Federation to honor 21 area women at ‘Choices’ event

The women are Dr. Susan Adler-Bressler of Temple Isaiah, Alamo; Marilyn Boxer of Berkeley Hillel Foundation, Kensington; Joan Diengott of Oakland Hebrew Day School, Piedmont; Nae Golomb of Congregation Beth Israel, Berkeley; Hennie Hecht of Temple Beth Abraham, Oakland; Karen Holtz of Congregation Beth Emek, Pleasanton; Yetta Hyman of Women's American ORT, Walnut Creek; Dawn Kepler of Lehrhaus Judaica, Oakland; Myrna Kimmelman of Congregation B'nai Shalom, Walnut Creek; Leslie Klonoff of Beth Jacob Congregation, Oakland; Irene Korn of Congregation B'nai Tikvah, Clayton; Amy Loebl of Tehiyah Jewish Day School, Berkeley; Judith Markowitz of Beth Chaim Congregation, San Ramon; Eileen Moore of Hadassah, Oakland; Bette Schuster of Contra Costa Jewish Community Center, Walnut Creek.

Also, the late Ursula Sherman of Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, Berkeley; Lynn Simon of Jewish Family & Children's Services, Oakland; Karla Smith of Contra Costa Jewish Day School, Alamo; Ruth Spear of Congregation Beth El, Berkeley; Dolores Taller of Kehilla Community Synagogue, Berkeley; and Eleanor Tandowsky of Atid Jewish Day School, Pleasanton.

Last spring, the federation invited East Bay Jewish organizations to recognize the achievements of their exceptional female volunteers by nominating one woman each to be honored in a new annual awards program that will be unveiled at Choices. Twenty-one organizations responded.

"These women are living, breathing examples of the power of a woman to make a difference in her community," said Choices co-chair Beth Nesis.

Co-chair Michelle Ferber added that an entire table has been underwritten to ensure that women from local college campuses will be able to attend free.