JEWISH FEDERATION OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

For 20+ years Megan Zinn has served as B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator, giving so much time and devotion to our congregation! Where other synagogues have a hired professional, or simply have no one to assist families, Beit Ahavah shines with Megan Zinn! Megan enables trepidatious parents to be totally present for their child’s life-cycle ceremony, focused on their spiritual, emotional, cultural and familial milestone, and to run everything smoothly. Megan collaborates closely with Rabbah Riqi, who is then free to focus with families on meaningful service honors, spirituality and helping the students write their D’var Torah. Megan expertly calendars service dates, edits our Handbook, advises party planning, engages volunteers. She has only missed two B’nei Mitzvah, deputizing a Board leader to “Be Megan” for the day! Megan’s individualized letters to the congregation say it all, articulating what our community stands for: “As always, we need your help to make the celebration successful, for Lilli, her family and the congregation as a whole. Pitching in to help each other is where we truly shine as a congregation and where we can show Beit Ahavah’s kids what it means to be part of a community. Megan’s dedication personifies who we are, enabling us to fulfill our mission: A close-knit, dedicated Reform community in Greater Northampton that celebrates the uniqueness of each member, supporting them to discover and deepen their own path of Judaism. In the words of recent parents: “Megan is a mitzvah and a blessing … a gift to the community!”

Jen has been instrumental in moving B'Yachad from just an idea to a fully realized and thriving school. Even now that her daughters are teenagers, she continues to be a resource and always one of the first to volunteer to help with anything special. We are so grateful for the years of service Jen has given to the B'Yachad community.

Lewis is a powerhouse volunteer whose presence on our campus is welcomed by all and whose kindness and humor brings warmth and levity to our community. Lewis is a board member who serves on multiple committees, including the ritual, financial oversight, and cemetery committees. He is one of a handful of volunteers who are essential to the running of our Shabbat services. He serves as a Gabbi, hands out honors, and coordinates Torah readers and lay ritual leaders. Most importantly, he makes people feel welcomed and ensures everyone has what they need to participate in services. Lewis also leads our Rosh Chodesh minyan, gathering a committed group of members and community members each month. And he is always willing to step in and fill whatever roll is needed, from leading Parsha class to wrapping the Torah. Lewis is always at CBI when services start at 9:30, which makes him our unofficial greeter and one of the first people folks interact with when they arrive at CBI. And up there on the list of wonderful things he does for this community is that he brings staff coffee to help fuel our work. Lewis and his wife Irene and committed and beloved community members. We are so pleased to be able to honor Lewis and all he does for our community.

Although she has only been a member of our shul for a few years, Jayne has been one of our most active volunteers, running children's programs, serving on the Board of Directors, doing Torah study, taking members to doctor visits, and most recently, volunteering to be the recording and correspondence secretary. She is truly worthy of being honored!

Mitch has been a dedicated, integral part of HFLA for a considerable period of time. His commitment not only to HFLA but to the Jewish community of Western Massachusetts is unparalleled. He is the most qualified person for us to celebrate as an excellent volunteer.

Mara Hahn has served as the JCA's board president for the past few years, after being a member of our executive committee. Her service to the JCA has been passionate and tireless. She has drawn upon a rich family tradition of service to Jewish communal life, following in the footsteps of her beloved parents, to serve the JCA at a time when it was really in need of dedicated leadership like hers. In that time, she has helped us to emerge from the COVID lockdown and to embark on crucial but challenging efforts to update how the JCA is led by both volunteers and professionals. She has shown the strength and resilience to persevere even through difficult moments, and the result is an institution that is thriving under her leadership. Through it all, she has prized relationship building and personal growth as core to the mission of leading a sacred community. Volunteer leadership like this is, unfortunately, often a thankless job, with fellow community members often more eager to tell you what is wrong, rather than appreciate what is right, or not being prone to recognize how much hard work and personal sacrifice it takes to serve a community like this in any weather. It can also come with the loss of your synagogue as a place of spiritual refuge, because you are so enmeshed in what it takes to keep the lights on. For all of these reasons, we are grateful to JFWM for creating this opportunity to offer Mara the recognition she so richly deserves.

Steven Dane is being honored by the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts for a lifetime of extraordinary service and dedication to the Jewish community. Steve’s leadership has graced virtually every committee and Board of the Federation, where his wisdom, humility, and steadfast commitment have left a lasting mark. Yet Steve’s contributions extend far beyond the Federation. As a true volunteer extraordinaire, he has offered his expertise, guidance, and heart to countless Jewish organizations and congregations. With his sharp financial acumen and deep sense of responsibility, Steve has not only analyzed challenges but illuminated the path toward a stronger and more sustainable future. In Pirkei Avot we are reminded, “In a place where there are no leaders, strive to be a leader.” Steve has done precisely that—leading with quiet strength, compassion, and an unwavering belief in the power of community. His soft-spoken manner belies an inner fire and focused determination to strengthen Jewish life for generations to come. Steve embodies the essence of the Shem Tov Award—literally, the “Good Name”—for as our sages teach, “A good name surpasses them all.” (Pirkei Avot 4:17) Though he never seeks recognition, his good name shines brightly through his deeds, his kindness, and his enduring commitment to the betterment of us all. For these reasons and countless others, Steve Dane is the inaugural recipient of the Shem Tov Award, a tribute to a life lived with purpose, integrity, and love for the Jewish people.

Yael and her husband, Jeff, have been active volunteers at JFS for a number of years. Most recently, Yael and her family provided home-hosting for a refugee family that arrived in January, 2025. Because of the closure of the refugee resettlement program, Yael ended up hosting the family for over four months. Yael worked with the family to help secure employment, assisted in the housing search to secure permanent housing, and over the summer coordinated a pick-up and drop-off schedule for the two children to get to and from camp every single day! She is someone who sees the Divine in every person, and is reflective of our tradition's core value of welcoming the stranger. We are so blessed to have her in our community and are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate her with this award.

Elly has been our volunteer librarian since 2022. In addition to keeping our collection organized and up to date, she leads our team of library volunteers and creates a welcoming and exciting space for readers of all ages. Elly welcomes classes each week for a read-a-loud and time to check out books. As our students say, "She reads very expressively," "She knows our taste and always knows what book to suggest we read next!" We are so grateful to Elly for helping LGA cultivate engaged, capable readers and students.

LYA is pleased to nominate Nancy Squires for the Shem Tov Award. Nancy was a member of the LYA board of directors and was instrumental in board restructuring. Though her term ended, her involvement has increased. Nancy was the driving force behind LYA's Hachai Hebrew High school, a program that has been running since her daughters were in high school. Nancy is an active participant in the adult education classes offered at LYA including Torah Studies and the seasonal JLI classes. In addition, she actively recruits friends for these classes. Nancy is part of the Chabad Women's Circle planning committee and helps plan events and programs. She is also part of the greet/security team at LYA for Shabbos and holiday services. What is special about Nancy Squires is growth in her Judaism and her constant desire to learn more and deepen her spiritual connection to Judaism and to G-d. As an adult, she chose to learn how to read Hebrew and use a Siddur during shul. She began learning on her own and has since had a steady learning session with one of the LYA rebbetzins. She is a convener and an organizer. Nancy has organized trips to New York and has opened her house to host informational sessions over the years for the JLI Israel trip. Nancy and her husband Bill are generous with their time and with their gifts of tzedaka to Jewish organizations.

Yisroel Gesin, Izzy as he is called by friends, puts in long hours serving as the Treasurer of our school. Despite the drive from Longmeadow, Izzy is present at virtually all board and executive board meetings. This past year, our Director of Finance quit in November. Izzy worked with the interim Director and now with our newly appointed director to provide a smooth transition. When our school became concerned about a budget deficit, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work spending a significant amount of time reviewing the budget again and again to ensure financial stability for the school. Loyal and dedicated, Izzy does not ask for recognition. Treasurer is a very time consuming position; no one knows how many hours he puts in behind the scenes until now. Let's get him the recognition he deserves.

