Columnist Jean Gonick recognized for her skillful, thoughtful writing

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jean Gonick has been selected as the first recipient of a $5,000 grant from the newly established Anne and Robert Cowan Writers’ Fund of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. This annual unsolicited award honors extraordinary published Bay Area Jewish writers. Ms. Gonick was chosen based on her compassionate and intelligent writing, which has touched the hearts of her fans and followers in the tradition of Jewish wit.

The Anne and Robert Cowan Writers’ Fund was established to recognize and award writers on an annual basis who have made an exceptional impact in the Bay Area through their uniquely Jewish perspective. Awardees must be published Jewish writers who reside in the Bay Area, are considered exceptionally gifted by their peers and readers, write with a high degree of creativity and intelligence, include positive Jewish themes in their subject matter and refer to Israel in a supportive and constructive manner.

The annual nomination and selection process for the award is determined by a committee of professionals, academics and published writers, which also chooses a magazine, literary supplement and journal or both for publication and promotion of the recipient’s writing. There are no stipulations as to how the $5,000 grant may be used.

The Writers’ Fund Award selection committee stated: “Jean Gonick’s ‘Failing at Living’ column plumbs the heartbreaking tragedies of Americans seeking success but almost never meeting the normative upper-middle class standards, and often suffering discouraging setbacks…but are still able to succeed and remain true to themselves.”

“I am absolutely floored and delighted to be receiving this distinguished award. The committee has understood my intent with more perception and accuracy than I have myself, which makes me feel not just affirmed, but wonderfully clarified. It just shows what can come from a lifetime of failing,” says Gonick.

Gonick’s San Francisco Chronicle column “Failing At Living” appears every Friday in Datebook. She is also a former columnist at San Francisco Focus magazine. Gonick received her award on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) as part of a presentation by former UPI correspondent Ruth Ellen Gruber titled “The Jews of Eastern Europe Today.” This event was co-sponsored by the JCCSF’s Taube Center for Jewish Life and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

In fiscal year 2003–2004, the Federation’s Endowment Fund, with assets exceeding $770 million, provided more than $207 million for a variety of grants, seed projects and emergency needs in the Jewish and general communities.

For more information call 415.777.0411.