Community members honored for ‘extraordinary’ efforts

This year at "Israel in the Gardens," members of the Jewish community will be recognized for their extraordinary commitment to Israel and their efforts to strengthen Israel/Bay Area relations.

This year's recipients of the Israel in our Hearts Community Awards will be honored at 1:30 p.m. on the main stage.




Eve Bernstein's dedication to Israel and the Jewish community is evident through the many programs with which she has been involved, including the highly successful Diller Teens Fellows programs in Israel. She also works to help institute exchanges between Israelis and Bay Area residents.

A member of the Israel and Overseas Committee for over a decade, Bernstein has served three terms as its chair. In addition, she has headed the subcommittee focused on the federation's work in the Upper Galil region of Israel and in the city of Kiryat Shemona.

Bernstein is helping to bring new programming focused on Israel to the curriculum at Lerhaus Judaica, for which she currently serves as board president. In 2004 Bernstein co-chaired "Israel in the Ballpark."




Barbara and Jeff Farber, together and individually, represent the best of Jewish community and Israel advocacy in the Bay Area. In 2004, they served as co-chairs of "Israel in the Ballpark," but that was just one small measure of their commitment to Israeli-Bay Area relations.

In addition to serving as executive director of the Koret Foundation, which grants over $21 million annually to Jewish and Israel-related causes, Jeff has served on the board of directors of the American Friends of Koret Israel Economic Development funds, the National Executive Committee of AIPAC and has just recently taken over as the AIPAC Northern California Board chair. Jeff is also the Northern California Chair of the Political Leadership Network (PLN), which works to strengthen the support of local members of Congress for Israel-related issues through pro-Israel political involvement.

Barbara is also heavily involved in the local Jewish community and with Israel-related causes. With Jeff, she serves on the AIPAC National Executive Committee and the AIPAC Northern California Board. She is also a co-chair of the Federation's Israel Center and has dedicated her time to the "Israel in the Gardens" Committee for many years. She is an outspoken advocate for Israel activism on both a local and national level.




Nancy and Stephen Grand have supported Israel for many years, both here in the Bay Area and in Detroit, their previous home. Through the Nancy and Stephen Grand Philanthropies Fund, they provide substantial support to a variety of important projects in Israel at the Technion, Koret Israel Economic Development Fund and Birthright Israel, among others.




Rabbi Doug Kahn's commitment to building a meaningful relationship with Israel goes far beyond his professional responsibilities as director of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Through his subtle, yet deliberate, leadership, he has ensured that Israel remains in the forefront of both the region's religious and secular agendas.

Kahn helped conceive, develop and supervise the Israel Project, the campus predecessor to the federation's Israel Center, and he was instrumental in launching the Israel Center, where he has remained an invaluable partner in guiding their work and priorities. His concern and support for pro-Israel activism on university campuses has spanned four decades, including his work as a Hillel director and his work building relationships with the region's university administrations.




Sam Lauter is a sixth generation San Franciscan with deep roots in the Jewish community. In addition to managing Barnes Mosher Whitehurst Lauter & Partners' public affairs and lobbying business, he has been a key voice, activist and leader in the Bay Area and Washington, D.C., pro-Israel movements. For many years, Lauter has been the go-to person and lead coordinator for Northern California's pro-Israel fundraisers for members of Congress, which has led to significant development of the community's relationship with important policy makers on Capitol Hill.




Rabbi Sheldon Lewis is a model of how to support Israel through action and personal presence. He believes that sending money and prayers to Israel are not enough. Lewis regularly plans trips to Israel for members of his congregation as a way to connect them to the land and its people. He also encourages other Bay Area rabbis to organize congregational trips. Lewis is the first to defend Israel against its detractors and continually welcomes speakers who represent a wide range of views regarding Israel. He has created a community that is open to anyone who loves Israel.




John Rothmann is one of the Bay Area's strongest pro-Israel activists. He is an expert on Israel's history and U.S./Israel relations and has used that knowledge, while speaking on hundreds of university campuses nationwide, to engage generations of students and to counter some of Israel's most divisive detractors. Rothmann has mentored and trained pro-Israel activists for over 35 years and was instrumental in helping the university services department of the American Zionist Youth Foundation develop material and resources for students. Rothmann's passion and love for Israel are limitless.




Dr. Shlomi Ravid is receiving the Founders Award. A native and lifelong kibbutznik, Ravid has been involved in Israel-Diaspora relations for the last 20 years. He has served as a kibbutz secretary, a national shaliach for the Kibbutz Movement in New York, a consultant to a number of Jewish Agency departments and founder of the Center for Israel-Diaspora Cultural Relations.

Ravid conceived of the idea for the Federation's Israel Center and was able to make that dream a reality in 1996, when he became director of the new organization. Under his direction, the Israel Center has grown to be the country's leading organization in the field of engaging the American-Jewish community with Israel. Focusing on Israeli culture and education, on building exchanges and dialogues with Israelis and on promoting journeys to Israel, the Israel Center is a model being emulated by federations around the country.

In addition, Ravid's academic and public work has focused on the challenges of community building in Israel and the Jewish world. This summer he and his family will return to Israel.