June 7, 2006

San Francisco, CA) – Once again the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties and its Endowment Fund will recognize individuals and programs for their outstanding service and impact on the Bay Area Jewish community. It is through the hard work, dedication and talent these individuals exemplify that the spirit of serving the community is illustrated.

This year’s winners, to be announced at the Federation’s 96th annual meeting on Thursday, June 15 at the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco, are as follows:

Jewish Community Federation 2006 Awards of Excellence

The Jewish Community Federation’s Awards of Excellence honors those that have shown excellence in service and leadership within the Jewish community. Candidates are nominated by their peers in four categories; Volunteer of the Year, Program of the Year, Agency Staff Person of the Yearand Jewish Community Federation Staff Person of the Year. The Federation also recognizes excellence in leadership through the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Young Leadership and the Robert Sinton Award for Distinguished Leader of the Year.

The 2006 Jewish Community Federation Awards of Excellence recipients are:

Volunteer of the Year

Sanford Tandowsky

Agency Staff Person of the Year

Michael Kamler, executive director, Congregation Rodef Sholom

Program of the Year

JVS Kohn Summer Intern Program

Jewish Community Federation Staff Person of the Year

Maxine Epstein, Marin regional director

Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Young Leadership

Susie Sorkin

Robert Stinton Extraordinary Leader of the Year

Donald Seiler

Helen Diller Family Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education 2006

The Helen Diller Family Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education pay tribute to educators who have made an extraordinary impact on the youth of our Jewish community through early childhood, day, congregational and community school settings, and through informal educational programs.

These awards are funded by a grant from the Helen Diller Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. Each recipient receives a gift of $10,000 in recognition of his or her contributions. An additional grant of $2,500 is awarded to each winner's educational institution. In creating these awards through the Endowment Fund’s Imprint program, the Helen Diller Supporting Foundation hopes to foster an increased appreciation for the role of Jewish educators and their critical impact on the future of our children. 

The 2006 Helen Diller Family Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education go to:

• Congregation/Community School: Cheryl Cohen, Temple Beth Torah, Fremont
• Congregation/Community School: Sherry E. Knazan, Congregation Shomrei Torah, Santa Rosa
• Congregation/Community School: Atara Maolem, Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, Palo Alto
• Early Childhood Education: Debra Katz Klein, Albert L. Schultz JCC, Palo Alto
• Informal Education: Rick Concoff, Congregation Beth Ami, Santa Rosa

Grinspoon–Steinhardt Awards

The Grinspoon-Steinhard Awards are designed to recognize, honor and support outstanding classroom Jewish educators. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation partner with local agencies and federations throughout North America to select these winners. 

The 2006 recipients of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award are:

• Dr. Peggy Sandel, teacher of Judaic studies and prayer, Jewish Community High School of the Bay, San Francisco
• Rabbi Joey Felsen, teacher and director of curriculum development at Kehillah Jewish High School, Palo Alto

Recipients will be honored at the Federation’s 96th annual meeting, on Thursday, June 15, 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street. Open to the community, the annual meeting serves to reflect upon the developments and achievements of the past year, thank and bid farewell to members of the Federation community, and welcome new faces. To RSVP, call 415.777.4545 or go to www.sfjcf.org.

The Jewish Community Federation is the central organization for fundraising, planning, outreach and leadership development for Jewish communities in San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. In FY 2004-05, the Federation’s annual campaign allocated $16.9 million to some 60 agencies providing social services, educational and cultural programs in the Bay Area, in the U.S., Israel and elsewhere in the world. In fiscal year 2005, the Federation’s Endowment Fund, with assets exceeding $1.05 billion, provided more than $215 million for a variety of grants, seed projects and emergency needs in fiscal year 2004/2005. For information, call 415.777.0411 or visit www.sfjcf.org.

Jewish Community Federation 2006 Awards of Excellence

Volunteer of the Year — Sanford Tandowsky

Sanford “Sandy” Tandowsky has been involved with the Jewish community for many years in a variety of capacities in numerous Jewish organizations. He is tireless in his efforts, remarkable also because of the breadth of volunteering opportunities in which he participates at one time and all done with great humility. To name just a few, Tandowsky has served on the boards of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), the Peninsula JCC (PJCC) and the Jewish Public Affairs Council (JPAC), has managed pro bono the construction of Peninsula Temple Sholom, has served on the Federation’s Capital Planning Committee, has been a tutor with the Jewish Coalition for Literacy. And Tandowsky, with his wife Selma, has instilled in his children this same commitment to the Jewish community, seen by their own involvement each day. In the words of someone who has served with him in many capacities, “Sandy is an unsung hero.”

