Jewish Community Center professional staff and lay leaders were recognized five times by the 2014 JCCs of North America Excellence Awards, announced on Jan. 21. Can We Talk?, a collaboration between the JCC, the St. Louis Jewish Light and the Jewish Relations Council, was among the initiatives that received awards.

“It’s no secret to me that the J has high caliber staff and lay leadership who create excellent and impactful Jewish programming,” said Monte Sandler, JCC Board Chair. “And now that we can share this news, it will be common knowledge in the community.”

The Zahav Award recognizes truly outstanding, visionary initiatives with maximum impact or potential for change. Recipient initiatives or projects receiving this award are believed valuable enough to have a transformative effect on the JCC Movement and all the people it touches. 

The JCC received Zahav Awards in three categories: for Jewish Impact, Journey 2013: A Nishmah Pre-Passover Women’s Experience, led by Nishmah director Sara Winkelman and committee chairs Jill Mirowitz Mogil and April Levison; for Maintaining Financial Sustainability and Growth, for new financial models and monthly reporting tools (developed by JCC CFO Steven Rosenzweig and the Finance committee, led by Mike Ferman and Felicia Malter); and for Programmatic Excellence and User Engagement, the Karen Soloman Young Adult Initiative, a collaboration of the JCC,  Jewish Community Relations Council, NextDor Young Adult Organization and Gateway 180 homeless shelter that facilitated a group of Jews in their twenties to volunteer their time doing improvement projects and/or activities with children living at the shelter. Prior to each monthly volunteer project, young adults participated in a Jewish text study/learning experience, led by Rabbi Brad Horwitz of the JCC. 

The JCCA panel requested that the JCC give a presentation on the Karen Solomon Young Adult Initiative at the JCCs of North America Biennial in San Diego in March. 

“I see the effort our staff and volunteers put forth daily to create programs to strengthen and benefit our Jewish community, said Lynn Wittels, President and CEO of the JCC, “so it is a real thrill when their work is honored publicly.”

The Kol Ha Kavod Award recognizes exemplary initiatives that can be replicated by other JCCs. Two JCC programs received this award for Programmatic Excellence and User Engagement. 

The Israel Family Challenge, led by Rabbi Brad Horwitz and Noa Rotman, was designed to educate and connect families with Israel. Families chose from a menu of Israel engagement activities and earned points for prize drawings. JCC staff helped families and encouraged them to do more activities on their own time and in their own homes. 

The Can We Talk? initiative is designed to engage Jews in new and meaningful dialogue around current issues impacting our community. For each installment, a different issue is addressed through extensive reporting in the local Jewish newspaper, culminating in a community gathering at the JCC, where individuals hear from experts and have opportunity for discussion.

All winning entries will be shared at the upcoming JCC Biennial.