Category 1: The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all Magazines/Websites.

First Place
The Jewish Week, New York, NY
Between the Lines Series by Gary Rosenblatt:"Day School Model May Now Be Thing of Past,""In the Year of Mourning,""Times' Cohen Getting Under Our Skin"
Comments: Sharp analysis of issues crucial to the Jewish community.

Second Place
New Jersey Jewish News, Whippany, NJ
"To Catch a Terrorist,""The Day After the Ninth of Av,""The Things We Don't Yet Understand" by Andrew Silow-Carroll
Comments: Original and nuanced view of issues.

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
Chicago Jewish News, Skokie, IL
"Our Friend Barack," "Mensch Wanted,""The Big Speech" by Joseph Aaron
Comments: Witty, opinionated and well-argued articles.

Second Place
Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, CO
"NPR Defends Itself," "Werner and Lucie Waited Seven Years,""Unanticipated Responses to Orthodox-Reform Fissures" by Hillel Goldberg
Comments: Passionate and moving.

Category 2: Award for Excellence in Single Commentary

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all Magazines/Websites.

First Place
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York, NY
"A Gloomy Decade Later, Jews Still Fighting J2K Virus" by Ami Eden

Second Place
Forward, New York, NY
"On Gaza, Sense and Centrism" by Eric Yoffie

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
Jewish Independent, Vancouver, BC
"Transparency Good for Jews" by Dr. Stefan Braun

Second Place
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
"Why We're Different" by Josh Sayles

Category 3: Personal Essay

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all magazines/Websites.

First Place
Hadassah Magazine, New York, NY
"One More Bud" by Elin Schoen Brockman

Second Place
Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
"Cyberstalking Akiva and the Kippah Snafu" by Julie Gruenbaum Fax

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, CO
"The Archaeology of Our Lives" by Hillel Goldberg

Second Place
Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, Milwaukee, WI
"Why Choose Israel?" by Elana Kahn-Oren

Category 4: Award for Excellence in Editorial Writing

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all Magazines/Websites.

First Place
Forward, New York, NY
"Birth-Responsibility"
Comments: Sharply focused.

Second Place
Forward, New York, NY
"Save Sudan"

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
American Jewish World, Minneapolis, MN
"Manufacturing Crimes" by Mordecai Specktor
Comments: Nuanced discussion.

Second Place
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
"No Excuse" by Deborah Sussman Susser
Comments: Prophetic voice.

Category 5: The Boris Smolar Award for Excellence in Comprehensive Coverage or Investigative Reporting

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation and all Magazines/Websites.

First Place
Forward, New York, NY
Labor Series by Nathaniel Popper:"New Labor Leaders Take a Page from History,""End of Long Jewish Era for Garment Union,""Which Side Are We On? Jews Lead Fight For and Against Key Labor Bill,""Long Strike at Chicago Hotel Pits Jew Against Jew,""Orthodox, and Sticking with the Union,""Historic Union Torn Apart in Messy Divorce,""Pushing for Better Wages, Not Necessarily Giving Them"
Comments: Exhaustive, well executed.

Second Place
Forward, New York, NY
The Bernard Madoff Scandal Series:
"Cleaning Toilets, and Other Victim Fantasies" by Rebecca Dube
"Madoff's Victims Speak Out" by Alison Cies
"In the Courtroom: Torment and Dante's Hell" by Thane Rosenbaum
"For Madoff's Victims, Here's a Guide to the Complex World of Legal Restitution" by Alison Cies and Nathaniel Popper
"Charities Hurt by Madoff May Have to Return Funds" by Josh Nathan-Kazis
"Should Madoff's Winners Give Back to Losers?" by Josh Nathan-Kazis
"Picower's Death Adds to Mystery: Who Else Knew of Madoff Fraud?" by Josh Nathan-Kazis
"Few Charities Go Public with Policies for Reform" by Josh Nathan-Kazis
"Victims Lose Faith that Government Protects" by Beth Schwartzapfel
"Hadassah Changing the Way It Does Business" by Gal Beckerman
Comments: Gives a human face to the scandal.

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
St. Louis Jewish Light, St. Louis, MO
"Earth Day: Jewish Perspectives on Energy and the Environment" by Jewish Light Staff
Comments: Timely, comprehensive, well packaged.