Agency Staff Person of the Year — Michael Kamler, Executive Director, Congregation Rodef Sholom

Michael Kamler has worked in the Jewish community for more than 25years. When he arrived at Rodef Sholom four years ago, he joined a congregation undergoing a major transition. The senior rabbi of 27 years was retiring and the congregation was in the process of choosing a new one. Add to that the fact that the annual operating budget was almost $200,000 in the red. By encouraging collaboration and communication, Kamler has helped retire the debt and balanced the budget for the last three years. His fresh ideas and inclusive manner have emboldened the staff and congregation to expect more from their synagogue. As a result, the programming and day-to-day operations have improved dramatically, increasing involvement and enthusiasm. In the words of one congregant, “Michael exemplifies what a Jewish communal worker should be.”

Program of the Year — JVS Kohn Summer Intern Program

Now in its 21st year, the JVS Kohn Summer Intern Program is designed to inspire Jewish college students to develop a life-long relationship with the Jewish community through placement with more than 20 Jewish agencies around the Bay Area. Supported by the Federation’s Endowment Fund, to date more than 400 college students have gone through the program, gaining valuable workplace experience, an introduction to volunteering in the Jewish community and exposure to issues facing the Jewish community. For many of these young people, the Kohn Summer Intern Program is the first step towards involvement in Jewish life outside of their family or college experiences. To paraphrase one intern, ‘I’ve become more aware of... the interconnectedness of all the Jewish agencies and how important that is to the survival of the community.”

2006 Judith Chapman Women’s Leadership Award — Sonja “Sunny” Kaplan

Sonya “Sunny” Kaplan has been active in the local Jewish community for over 35 years. Her involvement has included participating in the Women's Alliance division of the Federation, including serving as president, chairing the Federation’s annual Campaign in the South Peninsula region, and serving as president and co-founder of the South Peninsula Regional Council. Kaplan is also responsible for developing the early funding for what is now the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto, the Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School and Hatikvah House, the only home in Northern California for developmentally disabled Jewish young adults.

Receiving the Judith Chapman Women’s Leadership Award was particularly special for Kaplan since she was a close friend of Chapman’s. She explains, “My dear friend, Judith Chapman of blessed memory, started me on a new path almost 10 years ago with a few simple words: ‘I can't do this but you can.’ That uncharted and difficult path led to the creation of an organization called Hatikvah House, which today provides housing for Jewish developmentally disabled adults. It is the only Jewish organization in the Bay Area that provides this service. It became a passion in my life to help those who could least help themselves to live fuller Jewish lives and become integrated into the Jewish community. Along the way it enriched my life as well.”

Jewish Community Federation Staff Person of the Year — Maxine Epstein, Marin Regional Director

Maxine Epstein has been part of the Federation “family” for almost 11 years, serving as regional director for Marin County since 1995, as well as major gifts director prior to that. During her tenure she has made a tremendous contribution — as a fundraiser, community organizer and as a person whose life frames her commitment to the Jewish community she cares so deeply about. Epstein has a great love of Jewish learning, which inspired her to help establish various innovative programs focused on building community and cultivating leadership through Jewish study, the most noted being the “Communities of Learning.” She tirelessly works to build community by building relationships with residents and organizations in the Marin region, bringing her keen sense of humor, Jewish knowledge, experience and insight to the process. Epstein’s dedication has resulted in increased giving in the Marin region, not to mention life-long relationships with donors and volunteers, and a community made stronger by her efforts. In the words of someone who has worked with Maxine for a number of years, “If there were an award for Communal Professional of the Decade, I would have nominated her for that instead.”

Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Young Leadership — Susie Sorkin

Susie Sorkin has had a long and active career in the North Peninsula Jewish community. Her accomplishments on behalf of the Federation have focused on the North Peninsula Women’s Alliance, where she has served as president and Campaign chairperson, and as a member of the Federation's Strategic Planning Committee. In addition, Sorkin has served as a member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet of the United Jewish Communities of North America (UJC), been a member of the Peninsula Sinai congregation and the Peninsula Jewish Community Center, and served as part of the community campaign team for the North Peninsula Jewish Campus. Sorkin is currently on the board of and has been an active volunteer at the Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School and is a recent graduate of the Wexner Heritage Program. According to someone who has served with her in many capacities, “Susie has a deep commitment to our Jewish community and we see it everyday.”

Robert Sinton Award for Distinguished Leader of the Year — Donald Seiler

Don Seiler has been an active participant in and supporter of numerous organizations both in the Jewish and the general community for many years. He has served as president of the Board for both the Jewish Community Federation and Congregation Beth Am, and has been a director of the Jewish Home, Mt. Zion Hospital, United Jewish Community Centers and the Bureau of Jewish Education. Currently Seiler is an officer of the Board of the Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life in Palo Alto.

