Contact: Donald Cohen-Cutler 212.650.4213 List of Winners Below
30 Reform Congregations to Receive the Irving J. Fain Award for Outstanding Synagogue Social Action Programming
NEW YORK–April 4, 2007– Congregations from Canada to Florida, New York to California represent the 30 Irving J. Fain Award Winners for Outstanding Synagogue Social Action Programming presented by the Union for Reform Judaism.
The Fain Awards are presented during the Consultation on Conscience, the biennial public policy conference of the Reform Jewish Movement and are among the highest honors available to congregations within the Movement.
Rabbi Marla Feldman, Director of the Commission on Social Action, speaking on the importance of the Fain Awards said, “The congregations that win Fain Awards are embodiments of the passion for social justice that spurred the prophets of ancient Israel and inspired the founders of Reform Judaism. They bring hope and healing to their communities and fulfill the Jewish mandate "l'taken et haolam" -- to repair our broken world."
The Fain Awards were established in 1983 in the honor and memory of Irving J. Fain, who was a passionate proponent of social justice and of the Reform Movement’s active commitment to the work of tikkun olam. Mr. Fain served for a decade as chairperson of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. This award is given every two years to congregations whose work in the area of social justice is exemplary, have successfully involved large numbers of congregants in their programs and have developed genuinely innovative and/or particularly effective projects.
The awards will be presented by some of the Reform Movement’s most honored leaders, including Rabbi Eric Yoffie, Rabbi David Saperstein, executive director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and Rabbi Marla Feldman, director of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism.
As recipients of the Fain Award at the Consultation on Conscience, these congregations will be held up as an example of how an individual congregation can be successful in the sacred work of tikkun olam, healing the world. The award winning programs will be distributed widely in a booklet highlighting this year’s Fain Award recipients. These exemplary programs are also available on the Religious Action Center’s online program bank, at www.rac.org.
The Union for Reform Judaism (formerly the Union of American Hebrew Congregations) is the central body of Reform Judaism in North America, uniting 1.5 million Reform Jews in more than 900 synagogues. Union services include camps, music and book publishing, outreach to unaffiliated and intermarried Jews, educational programs, and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, D.C.
Winning Congregations: Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom - Montreal, Quebec Congregation Rodeph Shalom - New York, NY Union Temple of Brooklyn - Brooklyn, NY Beth Hillel Temple - Kenosha WI Temple Emanu-El - Westfield, NJ B'nai Sholom - Albany, NY Congregation Shir Hadash - Los Gatos CA Congragation Beth Torah - Ventura CA Temple Emanuel - Cherry Hill, NJ Congregation Schaarai Zedek - Tampa, FL Temple Sinai - Miami Beach FL Temple Sinai - Atlanta GA B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim - Glenview, IL Temple Isaiah - Lexington, MA Congregation Emanuel - Denver, CO Congregation Shaare Emeth - St. Louis, Mo Temple Sinai - Oakland CA Barnert Temple - Franklin Lakes, NJ Temple Beth-El, Monroe Temple of Liberal Judaism - Monroe, NY Congreagation Bet Haverim - Davis, CA Temple Dor Dorim - Weston, FL Congregation Emanu-El - San Francisco CA Temple Beth Shalom - Santa Fe, NM Am Shalom - Barrie, Ontario Temple Sinai - Toronto, Ontario Central Synagogue - New York, NY Temple Adath Israel - Lexington, KY Congregation Gates of Heaven Schenectady NY Temple Brith Kodesh - Rochester, NY Temple Beth Torah - Nyack, NY
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