Sheri and Paul Robbins and Gary Hammer Celebrated for their Dedication

March 26, 2008

Paul and Sheri Robbins

Gary Hammer

(Los Altos, CA) –Community leaders will be honored for their dedication and commitment at a special event hosted by South Peninsula region of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties on May 27, 2008.  The Harvey Koch Leadership Award will be granted to Paul and Sheri Robbins, and the Jim Brooks Achievement Award will be bestowed on Gary Hammer.

Bruce Landgarten, Director, South Peninsula Region, says of the three recipients,“We are very proud that Paul, Sheri, and Gary of the South Peninsula have been honored with these awards of distinction. Their impressive dedication and accomplishments are inspiring and challenge us all to improve and meet their high level of enthusiasm within our philanthropic endeavors.”

The Harvey Koch Leadership Award was established in 1991 to honor Harvey Koch, a pioneer in helping to develop the local Federation community on the South Peninsula and the first president of the Federation’s South Peninsula Council. The award is presented to a South Peninsula leader who has made a significant and lasting contribution over many years to this community.

The recipients of this year’s Harvey Koch Leadership Award, Paul and Sheri Robbins, have been recognized for decades of leadership in the Bay Area Jewish community. Paul and Sheri Robbins met and fell in love as teenagers at Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto, where they are still active members.  The organizations that have benefited from Paul and Sheri’s time, talent, and expertise read like a laundry list of local organizations, from day schools and adult education to community alliances and centers.  Among the core values that Paul and Sheri have always shared is a passionate commitment to Jewish education, sending all three of their children to Jewish day schools and taking active leadership roles at the schools, serving on and chairing numerous committees and boards. Together, Paul and Sheri currently serve as Vice Chairs of the Jewish Community Federation’s 2007-2008 South Peninsula Campaign, co-chairs of the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School Capital Campaign, and members of the Federation’s South Peninsula Council. Paul has devoted many hours to serving on the Kehillah Head of School Search Committee and on the Transition Committee.

The Jim Brooks Achievement Award was established in 1995 to commemorate the memory of Jim Brooks, who dedicated himself to carrying on the work that his father-in-law, Harvey Koch, had begun many years before. Jim served with distinction as president of the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center. He was a long-time member of Congregation Beth Am and a friend to many in the community. This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the South Peninsula community within a relatively short period of time, and who has shown potential for future leadership.

Gary Hammer, the recipient of this year’s Jim Brooks Achievement Award, currently serves as president of Congregation Etz Chayim in Palo Alto, which is celebrating its thirteenth year.  As president, his focus has been on transitioning Etz Chayim from "start-up" to a more mature organization while maintaining Etz Chayim's participatory culture.  Before becoming president, Gary was instrumental in finding Etz Chayim's current home, negotiating the purchase, and overseeing the renovation of the building.  For several years, Gary facilitated the parent education section of Etz Chayim's MiDor L'Dor family class for kindergarten and first grade families.

Gary is an alumnus of the Wexner Heritage Fellowship program.  Professionally, he has been part of the founding and/or management teams of several technology start-up companies, including Great Circle Water, an environmental technology company.

Gary says “Receiving the Jim Brooks Award is gratifying both as a recognition of my work, and the work of our young congregation to define a unique role in our community.”

The Harvey Koch Leadership Award and the Jim Brooks Achievement Award are made possible by the Jewish Community Endowment Fund of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties.

The Jewish Community Federation is the central organization for fundraising, planning, outreach and leadership development for Jewish communities in San Francisco, the Peninsula, and Marin and Sonoma counties. In fiscal year 2006-07, the Federation’s annual campaign allocated about $18.9 million to over 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 2007, the Federation’s Endowment Fund, with assets of almost $3 billion, provided more than $285 million for a variety of grants, seed projects, and emergency needs. For more information, call 415.777.0411 or visit www.sfjcf.org.

For interviews or more information, please contact the South Peninsula office at southpen@sfjcf.org or 650.919.2100.

###