Second Place
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
"Tough Times: Jewish Agencies Cope with Ongoing Financial Pressure" by Debra Morton Gelbart
"CAJE Cancels Event, Will Disband" by Josh Sayles
"Cutting Jewish Classes" by Josh Sayles
"Tzedakah in Recession" by Debra Morton Gelbart
"Federation Announces Layoffs" by Debra Morton Gelbart
"Synagogues Deal with Recession" by Leisah Woldoff
"High School Cuts Jobs, Puts Building on Hold" by Salvatore Caputo
"JTO Gets Less, Grants Less in Scholarship Aid" by Salvatore Caputo
"Jewish Camp Enrollment Down Across Valley" by Josh Sayles
"Day School Board Heads Address ‘Tuition Crisis'" by Salvatore Caputo
"Recession Hits Arts Groups" by Salvatore Caputo
"The Value of a ‘Central Address': VOSJCC Seeks Renewed Community Support" by Leisah Woldoff
Comments: Wide ranging, comprehensive, detailed.

Category 6: Excellence in News Reporting

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation.

First Place
Canadian Jewish News, Toronto, ON
"Israeli Rabbi Rejects Toronto Conversion" by Paul Lungen
Comments: A fascinating look at a court decision that readers surely found compelling. The story did an excellent job explaining the legal and cultural issues surrounding the case of a Toronto-born man who was converted to Judaism as an infant, but who an Israeli judge deemed no longer Jewish because he was not observant enough. Is there anyone who could read this story and not have an opinion? More so, the story was very well written, laying out the facts in a clear way with good analysis of the surrounding issues.

Second Place
The Jewish Week, New York, NY
"J Street Facing Stiff Challenges Amid Rise" by James D. Besser
Comments: An excellent example of using a news event as an opportunity to take a deep dive into a subject that interests many in the Jewish community.

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
Washington Jewish Week, Rockville, MD
"Once Again, ‘Never Again'" by Richard Greenberg
"‘I Thought We' Would Die" by Debra Rubin
"Shooting Brings Poignancy to ‘Anne and Emmett' Play" by Lisa Traiger
Comments: All three articles were well written and tied together this extremely tragic event.

Second Place
The Jewish Chronicle, Pittsburgh, PA
"Marijuana Use Debated" by Lee Chottiner
Comments: A well-written article that gave good insight into Jewish law concerning medical marijuana.\

Category 7: Excellence in Feature Writing

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 Circulation.

First Place
j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, CA
"Spiritual Caregivers" by Stacey Palevsky
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3
Comments: A powerful story told with grace and restraint.

Second Place
Forward, New York, NY
"At a Kinky Jews Seder, Pharoah Isn't the Only One with the Whip" by Gabrielle Birkner
Comments: Never gives into flibness or finger-wagging with a story that could have fallen into either.

Division B. Newspapers from 7,500 to 14,999 circulation.

First Place
Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, CO
"Crypto Jews" by Chris Leppek

Second Place
Chicago Jewish News, Skokie, IL
"Summer of Hate" by Pauline Yearwood

Division C. Newspapers 1 to 7,499 circulation.

First Place
The Dayton Jewish Observer, Dayton, OH
"Fall of the Aryan Nations" by Marshall Weiss
Comments: A suspenseful tale well told.

Second Place
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
"The ‘Lone Soldier' Experience" by Josh Sayles
Comments: Interesting characters with interesting things to say.

Division D. Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Websites.

First Place
Hadassah Magazine, New York, NY
"Jaffa on Three Senses a Day" by Leora Eren Frucht
Comments: A powerful piece – sensitive, insightful, beautifully rendered.

Second Place
Hadassah Magazine, New York, NY
"Individualism and Community" by Rachel Musleah
Comments: Well reported and perceptively written.

Category 8: Arts and Criticism News and Features

Division A. Critical analysis/review, usually of a single artistic endeavor, whether in literature, theater, film or fine arts and crafts.

First Place
Harriet P. Gross, Dallas, TX
"A Portrait of Rashi's Third Daughter, Rachel"
Comments: This is a beautifully written review that flows gracefully and reflects a strong grasp of the subject matter.

Second Place
The Reporter, Vestal, NY
"Humorous Tales of Woe and Apocalypse" by Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Division B. Reporting on an artistic endeavor, trend, movement or personality, whether in literature, theater, film or fine arts and crafts.

First Place
j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, CA
"Many Nations, One Tribe" by Stacey Palevsky
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3

Second Place
j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, CA
"Quill and Scroll" by Stacey Palevsky
Page 1 | Page 2

Category 9: The David Frank Award for Excellence in Personality Profiles

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation.

