New York, Milwaukee, Fort Wayne, Louisville Win Shroder Awards

The Jewish Community Services of Long Island, N.Y. and Jewish Federations in New York, Milwaukee, Fort Wayne and Louisville are 1978 winners of the William J. Shroder Award for outstanding community programming, conferred annually by the Council of Jewish Federations. The announcement of award winners was made here during the CJF 47th General Assembly which ends Sunday.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Award named for CJF’s founder and first president, William J. Shroder. The Shroder Award honors superior initiative and achievement in the advancement of social welfare by voluntary health and welfare agencies under Jewish auspices in the U.S. and Canada. Jennie L. Whitehill of New York is chairman of the Shroder Award Committee.

In the category of “Large Cities,” joint winners are the Jewish Community Services of Long Island and the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, for “Quality of Life,” a program serving chronically ill homebound adults.

The 1978 Shroder Award for “Intermediate Cities” went to the Women’s Division of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation for its “Leadership Skills Seminar.” Fort Wayne won the Award in the “Small Cities” category for an audio-visual educational program entitled “Portrait of a People: Jewish Writings and Jewish Writers.”

An Honorable Mention in the “Intermediate Cities” category was conferred upon the Jewish Community Federation of Louisville for a “Jewish Heritage Weekend.”

SPECIFICS OF WINNING PROGRAMS

The “Quality of Life” program is designed to relieve the physical and psychological isolation of individuals between the ages of 21 and 64 who are homebound due to chronic illness. Through a comprehensive program of cultural, recreational, educational and social services brought directly into the home, the program strengthens participants’ self-esteem and sense of purposeful living. Irving Reier is the president of Jewish Community Services of Long Island. George Rothman is executive director. Henry R. Mancher is president of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. Sanford Solender is executive vice-president.

The “Leadership Skills Seminar” enables women currently serving on boards and committees of Federation, and synagogues and community agencies to acquire additional skills and knowledge pertinent to their roles as Jewish community leaders. Gerald J. Kahn is president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. Melvin S. Zaret is executive vice-president.

The “Portrait of a People” provides a Jewish adult educational experience to a state-wide audience through the use of closed circuit TV. The series, produced in cooperation with Indiana University, covers Jewish literature from Biblical to modern times, and explores major themes in Jewish ethics, philosophy and religious belief. Robert S. Walters is president of the Fort Wayne Federation. Benjamin Eisbart is executive director.

The “Jewish Heritage Weekend,” depicting the heritage of the Jewish people and their contribution to life in the United States, attracted 105,000 attendants. The Louisville Chamber of Commerce proclaimed it the most successful Heritage Weekend in the three-year series sponsored by various segments of the community as a whole. Frank Lipschutz is president of the Louisville Federation. Norbert Fruehauf is executive director.