Volunteer Opportunities

Jewish Volunteer Opportunities for Fall 2025

Give Your Time • Shaare Your Heart • Jewish Volunteering!

High Holiday Volunteering

High Holiday Tzedakah Collecting

We will again collect monetary donations to support The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, St. Louis Food Bank and Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger. We need volunteers to stand with the Tzedakah cans. This is a great opportunity for all ages.

High Holiday Food Drive Volunteering

We will have one group collecting the food in carts at the South Lobby (Sanctuary entrance) and another group sorting and boxing the food in the North lobby (main office entrance). Feel free to join services once the majority of the food is packed.

A Ride to Services, A Gift of Belonging

Help bring our seniors to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. By offering a ride, you’ll give the gift of connection and community at this sacred time. Sign up for a time and we will let you know if your kindness is needed.

The International Institute of St. Louis Needs Us!

Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Immigration Advocacy & Action Committee

Four volunteers will go each Friday to assist with various projects that the Institute staff needs help with. This could include organizing supplies for educational programs, working in the food pantry, or assisting with the community bazaar. It may be different each week. There is no long-term commitment required; pick the dates that work for you. Volunteers can also choose to carpool from Shaare Emeth if desired.

For questions, please contact Sue Picus.

Oak Hill Elementary School

Oak Hill Elementary needs help setting up their new library. You will be assisting the Library Aide, Ms. Ewing, in organizing the new books and shelving them.

ABOUT

Madeleine Elkins & Harvey Wallace

2025 Harris Frank Community Service Award Honorees

Madeleine and Harvey have been cherished members of Congregation Shaare Emeth since 1996. Shortly after their wedding, they began “shul shopping” and quickly found a spiritual home at Shaare Emeth—a community whose warmth and values resonated deeply with them. Since then, they have become pillars of both the congregation and the broader St. Louis community.

Madeleine Elkins built a distinguished 45-year career in the corporate world, with leadership roles in medical supply distribution and law firm financial management. Alongside her professional accomplishments, Madeleine has always made time for meaningful volunteer work. She served on the board of the St. Louis Breast Cancer Coalition and was part of the organizing committee for the JCC Senior Olympics in its early years. Her dedication to Jewish community life is evident in her service on various committees for the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, including co-chairing the 2017 L’Chaim Event. In 2022, she and Harvey co-chaired the JCC’s J’la gala, raising vital funds for scholarships. At Shaare Emeth, Madeleine is a compassionate member of the Caring Committee, and in 2025, she joined the board of the American Jewish Committee, continuing her lifelong commitment to advocacy and service.

Harvey Wallace is a trailblazer in the accounting world and a passionate community leader. In 1973, he co-founded Brown Smith Wallace, a firm that grew to become the 77th largest CPA firm in the United States, with 340 team members at the time of its 2021 merger with Armanino LLP. He now brings his expertise to Private Fiduciary Solutions. Harvey’s professional success is matched by his extraordinary record of community service. He has held leadership roles on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Federation of St. Louis (where he served as Chairman from 2015 to 2017), Jewish Family Services, The Magic House (Chairman, 2013–2014), Wyman Center, and the Chancellor’s Council at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. His civic engagement also includes board service with the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the St. Louis Community Foundation, and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center. Harvey has been a dedicated member of the St. Louis Men’s Group Against Cancer and was honored with the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants Outstanding Public Service Award.

Madeleine and Harvey are blessed with two sons and daughters-in-law, Brad & Elizabeth Wallace and David & Melissa Wallace, and four grandchildren Emma (23), Katie (19), Miriam (13), and Aaron (11).

Together, Madeleine and Harvey exemplify the spirit of generosity, leadership, and compassion. Their decades of service have touched countless lives and strengthened the fabric of our community. We are proud to honor them with the 2025 Harris Frank Community Service Award.