JTA won the American Jewish Press Association’s top award for an investigative series for the third straight year. “Tainted Teachings: Islam and Education,” by Lisa Hostein, Sue Fishkoff and JTA staff, won first prize for comprehensive coverage or investigative reporting. The award was one of five Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism that JTA earned last week at the annual meeting of the American Jewish Press Association.
The Washington bureau’s coverage of the FBI probe of two former AIPAC staffers took third prize in the investigative category.
Reporter Chanan Tigay won second prize in the news reporting category for a story on Israeli relief workers sneaking into New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, while JTA’s Jerusalem-based photographer, Brian Hendler, won first and third prizes for photography.
The 25th annual awards ceremony, for works published in 2005, took place in Baltimore on June 15.
The Rockower Awards were started in 1980 to provide incentive to Jewish media to improve their publications and to promote quality Jewish journalism.
The following are first place winners of the 2006 Rockower Awards:
The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary: Newspapers and magazines with more than 15,000 circulation — David Klinghoffer, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “What Color Is Your Nuance?”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Cynthia Dettelbach, Cleveland Jewish News, Beachwood, Ohio, “They’re Putting Their Money Where Their Zionist Hearts Are.”
Excellence in Single Commentary: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Noah J. Efron, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “The More Things Change . . . “
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Michael Jacobs, Atlanta Jewish Times, Atlanta, “A Flood of Biblical Proportions.”
Excellence in Editorial Writing: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Jonathan Tobin, Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia. “The Real Threat Doesn’t Come From Missionaries.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Debra Rubin, Washington Jewish Week, Rockville, Md., “Keep Religion in the Ten Commandments.”
The Boris Smolar Award for Excellence in Comprehensive Coverage or Investigative Reporting: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Lisa Hostein, Sue Fishkoff and JTA staff, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York, “Tainted Teachings: Islam & Education.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Larry Brook, Deep South Jewish Voice, Birmingham, Ala., “Devastating Blow.”
Excellence in News Reporting: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Alan H. Feiler, Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore, “The Two Faces of Deli.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 — Pauline Dubkin Yearwood, Chicago Jewish News, Skokie, Ill., “Gag Order.”
Excellence in Feature Writing: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation –Jacob Berkman, The Jewish Standard, Teaneck, N.J., “The Marketing of Matisyahu and Why You Should Care.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Pauline Dubkin Yearwood, Chicago Jewish News, Skokie, Ill., “Special Buddies.”
Magazines — Menachem Rosensaft and Lisa Newman, Moment, Washington, “Great Love Stories from the Holocaust.”
Excellence in Arts and Criticism News and Features: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Tom Teicholz, Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, “Larry David Died for Our Sins.”
Magazines — Rahel Musleah, Jewish Woman, Washington, “Ancient Voices, Modern Wisdom.”
The David Frank Award for Excellence in Personality Profiles: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Joe Eskenazi, j., The Jewish Weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, “In This Corner: San Mateo’s World Champion Kickboxer Brian Schwartz.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Chris Leppek, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “Six- Decade Nightmare Over.”
Magazines — Jennie Rothenberg, Moment, Washington, “The Heresy of Nosson Slifkin.”
Excellence in Overall Graphic Design: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — j., The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California, San Francisco.
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Atlanta Jewish Times, Atlanta.
Magazines — BabagaNewz, Wheaton, Md.
Excellence in Special Sections or Supplements: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — The Jewish Week, New York, “Directions.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Shany Kukawka, Tamar Lightsene and Hillel Goldberg, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “Colorado’s Holocaust Survivors and Escapees.”
Magazines — BabagaNewz, Newton Upper Falls, Mass., “Making a Home in America.”
Excellence in Photography: All Newspapers — Brian Hendler, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York, “Sea of Soldiers.”
Magazines — Lloyd Wolf, Moment, Washington, “Great Love Stories from the Holocaust.”
The Noah Bee Award for Excellence in Illustration and/or Editorial Cartooning: Cartoons — Cox & Forkum, Florida Jewish News, Hollywood, Fla.
Illustrations — Hadassah Magazine, New York.
The Hadassah Award for Excellence in Writing About Women: Penny Leifer and contributions by Rhonda Kahn, Women’s League Outlook Magazine, New York., “A Movement Transformed, Women’s Ordination and Conservative Judaism.”
The American Technion Society Award for Excellence in Writing about Scientific and Technological Innovation Out of Israel: Barbara Pash, Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore, “Milk, Honey and High Tech.”
Nefesh B’Nefesh Award for The Story of Aliyah: Devra Newberger Speregen, BabagaNewz, Wheaton, Md., “On Eagles’ Wings: Operation Solomon.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