First Place
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York, NY
"William Safire, NY Times Columnist, Dies at 79" by Ron Kampeas
Comments: Takes what could be a conventional obituary and adds rich and colorful detail.

Second Place
Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore, MD
"Freedom Fighter" by Alan H. Feiler
Comments: An engrossing and well-written tale of one man's struggle with himself.

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, CO
"Hillel of UN Watch" by Tehilla Goldberg

Second Place
Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, CO
"Worldwide Maggid" by Chris Leppek

Division C. Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Websites.

First Place
Hadassah, New York, NY
"Matt Beynon Rees" by Leora Eren Frucht

Category 10: Excellence in Overall Graphic Design (3 Issue Submission)

Division A: Newspapers over 15,000 circulation.

First Place
Forward, New York, NY
March 10, November 13, November 20, 2009 Issues by Kurt Hoffman and Richard Harrington
Download a sample of each issue: March 10| November 13 | November 20
Comments: Authoritative, but pleasing, informative design.

Second Place
j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, CA
January 30, February 6, March 6, 2009 Issues by Cathleen Maclearie
Comments: Clean, creative, handsome.

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
Intermountain Jewish News, Denver, CO
March 20, October 30, November 6, 2009 Issues by Hillel Goldberg

Second Place
Cleveland Jewish News, Beachwood, OH
March 13, August 7, August 14, 2009 Issues by Frida Kon
Download a sample of each issue: March 13 | August 7 | August 14
Comments: Newsy, attractive, good use of photos.

Division C. Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Websites.

First Place
JVibe, Burlington, VT
March/April, July/August, September/October 2009 Issues by Linda Curran
Download a sample of each issue: March/April Issue | July/August Issue | September/October Issue
Comments: The design is vibrant, bold and sure of itself without ever becoming inaccessible.

Second Place
Hadassah, New York, NY
January, February, and June/July 2009 Issues
Download a sample of each issue: January Issue | February Issue| June/July Issue

Category 11: Excellence in Special Sections or Supplements

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation.

First Place
The Jewish Week, New York, NY
"Text/Context" by Collaborative
Comments: From the cover to the illustrations throughout, this publication has continuity, conceptual strength and clarity. Well done.

Second Place
New Jersey Jewish News, Whippany, NJ
"Fresh Ideas from Garden State Teens" by Robin Friedman and Dayna Nadel
Download full set of entries: Click Here (.sit Compressed File)
Download each page:
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Comments: Strong use of typography teamed with a good sense of when to let the empty space act as a design element, too. Bold, entertaining and high energy.

Division B. Newspapers under 14,999 circulation.

First Place
St. Louis Jewish Light, St. Louis, MO
"Earth Day: Jewish Perspectives on Energy and the Environment" by Jewish Light Staff
Comments: This issue was a model of consistency and thoughtful journalism. A wide range of interesting articles explored Judaism and the environment. There were great graphics and good page design. The issue had humor, insight, intelligence and practical applications for readers. Overall this was well conceived and executed.

Second Place
Cleveland Jewish News, Beechwood, OH
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Supplement by Ellen Schur Brown

Division C. Magazines.

First Place
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
Chosen Magazine Spring 2009 Issue by Jennifer Goldberg
Comments: Wow! Feature design is eye popping and bold, with interesting articles and lots of variety. Nice use of photo narrative. Good work.

Second Place
Hadassah Magazine, New York, NY
"Tel Aviv”
Comments: A great visual narrative for a 100 anniversary, tradition and modern play together well with the pages and design is clean and strong.

Division D. Websites.

First Place
Jvibe, Burlington, VT
18under18.com (Visit Site) by Hyung Park
Comments: Nice design on the opening page with good color palette choices and clean transition to second level pages.

Category 12: Excellence in Cover Design (3 Cover Submission)

Division A. Magazines and magazine style covers.

First Place
Lilith Magazine, New York, NY
Spring, Summer, and Fall 2009 Issue Covers by Lindsay Barnett and Aliza Dzik
Comments: Interesting, engaging covers that emphasize clever concepts over pretty pictures. The creative use of color and typography gives these covers consistency and unity and helps them stand out in the crowd.

Second Place
j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, CA
August 7, August 21, November 27, 2009 Issue Covers by Cathleen Maclearie
Comments: Clever conceptual illustrations bring life to these newsweekly covers.

Division B. Standard newspring page 1 and broadsheet formats.