Along with his involvement in Jewish organizations, Seiler has served as past vice chairman and member of the Board of Stanford Medical Center. Together with his wife Ruth, he is the founder of the friends of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford Medical Center.

Seiler exemplifies the spirit of the Robert Sinton Award in that he doesn’t say no when he is needed in the community—whether it’s for his leadership, his ability to raise money or his guidance and counsel.

Helen Diller Family Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education

Cheryl Cohen, Temple Beth Torah, Fremont

Cheryl Cohen’s enthusiasm for Jewish learning is contagious. She maintains a connection with many of her former students and families and is currently mentoring one of her former students who plans on attending Rabbinical school. As the mother of a deaf child, Cohen is acutely aware of the need to reflect a combination of visual, auditory and kinesthetic teaching methods. Her classroom is a comfortable environment where children have choices. In 2005, Cohen co-chaired the Conference for Alternatives in Jewish Educators. She responds to the needs of others by personally volunteering to run a program, by helping with fund raising or by convincing the Temple board of a program’s value.

Sherry E. Knazan, Congregation Shomrei Torah, Santa Rosa

Sherry Knazan believes Jewish educators need to teach students how to apply the vast treasure of Jewish knowledge to issues and choices they face every day. She is passionate about family education. In one of her popular fifth grade lessons — Pull Up a Chair and Have a Seat — the family designs a chair to become the medium for Jewish learning, studying Torah and discussing the mitzvah of “welcoming the stranger.” The relevancy of Judaism guides every session. She is equally able to hook teens into Jewish learning and foster community. Knazan believes in the continuity of quality education from one site to another, and her commitment goes far beyond her own classroom.

Atara Maolem, Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School Day School, Palo Alto

Atara Maolem was born and raised in Jerusalem, a daughter in a Zionist Orthodox family. Her studies in Biblical archaeology inform her classes. She believes in experience-based learning and hands-on activities. When studying biblical ancestors, third graders build a tent, bake pita bread, spin wool and dig in their own excavations. Maolem has created dozens of short documentaries on subjects such as The Light of the Menorah, which star the children and mixes narrative with authentic footage. “In Israel, I accumulated passion and ideas, but they always stayed within me behind the gender partition in the synagogue. Abroad I found release and the freedom to express my spirituality,” she says.

Debra Katz Klein, Albert L. Schultz JCC, Palo Alto

Debra Katz Klein is “a ball of Jewish energy.” She knows how to adapt curriculum to follow the interest and energy levels of children. An avid history/genealogy buff, Klein enjoys connecting the children’s family histories with stories of Jewish immigration and general world history. She is a master story teller, introducing Jewish “superheroes” to teach positive Jewish values. Klein’s greatest strength is her relationship with families; she truly views parents as her partners and is known for her personal emails to them relating specific anecdotes about their children’s experiences. She has created some of the best attended family programming in the community.

Rick Concoff, Congregation Beth Ami, Santa Rosa

Rick Concoff has been a Jewish educator since he was 15 years old. “My love and passion for Jewish education, coupled with my inner sense of how to educate, drove me to life as a Jewish teacher,” he says. Today, Concoff single-handedly runs the most successful youth group in Sonoma County, drawing high school students from eight different towns and cities. He helps young people view their problems and experiences through the prism of Jewish values. By exposing his students to the Jewish perspective and helping them become better informed, Concoff helps them build confidence in their Jewish identities. He offers honesty, humor and friendship and is an ethical role model for young adults. 

Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards

Dr. Peggy Sandel, Judaic Studies Teacher
Jewish Community High School of the Bay, San Francisco

The year that Dr. Peggy Sandel spent studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem had a profound impact on her; it was then that she decided to commit herself to Jewish learning and to helping the Jewish community thrive. Through her expertise in translation, her literary and historic background and her knowledge of classic Jewish literature, Sandel educates her high school students in the practice and skills of living a Jewish life. She has been a major influence in developing high expectations for the High School of the Bay’s seniors and helping to pioneer the Senior Keystone Project, in which students undertake a multi-faceted research project under the guidance of a faculty advisor.

Rabbi Joey Felsen, Teacher
Kehillah Jewish High School, Palo Alto

Rabbi Joey Felsen’s energy and personal conviction is contagious. He strives to build critical thinkers, who can apply their new-found skills not only to Jewish texts, but to secular subjects as well. Felsen has been instrumental in developing the School’s revamped Jewish text curriculum; his students engage in lively discussions and debates about some of the central themes in Jewish law and their contemporary applications. He makes it a point to know the entire student body and is often the first one to notice a special circumstance. Felsen’s sensitive “listening ear” and wisdom are invaluable in helping students at difficult times in their lives.