For the second year in a row, the Arizona Jewish Post has won a first place Simon Rockower Award for Excellence in Jewish Journalism from the American Jewish Press Association.
The award is also a repeat for AJP freelance writer Nancy Ben-Asher Ozeri, who took home last year’s first place award. Her award winning article this year, “JFCS helps Russian Holocaust survivors share their stories,” won the first place “Award for Excellence in Writing About the Global Russian-Speaking Jewish Community” for newspapers from 1-7,499 circulation. It appeared in the AJP’s Dec. 15, 2014 issue and can be read online at azjewishpost.com/?p=34042.
The contest judge commented, “Many people don’t think of Russian Jews when they think of Holocaust survivors but, as this piece points out, their substantial numbers live in the U.S. That JFCS is gathering their stories is important, that the Arizona Jewish Post covered the project is, too.”
The AJP has garnered seven Rockower awards since 2007, taking first place five times. The prestigious annual awards, started in 1980 to promote quality Jewish journalism, are often referred to as the “Jewish Pulitzers.”
Ozeri was honored in 2014 for her article on the “Firefighters Without Borders” mission to Israel (see azjewishpost.com/?p= 30385).
The 2015 Rockower Awards, recognizing work published in 2014, will be presented at the AJPA’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., in November 2015.