First Place
New Jersey Jewish News, Whippany, NJ
February 5, June 4, August 20, 2009 Issue Covers by Staff
Comments: Large, colorful illustrations make good use of the tabloid format, while supporting images provide entry points without cluttering up the page. Good variety of layout between covers.

Category 13: Excellence in Photography

Division A. All Newspapers.

First Place
j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, CA
"Spiritual Caregivers" by Stacey Palevsky
Comments: Touching, beautiful work.

Division B. Magazines/Special Sections/Websites.

First Place
Hadassah Magazine, New York, NY
"Finding (Jewish) Grassroots" by Lucy Schaeffer
Download: Part 1 | Part 2
Comments: I love the great use of natural light in these story-telling, documentary shots.

Second Place
Hadassah Magazine, New York, NY
"Standing Against Time"by Yossi Gutmann

Category 14: The Noah Bee Award for Excellence in Illustration and/or Editorial Cartooning

Division A. Cartoons. All Newspapers/Magazines/Special Sections and Supplements/Websites.

First Place
Steve Greenberg, Simi Valley, CA
"Madoff and the Devil," "Prayer Is Good," "Ahmadinejad Denial"

Second Place
Forward, New York, NY
Cartoons by Eli Valley
Part 1|Part 2|Part 3

Division B. Illustrations. All Newspapers/Special Sections and Supplements/Websites.

First Place
Hadassah Magazine, New York, NY
Illustrations:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11

Second Place
Forward, New York, NY
Illustrations by Kurt Hoffman
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Category 15: Outstanding Website

Division A. Newspapers over 15,000 circulation.

First Place
MyJewishLearning.com, New York, NY (Visit Website)
Comments: Concise, uncluttered and inviting.

Second Place
Forward.com, New York, NY (Visit Website)
Comments: Engaging tone, excellent use of multimedia

Category 16: Award for Excellence in Writing about Women

First Place
Jewish Woman, Washington, DC
"Down to Earth" by Paula Amann
Comments: In a category rich with meaningful and important stories, the winning entry stands out as a sweeping, yet tightly written survey of women whose enterprise and intellect are helping to enact the Jewish value oftikkun olamin diverse and sometimes surprising ways.

Second Place
B'nai B'rith Magazine, Washington, DC
"Israeli Women's Roles Grow: But Total Equality Remains Elusive" by Uriel Heilman
Comments: This comprehensive exploration of the complexity of Israeli attitudes toward women in leadership roles, in religious life and in the home includes a fascinating discussion of how the rules and conventions of military service affect women's relative status and opportunities.

Category 17: Nefesh B'Nefesh Award for The Story of Aliyah

First Place
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
"The ‘Lone Soldier' Experience" by Josh Sayles
Comments: This story without a doubt met the contest's criteria of capturing theunfoldingstory ofaliyah. Mature adults who decide to move their families to Israel is one story. But the story of young adults who leave North America in the 21st Century to fight for Israel is an entirely different level of sacrifice and commitment. I imagine conversations with parents and families who agreed and disagreed with these young adults' decisions were challenging and even more challenging to write about. Mazel Tov!

Second Place
Forward, New York, NY
Writing in My Father's Footsteps Series by Jonathan Kesselman: "Writing in My Father's Footsteps," "From Crotona Park to Tel Aviv: Why He Fought, and How He Got There," "The Pan York and Aliyah Bet: The Men and the Ships that Beat Bevin," "Part IV: The Men of Company B and the Taking of Tamra," "Part V: At Mount Meron, His Final Battle"
Comments: This series was powerful on two levels. Too few authors make the point that this author did: Jews have been victims and sometimes still are, but "We always persevere; we always fight." The series also poignantly reflects the remorse of not asking enough questions when our loved ones are still alive. The author demonstrates that thorough miningcan yield a rich history that should make the family and the Jewish community proud.

Category 18: The Jewish Healthcare Foundation Award for Excellence in Writing about Health

First Place
Lilith Magazine, New York, NY
"What Beauty Does" by Alix Kates Schulman

Second Place
The Jewish Standard, Teaneck, NJ
"Local Rabbi Donates Kidney to a Stranger" by Dr. Miryam Wahrman
Part 1 | Part 2

Category 19: Award for Excellence in Organizational Newsletters

First Place
B'Yachad, New York, NY
Fall 2009 Issue,"The Lives We Touch" by Jodi Bodner, Terry McCarthy and Sarit Schonbrun

Second Place
Friends of Yad Sarah, New York, NY
Fall 2009 Issue,"Inside Yad Sarah" by Abbey Marks