MEDIA CONTACT:
Alix Friedman
Hadassah National Public Relations
rfriedman@hadassah.org
212.303.8140

July 13, 2020 — NEW YORK, NY — Hadassah Magazine has won six 2020 Simon Rockover Awards, the annual prizes for excellence in Jewish journalism handed out by the American Jewish Press Association (AJPA), announced Rhoda Smolow, National President, Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA).

The award-winning magazine was recognized for its work done in 2019 during the AJPA’s virtual awards presentation on July 2. Hadassah Magazine has received a total of 20 Rockower Awards since award-winning journalist and editor Lisa Hostein was named executive editor of the publication in late 2015.

A special themed issue of Hadassah Magazine in July/August 2019 was devoted to “#MeToo and the Jewish World.” A package of four features garnered First Place for Special Sections or Supplements: “What’s Cjfhanged? #MeToo Inspires New Initiatives but Many Questions Remain” by Debra Nussbaum Cohen; “When Rabbis Say #MeToo: A Reckoning for Female Clergy” by Uriel Heilman; “#Gam Ani: The #MeToo Movement’s Impact in Israel” by Wendy Elliman; and “Sexual Harassment Takes a Toll on Health” by Sarah Yahr Tucker. Artist Andy Potts, whose evocative illustrations accompanied the stories, was also named among the winners.

The judge in the category commented about the package: “This is a model of how a special issue can be clear-headed and concise, moving and dismaying, yet hopeful and inspiring. A must read.”

Heilman’s  “When Rabbis Say #MeToo” also took First Place both in the category Writing About Women and in Writing About Social Justice and Humanitarian Work.

In the Feature Writing category, Hilary Danailova won Second Place for “Bringing the Catskills Back to Life,” a multi-part story that explored the history, nostalgia and reinvention of the iconic Catskills Mountain.  

In the category focused on Jewish Heritage and Peoplehood in Europe, Toby Axelrod won Second Place for “We are Not Aliens,” a story about teenagers in Germany seeking to educate their peers about what it means to be Jewish.

The magazine’s sixth award went to Eetta Prince-Gibson’s “The Jewish Mother, a Love Story,” which won Honorable Mention for Writing About Women. The story explores the roots and re-examination of the stereotypes of Jewish mothers in both Israel and America. 

“This year’s awards from the AJPA reaffirms the journalistic excellence we always strive for at Hadassah Magazine,” said Executive Editor Lisa Hostein. “The recognition of our #MeToo coverage is particularly gratifying as those stories  enabled us to highlight a critical issue in our community that resonates and impacts Jewish women in particular.” 

Smolow notes, “I am thrilled that the 39th Annual Simon Rockower Awards judges have recognized Hadassah Magazine’s journalistic excellence with six awards.  This much-deserved acclaim confirms Hadassah Magazine as a premier destination for Jewish women and men for thought-provoking and meaningful content and information.”

This is the second consecutive year in which Cohen and Danailova have won Rockower Awards for their writing for Hadassah Magazine. 

"The awards for such a wide range of stories show the breadth and depth that Hadassah Magazine continues to achieve," said Marlene Post, chair of the magazine.

Recently celebrating its centennial, Hadassah Magazine, which automatically goes to every Hadassah member, publishes six print issues annually along with regularly updated web content (hadassahmagazine.org).

Hadassah Magazine has won more than 350 national awards for journalistic and publication excellence and maintains a social media presence on Facebook (facebook.com/hadassahmag); Twitter (twitter.com/hadassahmag); Pinterest (pinterest.com/hadassahmagazin) and Instagram @hadassahmagazine.

The Simon Rockower Awards were established in 1979 by the family of Simon Rockower to honor his commitment to outstanding Jewish journalism in America.

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With 330,000 members, Associates and supporters, Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as medical care and research and women's empowerment. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's (HMO) two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize Nomination in 2005 for building “bridges to peace” through equality in medical treatment. For more information, visit my.hadassah.org.