NEW YORK (JTA) – JTA garnered three first-place awards from the American Jewish Press Association at its annual meeting this week in Washington, including in the investigative reporting category for the fifth straight year.
JTA, which won a total of four 2007 Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism, also took top honors in the photography category and tied for first among the Web sites recognized.
The awards have been given out by the AJPA since 1980.
Correspondent Yosef Israel Abramowitz continued JTA’s streak in the comprehensive coverage and investigative reporting category with his six-part series “A Troubled Exodus,” on the migration of Sudanese refugees to Israel.
In the same category, JTA took second with the series by Richard Greenberg and Eugene L. Meyer titled “Reining in Abuse,” about sexual abuse in the rabbinate.
Brian Hendler, JTA’s photographer in Israel, won for his photo titled “Remembering Rabin.”
JTA tied with the Forward in the Web site category.
The following are first-place winners of 2007 Rockower Awards:
The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all magazines/Web sites – George D. Hanus, World Jewish Digest, Chicago, Ill.
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – David Seidemann, The Jewish Star, Garden City, N.Y.
Award for Excellence in Single Commentary: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all magazines/Web sites – Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “An Orthodox Rabbi’s Plea.”
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – Lyn Payne, Heritage Florida Jewish News, Fern Park, “He Stands Up for Israel.”
Personal Essay – Phil Jacobs, Baltimore Jewish Times, “A Year Like No Other.”
Award for Excellence in Editorial Writing: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all magazines/Web sites – Mordecai Ben-Dat, The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto, “Justice for All.”
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – Hillel Goldberg, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “When Some Jewish Organizations Act Like the Equivalent of Holocaust Deniers.”
The Boris Smolar Award for Excellence in Comprehensive Coverage or Investigative Reporting: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all magazines/Web sites – Yosef Israel Abramowitz, JTA, New York, “A Troubled Exodus.”
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – Staff and Contributing Writers, Atlanta Jewish Times, “The Carter Book” series.
Excellence in News Reporting: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation – Forward Staff, Forward, New York, “Divorce Bill Leaves Feminists and Ultra-Orthodox in Bed Together.”
Newspapers under 15,000 Circulation – Andrea Jacobs, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “TB Then and Now.”
Excellence in Feature Writing: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation – Marc S. Klein, j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, “Why is Hibuki Unhappy?”
Newspapers from 7,500 to 14,999 circulation – Chirs Leppek, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “Fire on the Mountain.”
Newspapers to 7,499 circulation – Kelley Korbin, Jewish Independent, Vancouver, “Looking for a New Life.”
Magazines/ Special Sections and Supplements/ Web sites – Ruth Mason, Na’amat Woman, New York, “Transformed Lives.”
Arts and Criticism News and Features: Critical analysis/review, usually of a single artistic endeavor, whether in literature, theater, film or fine arts and crafts (All Newspapers and Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Websites) – Alana Newhouse, Forward, New York, “Jewish Mother, R.I.P.”
Reporting on an artistic endeavor, trend, movement or personality, whether in literature, theater, film or fine arts and crafts (All Newspapers and Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Websites) – Esther Hecht, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “Graffiti.”
The David Frank Award for Excellence in Personality Profiles: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation – Toby Appleton Perl, Forward, New York, “The Last Word.”
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer, “Honoring Her Father’s Memory.”
Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Web sites – David Bezmozgis, Nextbook, New York, “On Literary Love.”
Excellence in Overall Graphic Design: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation – Lisa Drobek, Baltimore Jewish Times.
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – Atlanta Jewish Times.
Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Web sites – JVibe, Newton, Mass.
Excellence in Special Sections or Supplements: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation – “Zero to Sixty: A Special 60th Anniversary Issue,” New Jersey Jewish News, Whippany.
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – “Building Bridges: Creating Connections Between Faiths and Races,” St. Louis Jewish Light.”
Special Sections/Supplements/Web sites – “Dreamers, Builders, and Defenders: 1900-1948,” BabagaNewz, Newton, Mass.
Excellence in Photography: All Newspapers – Brian Hendler, JTA, New York, “Remembering Rabin.”
Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Web sites – Shari Valenta, Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, “Music, Modesty, and Memories.”
The Noah Bee Award for Excellence in Illustration and/or Editorial Cartooning: Cartoons. All Newspapers/Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Web sites – Steve Greenberg, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
Illustrations. All Newspapers/Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Web sites – Saul Robbins and Amy Sunners from original photos by Ruth Messinger and Matthew Emry, Sh’ma, Newton, Mass., “Denial Is Not a River in Egypt.”
Outstanding Web site: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation – jta.org, JTA, New York, and www.forward.com, Forward, New York (tie).
Newspapers under 15,000 circulation – www.chicagojewishnews.com, Chicago Jewish News.
Hadassah Award for Excellence in Writing about Women: All Newspapers and Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Web sites – Ilana Kurshan, World Jewish Digest, Chicago, “Torah From the Heavens.”
Nefesh B’Nefesh Award for the Story of Aliyah (Special Category): All Newspapers and Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Web sites – Shoshana London Sappir, Hadassah Magazine, New York, “The Invisible Literati.”
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