Schechter News | In the Media

Liebhaber Prize Awarded in Jerusalem

The Sixth Annual Marc and Henia Liebhaber Prize for the Promotion of Religious Tolerance and Cultural Pluralism in Israel was awarded in Jerusalem to Dr. Gili Zivan, Executive Director of the Yaacov Herzog Center for Jewish Studies and to Sharon Leshem-Zinger, Educational Director of the Kolot BaNegev Institute. (from left: Prof. David Golinkin, Sharon Leshem-Zinger, Dr. Gili Zivan, Prof. Alice Shalvi and Rabbi Marc Liebhaber.)

Prize recipients with Nobel Prize Laureate Shimon Peres.

MK Shimon Peres, keynote speaker at the award Ceremony, reminiscing on his mentor, David Ben Gurion, fondly recalled the first Prime Minister's favorite verse from the Bible, Leviticus 19:18: "V'ahavta l'raecha c'mocha"--"Love your fellowman as yourself...." The former Prime Minister went on to say that it was quite fitting that Rabbi Marc Liebhaber would endow this meaningful award for the state of Israel and its citizens, especially with the name "Lieb-Haber" which means "Love they friend" in German!

This year's award lauded Zivan's and Leshem-Zinger's collaborative efforts in bringing religious and secular Israelis together for the study of Jewish texts and dialogue in an atmosphere of mutual respect in study centers in Israel's south.

Knesset Greets Schechter!

The Shinui Party for Change invited leadership of the Schechter Institute Board of Governors to the Knesset for an exchange of ideas. MK Ilan Shalgi, who now heads up the Knesset Committee on Education was eager to learn about the Schechter Institute MA program in Jewish Studies, as well as its growing network of pluralistic TALI schools. "We are looking toward a day where equal rights for all streams of Judaism in Israel will prevail," he stated. In the meanwhile, the Schechter Institute continues in its quest to receive equal government funding for its educational programs.

At the Knesset, from right: Robert Rifkind, Chair of the SIJS Board of Governors, Rabbi Marc Liebhaber, MK Etti Livni, MK Victor Bzailovsky, Rabbi Michael Rivkin, MK Elan Shalgi, MK Reshef Cheyne, MK Ehud Rassabi, and Prof. David Golinkin, SIJS President.

top of page