIRECTORS.

TONIGHT 8 MEMBERS HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR A TWO YEAR TERM AS AT-LARGE

MEMBERS. THESE INCLUDE 1 NEW AND 1 RETURNING MEMBER: KATHERINE GREEN BRUCKEL

AND MICHAEL LITWACK. KATHY AND MICHAEL JOIN THE FOLLOWING 6 CURRENT DIRECTORS

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NOMINATED FOR A RENEWED TERM OF SERVICE: JJ FLOTKEN, GIANNA JACOBSON, EMILY STEIN

MACDONALD, MICHAEL STAENBERG, RABBI SUSAN TALVE AND TOBY WARTICOVSCHI.

DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE TRUSTEES TO ELECT THE NOMINEES? A SECOND? “ALL IN

FAVOR, SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAY NAY. HEARING NONE, THE DIRECTORS ARE ELECTED

UNANIMOUSLY.”

WE COMPLETE OUR ELECTIONS WITH A VOTE BY THE DIRECTORS ON THE NEW SLATE OF

OFFICERS WHOSE TERMS ARE UP THIS YEAR—THE 5 VICE CHAIRS AND OUR SECRETARY. ALL

CURRENT OFFICERS HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR A SECOND YEAR FOR THE POSITIONS LISTED

IN YOUR PROGRAM: TIMOTHY STERN, DAVID KASLOW, SUSAN SCHLICHTER, GERALD P.

GREIMAN, AND KEN KRANZBERG. ADDITIONALLY, AS MENTIONED, WE HAVE ADDED MARK

ZORENSKY AS THE NEW TREASURER.

DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE DIRECTORS TO ELECT THE NOMINATED OFFICERS? A

SECOND? “ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAY NAY. HEARING NONE, THE OFFICERS ARE

ELECTED UNANIMOUSLY."

OUR ELECTIONS ARE NOW CONCLUDED AND ALL TRUSTEES, DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS ARE

DULY INSTALLED. WOULD ALL OF THOSE ELECTED THIS EVENING, PLEASE STAND AND ACCEPT

OUR THANKS.

(APPLAUSE).

CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, COMMITMENT, AND

SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE

BOARD DEVELOPMENT AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE FOR THEIR WORK IN THIS VITAL

PROCESS: SHEILA GREENBAUM, JOHN B. GREENBERG, JOHN KALISHMAN, KEN KRANZBERG,

RACHEL LUBCHANSKY, BRIGITTE ROSENBERG, DONN RUBIN, IAN SILBERMAN, BRAD SNITZER,

EMILY STEIN MACDONALD, AND JANE ROODMAN WEISS.

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(APPLAUSE)

6:30 (PATTY TO EXIT THE STAGE. HARVEY TO THE PODIUM)

CLOSING REMARKS- HARVEY

THANK YOU PATTY FOR LEADING OUR ELECTIONS. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO ALL THOSE

WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR CAMPAIGN CHAIR, TIM

STERN. THANK TIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.

(TIM STERN TO THE PODIUM)

THANK YOU, HARVEY. HELLO EVERYONE, I AM TIM STERN, THE CAMPAIGN CHAIR. I WOULD

LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN US ON THE FIELD RIGHT NOW FOR OUR CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF

EVENT!! THERE IS BALLPARK FOOD, AN INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER, VISITS TO THE DUGOUTS AND

MUCH MORE WAITING ON THE FIELD. PLEASE FOLLOW THE STAFF IN THE RED POLO SHIRTS TO

THE FIELD. SEE YOU DOWN THERE!