Jew in the City Announces 2014 Top 10 Orthodox Jewish All Stars
Third Annual “Orthodox Jewish All Stars” awards and premiere party today, Dec. 2 in NYC celebrates Jewish pride amid growing anti-Semitism
Forbes magazine-ranked hedge fund manager and philanthropist Henry Swieca, BCBGeneration Creative Director Joyce Azria, and Columbia Law School Dean Emeritus David Schizer are among 10 people who have been named 2014 Orthodox Jewish All Stars by Jew in the City, the organization dedicated to re-branding Orthodox Jews and Judaism through digital media.
This diverse and accomplished group also includes: Saul Blinkoff, Disney animator and film director; Professor Marta Weinstock-Rosin, 2014 Israel Prize winner in medicine who developed a drug to slow dementia caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s; Yael Federbush, four-time Emmy-winning producer at “The Today Show”; Professor Barry Simon, 2012 Henri Poincaré prize winner for outstanding achievements in mathematical physics; Josh Meier, 4th place winner of the 2014 Intel Prize and named “One of the Eight Whiz Kids Who Are the Future of Medicine” by CNN; Estee Ackerman, table tennis phenom ranked sixth in the country in her division and a 2016 Olympic hopeful; and Mindy Pollak, a Montreal councilwoman who made history last fall as the first Hasidic woman ever to be elected to public office.
A short film featuring several of the All Stars and how they’ve balanced career and observance is slated to premiere at the event.
“When we created this award in 2012, we focused on shattering people’s misconceptions about Orthodox Jews and what they could accomplish professionally. Last year, when Chanukah historically intersected with Thanksgiving, we celebrated the religious freedoms that exist in the world today, which allow people of all faiths to excel in a variety of career paths.” said Allison Josephs, Jew in the City founder and director.
“This year, our message is our most crucial one yet: With anti-Semitic attacks on the rise across the globe, we are celebrating 10 individuals who proudly observe Jewish traditions as they’ve soared to the tops of their fields.”
Adds Josephs: “Increased anti-Semitism is a threat to all Jews and should concern all good people, but the reality is that those who look the most Jewish (i.e. the Orthodox Jewish community) are the most visible targets. These Orthodox Jewish All Stars serve as a poignant reminder that you can be a proud religious Jew and still be highly successful. No one should feel the need to hide his Judaism or observance. We must never cower in the face of anti-Semitism.”
Last week, Josephs attended a Los Angeles party celebrating the 2014 Orthodox Jewish All Stars at the home of winner Joyce Azria. Also attending was 2013 winner Barry Simon, winner of the Poincare Prize, the highest honor in mathematical physics.
Past Orthodox Jewish All Stars have included former Senator Joe Lieberman, Top Ten Billboard Recording Artist Alex Clare, New York Times bestselling novelist, and Faye Kellerman who all appeared in the inaugural All Stars video in 2012. Last year’s list included Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Nobel Laureate Robert Aumann, and advertising agency 360i CEO, Sarah Hofstetter.
Many of this year’s and previous year’s All Stars are expected to attend the red carpet awards party in downtown Manhattan Dec. 2. Attendees will enjoy music, wine, and a dairy Chanukah-themed dinner including latke and donut bars. The event will be emceed by Hasidic comic, Mendy Pellin, a 2012 Orthodox Jewish All Star who the New York Times called “Stephen Colbert with a beard and a black hat.”
The Complete List of 2014 Orthodox Jewish All Stars:
Business and Industry:
Joyce Azria, Henry Swieca
Law and Government:
Mindy Pollack, David Schizer
Sports and Entertainment:
Estee Ackerman, Saul Blinkoff, Yael Federbush
Science and Medicine:
Josh Meier, Barry Simon, Marta Weinstock-Rosin
Jew in the City, founded and directed by Josephs, harnesses the power of social media to break down stereotypes about religious Jews and offer a humorous, meaningful look into Orthodox Judaism. Through a website (JewintheCity.com), YouTube channel (where its videos that have been viewed over a million of times), and via Facebook and Twitter Jew in the City explains important Jewish concepts like Shabbat, keeping kosher, and mikvah, and tackles difficult topics like the Orthodox Jewish approach to homosexuality, feminism, and conversion. With a mix of light humor and rich content, Jew in the City explores these topics in a pleasant and easy to understand fashion, appealing to anyone who is curious to learn more about Orthodox Jews and observant Judaism, whether Jewish or not.
Josephs was named one of the Jewish Week‘s 36 Under 36 in 2013 and one of NJOP’s Top Ten Jewish Influencers in 2012. She began studying Torah with actress Mayim Bialik in 2004 and is often quoted in the media on issues relating to Jewish life and observance. Josephs provides Orthodox Jewish Cultural Diversity training to top corporations such as Con Edison and NYU Langone Medical Center and also gives inspirational lectures across North America. She has been featured or published in The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, Yahoo News, the Jewish Press, and The Forward, among other publications. Josephs, who is married with four children, has been involved in the field of Jewish education and outreach for over a dozen years, and received her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University in Philosophy.
For more information about the Orthodox Jewish All Stars Awards party on Dec. 2, please visit http://JewintheCity.com/
