Teaching is often an under-appreciated profession. In an effort to give our teachers the recognition they deserve, in 1996 the Foundation began the Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education. The awards are announced at the Annual Educators' Banquet hosted by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Resource Center for Jewish Education. Each year, up to five awards are presented. These awards are designed to recognize and reward outstanding Jewish educators - both professional and lay -- in Western Massachusetts, and to underscore the importance of Jewish education. Each teacher award includes a gift of $1,000 plus a round-trip airline ticket to Israel, up to $1,000.

Check out our national award winners. 

• 2009 Teacher Award Winners are:

  • Yehuda Edry, Heritage Academy, Longmeadow, MA
  • Dr. Jilly Lederman, Sinai Academy of the Berkshires, Pittsfield, MA
  • Daniel R. Page, Hebrew High School of NE, West Hartford, CT
  • Jami Zmurko, Heritage Academy, Longmeadow, MA

• 2009 Lay Leader Award Winner is:

  • Henry M. Zachs, Hebrew High School of NE, West Hartford, CT

• 2008 Teacher Award Winners are:

  • John Curletti, Sinai Academy of the Berkshires, Pittsfield, MA
  • Phyllis Katz, Sandi Kupperman Learning Center, Springfield, MA
  • Rochel Leah Kosofsky, Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy, Longmeadow, MA
  • Aaron Skoglund, LGA Schechter, Northampton, MA

• 2008 Lay Leader Award Winner is:

  • Edward Udel, Congregation Knesset Israel, Pittsfield, MA

• 2007 Teacher Award Winners are:

  • Ruth Love Barer, Jewish Community of Amherst, Amherst, MA
  • Suzanne Chorowski,  Sandi Kupperman Learning Ctr., Temple Beth El, Springfield, MA
  • Linda O’Neil, Sinai Academy of the Berkshires, Pittsfield, MA
  • Yehudis Wolvovsky, Hebrew High School of NE, W. Hartford, CT.

• 2007 Lay Leader Award Winner is:

  • Dr. Jonathan Kramer, Sinai Academy of the Berkshires, Pittsfield, MA 

2007 Award Winners with Dr. Jonathan Kramer, Harold Grinspoon, Diane Troderman & Esther Kosofsky

• 2006 Teacher Award Winners:

  • Suzanne Atkins, Solomon Schechter Day School, Northampton, MA
  • Cindy Lutz Kornet, Lubavitcher Yeshiva Acad., Longmeadow, MA
  • Liat Lazarovich, Sinai Academy of the Berkshires, Pittsfield, MA  
  • Mildred Unfried, Hebrew High School of New England, W. Hartford, CT

• 2006 Lay Leader Award Winner is:

  • Carol Engelson, Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy, Longmeadow, MA

•  2005 Teacher Award Winners:

  • Lori Asulin - Springfield JCC E. C., Springfield, MA
  • Michael Cunha - Hebrew High School of N.E., W. Hartford, CT
  • Meir Dashevsky - Sinai Temple, Springfield, MA
  • Linda Goldman - Springfield JCC E. C., Springfield, MA
  • Andrea Olkin - Jewish Comunity of Amherst, Amherst, MA

• 2005 Lay Leader Award Winner is:

  • Susan Kline, Jewish Federation of Western MA, Springfield, MA

Other winners of the Awards for Excellence: