The 1977 William J. Shroder Awards, conferred annually by the Council of Jewish Federations (CJF), will be presented at the 46th annual CJF General Assembly on Nov. 12, in Dallas, Texas. Awards Committee Chairwoman, Mrs. Jennie L. White-hill, will make the presentations at the Assembly banquet in the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
Winners in the category of “Large Cities” are the Jewish Federation-Council of Greater Los Angeles (JF-C) and Bet Tzedek (House of Justice) in Los Angeles for the Jewish Legal Services program; and the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Greater Philadelphia and the Association for Jewish Children for their joint counseling program in the public schools. The American Jewish Congress will receive the “National Award” for its Shareholders Project, instituted to organize action against the Arab boycott of Israel.
Conferred each year in the name of CJF’s founder and first president, the Shroder Awards represent the organization’s highest designation of innovative achievement.
600 PEOPLE RECEIVE LEGAL AID
The Bet Tzedek Jewish Legal Services (JLS) program in Los Angeles was established in 1974 to provide high quality legal assistance at minimum cost for Jewish community residents unable to afford the services of a private attorney. Originally staffed solely by volunteers, the program in 1976 received a grant from the Jewish Federation-Council of Greater Los Angeles, to be administered by Jewish Family Service, to employ a fulltime staff attorney and legal secretary in addition to the volunteer corps.
More than 600 people now receive legal aid from the JLS annually. These full-time services range from counseling on legal aspects of Social Security and Medicare to major litigation. The participation of volunteer attorneys, law students and lay intake workers has enabled the program to offer an estimated $250,000 of legal service at an actual cost of less than $40,000 per year.
The program’s location in the Beverly-Fairfax area of Los Angeles, containing the city’s highest concentration of Jewish poor and elderly, has contributed to its success in serving the needs of the community. Mrs. Lawrence Jay Weinberg is JF-C president. Stan Levy is Bet Tzedek president.
DEALING WITH DRUG ABUSE
“Project Pride,” sponsored by the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Greater Philadelphia and the Association for Jewish Children, was developed to deal with a growing problem threatening children in Philadelphia public schools: drug abuse. The project provides intensive counseling for children, parents and teachers in a comprehensive program. I. Jerome Stem is president of the Federation. Joseph L. Taylor is president of the Association.
Classroom sessions supervised by Project Pride psychologists and social workers give students the opportunity to discuss aspects of their lives which may disturb their personal growth. Peer-pressure, frustration, low self-image, and family conflicts are examined in a relaxed atmosphere conducive to honesty and mutual trust.
Parallel group counseling for parents enhance their ability to create a healthy home atmosphere for children. Consultations with teachers and school administrators contribute to a total educational environment designed to clarify and eliminate student problems. Activities of Project Pride have now expanded to include the development of community “satellite supports” involving churches and civic organizations, and a summer day-care program financed by local business and civic groups.
COMBATTING ARAB BOYCOTT
The AJCongress’ innovative “Shareholders Project” is designed to institute anti-boycott resolutions by stockholders in major corporations. The project utilizes a ruling by the Securities and Exchange Commission requiring corporations soliciting proxies for the election of officers to include in their mailings shareholders resolutions pertaining to company business.
Prior to the establishment of the project last year, no shareholder resolutions on the boycott issue had been introduced at an annual company meeting. Over 2000 AJCongress members and friends organized to introduce anti-boycott proxy resolutions in 200 companies. To date, 60 companies have given written assurances on noncompliance with the Arab boycott of Israel. Rabbi Arthur J. Hertzberg is AJCongress president.
PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDS ANNOUNCED
Special awards also will be presented to Jewish Federations for outstanding public relations efforts, it was announced by Nat Kameny, chairman of the CJF Public Relations Awards Committee.
In the category of “Best Special Events,” which honors outstanding community programs sponsored and organized by Jewish Federations, this year’s winners are the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland for sponsorship of an Israeli exhibit at the Ohio State Fair; the Jewish Welfare Federation of New Orleans for its special Judaica Exhibit, and the Tulsa Jewish Community Council for its Israel Fair.
Special citations in this category will be awarded to the Toronto Jewish Congress for its Maccabiah Day program; the Jewish United Fund of Chicago for its “Walk With Israel”; the Greater Hartford Jewish Federation for its Community Fair, and the Akron Jewish Community Federation for its “Day in Washington.”
Awards in the category of “Exceptional Effort” will be presented to the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, the Philadelphia Federation of Jewish Agencies, the Jewish Welfare Federation of San Francisco, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and the Jewish Federation of Omaha.
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