AJWS Board Chair Receives Prestigious Philanthropy Award

New York, NY; April 23, 2010— AJWS is pleased to announce that its board chair, Barbara Dobkin, will receive one of the highest honors in philanthropy, the LEAD award, this weekend from two of the world’s leading philanthropy organizations, the Women’s Funding Network and the Council on Foundations.

The Leadership, Equity And Diversity Award (LEAD) is presented annually to a philanthropist recognized as an outstanding risk-taker and innovator in the philanthropic community who, through determination and leadership, has increased funding for programs that promote gender equity and diversity.

Barbara Dobkin has been a funder, activist and leader in the social justice arena for over twenty-five years. And, she has built a reputation as a passionate advocate for women and girls in both Jewish and secular life. She was founding chair of the Jewish Women’s Archive’s Board of Directors and the founder and chair of Ma’yan: The Jewish Women’s Project of the JCC in Manhattan. In addition, Dobkin is a significant supporter and advisor to a variety of other organizations serving women and girls in the United States and Israel. These include The Hadassah Foundation, where she was founding chair of the board, and the Dafna Fund, where she is chair of the board.

Dobkin also currently serves on the boards of Advancing Women Professionals and the Jewish Community and the Women’s Funding Network. Since 2009, as AJWS’s board chair, Dobkin has continued her involvement in the empowerment of women around the world— a great many of AJWS’s partner organizations focus on enabling women to serve as primary agents of change in the areas of healthcare, sustainable development and education— while simultaneously connecting her leadership in the international development and human rights arenas to Judaism’s imperative to pursue social justice.

“Barbara is an inspiration for her dedication to human rights and social justice,” said AJWS president, Ruth Messinger. “Her work to elevate the status of women throughout the world benefits all of us who believe in tikkun olam. The LEAD award is well-deserved and AJWS is proud to be the beneficiary of her leadership, wisdom and generosity.”

Endowed by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in 1997, the LEAD Award was created by Women & Philanthropy (an organization no longer active) and entrusted to the Women’s Funding Network in 2009.

For More Information

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