“Funding Hate,” JTA’s investigative series on the Ford Foundation, was among three Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism that JTA earned last week at the annual meeting of the American Jewish Press Association. The 23rd annual awards ceremony, for works published in 2003, took place in Atlanta.
Black’s four-part series chronicled the funding of Palestinian groups that engage in anti-Israel activity.
JTA’s photographer in Israel, Brian Hendler, won the top photography prize for a picture of a Falash Mura rally.
Uriel Heilman, JTA’s news editor, also won a Rockower in the news category for a story on a kosher food trade show.
The Joseph Polakoff Award for Distinguished Service to Jewish Journalism, named after the late longtime JTA’s Washington Bureau chief, honored the Detroit Jewish News for outstanding journalism that continued through a 2002 fire that destroyed the publication’s headquarters.
! 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 2004 Rockower Awards:
The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary: Newspapers and magazines with more than 15,000 circulation — Suzanne Singer, Moment, Washington, “Perspective.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Cynthia Dettelbach, Cleveland Jewish News, Beachwood, Ohio, “Dear Disgruntled Reader.”
Excellence in Editorial Writing: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Staff, New Jersey Jewish News, Whippany, N.J., “The ‘New Anti-Semitism’ Demands a New Response.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Staff, Jewish Western Bulletin, Vancouver, “Equal Marriage Is Fair.”
The Boris Smolar Award for Excellence in Comprehensive Coverage or Investigative Reporting: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Edwin Bla! ck, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York, “Funding Hate.”
Newspaper s with less than 15,000 circulation — Amy Keller, Atlanta Jewish Times, Atlanta, “Debunking the ‘Neocon’ Conspiracy Theory.”
Excellence in News Reporting: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Gaby Wenig, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, “Human Rights Activists or Aids to Terrorists?”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 — Pauline Dubkin Yearwood, Chicago Jewish News, Skokie, Ill., “Sour Note.”
Excellence in Feature Writing: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Avner Hofstein and Amy Klein, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, “Mourning on the Fourth of July.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Pauline Dubkin Yearwood, Chicago Jewish News, Skokie, Ill., “Holocaust Torahs.”
Magazines — Elena Sigman, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “Yizkor at Ground Zero.”
Excellence in Arts and Criticism News and Features: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Boris Fishman, Forward, New ! York, “The Flaunted Necklace.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Fran Heller, Cleveland Jewish News, Beachwood, Ohio, “Powerful Works on Fabric a Tribute to Holocaust.”
The Davod Frank Award for Excellence in Personality Profiles: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Phil Jacobs, Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore, “Standing Tall.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Fran Nachman Putney, Atlanta Jewish Times, Atlanta, “Out of Africa: How Maritu Enyew Made a Jewish life in Atlanta.”
Magazines — Stacy Perman, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “Profile: Noreena Hertz.”
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 cir! culation — Forward, New York, “Genetics.”
Newspapers with less th an 15,000 circulation — Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “90th Anniversary.”
Magazines — Hadassah Magazine, New York, “The Matsav.”
Excellence in Photography: All Newspapers — Brian Hendler, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York, “Falash Mura.”
Magazines — Ziv Koren, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “Last Look: A New Leash on Life.”
The Noah Bee Award for Excellence in Illustration or Editorial Cartooning: Cartoons, All newspapers — Steve Greenberg, j. the Jewish News Weekly of Northern California, San Francisco.
Illustrations, All Newspapers — Hadassah Magazine, New York, “Jews and Comic Books.”
The Jerusalem Foundation Award for Excellence in Jerusalem Reporting: Samuel Katz, Moment, Washington, “The Terror Trackers.”
The Hadassah Award for Excellence in Writing About Women: Stephanie Siegel, The Jewish Chronicle, Pittsburgh, “Duquesne’s Israeli Duke: Point Guard Fits in at Catholic School.”
The American Technion Society Award for Excellenc! e in Writing about Scientific and Technological Innovation Out of Israel: Wendy Elliman, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “From Cells to Cures.” □
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