The Jewish Telegraphic Agency has earned two Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism from the American Jewish Press Association — and one of JTA’s longtime contributors has been honored with a service award.
The 21st annual awards ceremony, for work published in 2001, was held in Evanston, Ill., last week.
JTA photographer Brian Hendler took first and third place honors for excellence in newspaper photography.
His first place photo showed scattered souvenir Israeli flags at the site of a double suicide bombing at Ben-Yehuda Mall in Jerusalem. The third place photo depicted a grieving family during a funeral at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem.
Longtime JTA West Coast correspondent Tom Tugend also received the Joseph Polakoff Award for Distinguished Service to Jewish Journalism.
Tugend also writes for the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, the Jewish Chronicle of Great Britain and the Jerusalem Post.
Miriam Harris Goldberg, of the Intermountain Jewish News in Denver, also won a Polakoff service award.
The Rockower Awards began in 1980 to help provide an incentive for Jewish media to improve their publications and develop quality journalism.
The following are first place winners of the 2001 Rockower Awards:
The Louis Rapport Award for Excellence in Commentary and Editorial Writing: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Jonathan Mark, The Jewish Week, New York, “E-mails From the End of the World.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “Denver Post Timeline and Maps on Israel Are Riddled With Errors.”
Magazines — Yehuda Fine, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “Family Matters: Country Road, Take Me Home.”
Excellence in Editorial Writing: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Staff, Forward, New York, “The Summer of Blood and Rage.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Lawrence Brooks, Deep South Jewish Voice, Birmingham, Ala., “Ten Problems with the Ten Commandments.”
The Boris Smolar Award for Excellence in Comprehensive Coverage or Investigative Reporting: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Miriam Rinn, Jewish Standard, Teaneck, N.J., “God Is Also Crying.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Eric Fingerhut and Debra Rubin, Washington Jewish Week, Rockville, Md., “Rabbi’s Fund Controversy at Beth El.”
Excellence in News Reporting: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Rachel Donadio, Forward, New York, “Gavel to Gavel: Classes Clash at Toney Auctioneers’ Trial.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Pat Johnson, Jewish Western Bulletin, Vancouver, “Local Catholics Aid Nazi.”
Excellence in Feature Writing: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Julie Gruenbaum Fax, The Jewish Journal, Los Angeles, “Sing a New Song.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Everett Cohen, Atlanta Jewish Times, Atlanta, “Blue Jew.”
Magazines — Suzanne F. Singer, Moment, Washington, “The Beloved Country Cries Again.”
Excellence in Arts and Criticism News and Features: Newspapers with over 15,000 circulation — Robert Brustein, Forward, New York, “Riding the Second-Avenue-to-Broadway Express.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “I’m Not Stopping.”
Magazines — Michelle Falkenstein, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “Life as Theater — A Tragedy.”
The David Frank Award for Excellence in Personality Profiles: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Detroit Jewish News, Southfield, Mich., “One Dream at a Time.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Everett Cohen, Atlanta Jewish Times, Atlanta, “The Bridge Builder.”
Magazines — Susannah Levine, Moment, Washington, “The Jewish Rainmaker.”
Excellence in Overall Graphic Design: Newspapers with more than 15,000 circulation — Detroit Jewish News, Southfield, Mich.
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Atlanta Jewish Times, Atlanta.
Magazines — Babaganewz, Wheaton, Md.
Excellence in Special Sections or Supplements: Newspapers with over 15,000 circulation — Staff, The Jewish Week, New York, “Broadway.”
Newspapers with less than 15,000 circulation — Staff, Jewish Press, Omaha, Neb., “L’Chaim: Health Professionals and the Jewish Community.”
Magazines — Staff, Hadassah magazine, New York, “After September 11.”
Excellence in Photography: All Newspapers — Brian Hendler, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York, “Flags from a Souvenir Shop Lie Scattered Among the Broken Glass at the Site of a Double Suicide Bombing on the Ben– Yehuda Mall, Jerusalem.”
Magazines — Janice Rubin, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “From Old Springs, New Currents.”
The Noah Bee Award for Excellence in Editorial Cartooning or Illustrating: Cartoons, All Newspapers — Steve Greenberg, Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, Calif.
Illustrations, All Newspapers — Brad Holland, Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore.
Cartoons, Magazines — Dick Codor, Hadassah Magazine, New York.
Illustrations, Magazines — Fred Harper, Reform Judaism, New York, N.Y.
The Microvoice Award for Excellence in Writing About Singles: All Newspapers — Lorie Kleiner Eckert, San Diego Jewish Times, Loveland, Ohio, “Realist or Snob?”
Magazines — Rebecca Metzger, Lilith Magazine, New York, “To Be Single, Jewish and Female in the Internet Age.”
Excellence in Coverage of September 11, 2001: All Newspapers and Magazines — The Jewish Week, New York.
Israel Ministry of Tourism Mosaic Award for Excellence in Feature Writing About Israeli Peoplehood, Culture and Society: All Newspapers and Magazines — Rabbi Daniel Gordis, The Jewish Journal, Los Angeles, Calif., “Sunday Mourning.”
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.
