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Honors

Sam S.B. Shonkoff, Taube Family Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union, won the 2023 Leo Baeck Institute Year Book Essay Prize for his article “Gender in Martin Buber’s Hasidic Tales.” The article will be published in the 2023 volume of the Leo Baeck Institute Year Book.

Rabbi David F. Booth of Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto was one of some 40 Conservative rabbis awarded honorary doctorates by the Jewish Theological Seminary at a convocation ceremony on Dec. 5. JTS celebrated the achievements of these rabbis, who have given more than 25 years of service “with distinction.”

The Contemporary Jewish Museum has received the 2022 California Association of Museums Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education. The award recognized a virtual CJM program for students around the Bay Area who were able to “tour” the exhibit “The Stories and Art of Ezra Jack Keats.” A CJM educator highlighted early literacy concepts and guided the students through a group art project inspired by Keats’ illustrations.

Stanford Jewish Studies faculty member and assistant professor of history Rowan Dorin was awarded the Mary L. Dudziak Digital Legal History Prize for his database of ecclesiastical legislation, Corpus Synodalium. The prize is awarded by the American Society for Legal History each year to an outstanding digital legal history project. Dorin was recognized for the “scholarly importance, creativity and intellectual generosity of his digital work.”

Samuel F. Herzberg, senior planner for the San Mateo County parks department for 22 years, has received a planning emeritus award from the California American Planning Association. Herzberg also volunteered for a decade to develop a sustainability initiative at Peninsula Sinai Congregation in Foster City, which became certified as a “Green Business” by the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability.

The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life is a recipient of the Berkeley Public Library Foundation’s 2023 Fred and Pat Cody Award. The award honors outstanding work that shapes, broadens and illuminates Berkeley’s literary landscape; it will be presented March 4, 2023.

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Happenings

JCRC CEO Tye Gregory represented the Bay Area Jewish community at the White House on Dec. 13 when he attended President Joe Biden’s signing of the Respect for Marriage Act. The legislation codifies same-sex marriage and interracial marriage into law for the first time in U.S. history.

Mark Berkman, Marilyn Sarig and Jill Sperber of San Francisco participated in Friends of the Israel Defense Forces’ seventh annual Israel Bike Mission from Nov. 11 to 17. They rode  through Israel with a group of wounded Israeli combat veterans who have benefited from rehabilitative programs and prosthetic devices sponsored by FIDF. The routes for the intensive, six-day ride were designed by Roy Goldstein, two-time Israel cycling champion.

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Comings & Goings

Vered Cohen is leaving her position as executive director of Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco. Her last day will be Jan. 5, with Alan Schnur assuming the role of acting executive director while the congregation searches for a permanent replacement.

Helena Weiss-Duman of Castro Valley is the new programs associate at the Jewish Public Affairs Committee (JPAC); previously she served as deputy director of external relations and marketing communications at UC Berkeley and served on the board of Temple Sinai in Oakland. Marty Schenker of San Francisco is incoming board chair, and Jeff Maltz, founder of SilverRide, is returning as JPAC treasurer.

Gregg Rubenstein is new president of the Hebrew Free loan board of directors. He is CEO of Primark Benefits and previously served as the finance director at Camp Tawonga for 20 years. Rubenstein has been volunteering with Hebrew Free Loan since 2009.

Kellie Shoham is the new outreach manager at Hebrew Free Loan. Previously she served on a search-and-rescue team for the Israel Defense Forces and then became a music therapist.

Five Jewish women recently became mayors of their respective Bay Area cities, with several making history. All are also members of the Jewish Community Relations Council’s newly formed Bay Area Network of Jewish Officials (BANJO).

Julia Mates was elected mayor of Belmont Dec. 13. She is the city’s first elected female of Chinese and Jewish heritage and its first elected mayor, after a long tradition of appointed mayors. Previously she served as a school volunteer, local Scouts leader and chair of Belmont’s planning commission.

Melissa Blaustein was elected mayor of Sausalito Dec. 13. Previously, she served on the Sustainability Commission, the General Plan Advisory Committee and on the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Housing.

Jen Wolosin was elected mayor of Menlo Park Dec. 13. She previously served as a bike and pedestrian safety advocate, started the community group Parents for Safe Routes and served on the Transportation Master Plan Oversight and Outreach Committee and Menlo Park’s Safe Routes Task Force.

Ariel Kelley was appointed mayor of Healdsburg Dec. 5, and Amourence Lee was appointed mayor of San Mateo Dec. 12.

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Opportunities

JIMENA is looking for five additional members for its Campus Professionals Cohort of the National Sephardic Leaders Fellowship. The six-month fellowship will begin in February and is designed for Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish campus professionals. Each fellow participates in bimonthly virtual learning and engagement sessions facilitated by top Mizrahi and Sephardic thought leaders, scholars, activists and rabbis from around the world. Participants are tasked with bringing their newfound knowledge and skills back to their Jewish institutions to help them become more diverse, inclusive and representative of Sephardic and Mizrahi heritage. Deadline to apply is Dec. 30.