MERCAZ Newsletter
Spring 2001
Mazal Tov

Mazal Tov

* To Elana Gershen Finkelstein, Jonathan Gershen and Rabbi Pamela Barmash who represented MERCAZ USA on the first Young Professionals Retreat sponsored by the American Zionist Movement this past December. The North American retreat follows similar gatherings in Europe and South America and will lead to a worldwide meeting for young professionals in Jerusalem later this year.

* To Rabbi Roberto Arbib, spiritual leader of the Masorti congregation Kehillat Sinai in Tel Aviv, this year's recipient of the Jewish Theological Seminary's Liebhaber Prize for the Promotion of Religious Pluralism and Tolerance in Israel. The award ceremony was held at Israel's ÒPresident's HouseÓ, in the presence of President Moshe Katsav who thanked the leadership of the Conservative Movement for its efforts to bring Jews closer to Judaism and promote the unity of the Jewish people.

* To Hezi Nir, former shaliach to the Conservative Movement in North America, who was appointed the new director of the WUJS (World Union of Jewish Students) Program in Arad.

* To Barbara Goldsmith Levine, principal of the Frankel TALI School on French Hill, who was awarded this year's State of Israel's prize for the outstanding elementary school.