Lewis Rosenthal is someone who does what he says he will do; he is loyal, faithful, and The Ohel Minyan has come to rely on him to be there for so many people who walk through our doors every day. Each morning when Lewis is not travelling to see and take care of his family, he will open up the doors of the daily minyan, and prepare the space for those who are looking for community, mourning their loved ones, or to celebrate together. He will often step in to lead shacharit if no one else is there to do so. Lewis does this without expecting anything in return. He does it for the love of the community. He has a big heart and always has room for more people in it. We are deeply grateful for his help and honor his presence in our community.

Molly Parr took on the task of calling each and every person from the Ohel Minyan who has a yarzheit to remind them when to come to minyan to say Kaddish. This was a personal touch that made the difference to many people, especially coming out of COVID isolation. It was not a text or an email. It was a phone call. Molly did this for the minyan for five years. We are so grateful and lucky to have her in our community.

Rosalind (Roz) Devine has volunteered with Rachel's Table for over 20 years, since 2004, and at one point, served as the President of RT. For years, Roz has been our volunteer coordinator (as a volunteer), helping to train new volunteers as well as schedule drivers and dispatchers for our food rescue program. In this role, Roz single-handedly created and recreated schedules depending upon different volunteer driver, agency, and food donor needs. She fielded calls and emails at all hours of the day and night from volunteer drivers, without complaint. She quietly assisted everyone to coordinate the intricate matching and mapping of food donor and agency location. At one point, it became clear that RT ran because of Roz. This became unsustainable, and systems were put into place to support her work. She proved to be flexible and learned alongside staff in updating systems and procedures. Roz is always kind and welcoming to all volunteers and staff and, this year, has patiently trained our first-ever staff position of Volunteer Coordinator. Roz has been the foundation of our rescue program, and we value her work beyond measure. Roz has mentioned that she at times misses the early days of phone calls before our new sign-up system, because she loves talking to people and making sure they are connected to RT’s mission. Roz is dedicated to ensuring people in our community are fed, and our drivers are happy while delivering.

Maggy Cohn has been a very involved member of Sinai Temple for many years and is very deserving of the Shem Tov award. Maggy served on our Board of Trustees for many years including serving as the Temple Recording Secretary. Maggy is the leader and organizer of our Shabbat greeters and is always the first person at the Temple cheerfully greeting congregants and guests. At Torah study every Shabbat, she warmly greets people and is the first to read the parsha and actively engages in discussion. Maggy is currently the chair of our Ritual Committee. In this role she has spent countless hours helping us prepare for the High Holy Days organizing our volunteers for the service. When our administrative assistant has been out, she has volunteered to sit at the desk and answer phones and welcome people. For many years, she was an active member of the Sinai Temple choir and Mak'hela, our regional Jewish choir. Maggy is one of our most involved members stepping in to take care of important tasks and for this she is most deserving of this honor.

When we first thought about nominating someone for the Shem Tov Award, Betsy Bertuzzi immediately came to mind. Most recently, Betsy was in the middle of an exhausting trip to Pittsburgh, driving until 2:30 a.m. after multiple canceled flights, just so she could fulfill her role as Springfield Delegation Head for the JCC Maccabi Games. That determination alone speaks volumes about her dedication. Betsy’s work with the Maccabi Games is not just a one-week commitment. It is a year-round volunteer role that requires constant energy, creativity, and leadership. She is responsible for recruiting participants, handling logistics, and, once the Games begin, living in dorms with teenagers and serving as problem-solver, mentor, and surrogate parent. For many Jewish teens in our region, she is the reason they are able to compete in sports, form lifelong friendships, and experience a transformative connection to community. What is remarkable is Betsy’s longevity in this role. She first became Delegation Head in 1999 when her oldest son was a participant. More than 25 years later, her son is grown and raising children of his own, yet Betsy continues to devote herself fully to ensuring new generations of teens can benefit from this program. Her passion has not waned; if anything, her commitment has deepened over time. Betsy Bertuzzi’s service is a clear example of how one person can shape a community so that people of every age can live with dignity, purpose, and choice. In addition to her decades-long commitment as Delegation Head for the JCC Maccabi Games, Betsy has dedicated countless hours as co-chair of our Be Our Best Campaign—a $12 million capital initiative to transform our aging community center. She embodies the Jewish value of l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation), ensuring that today’s efforts will create opportunities for tomorrow. She understands that the JCC is not just a building—it is a lifeline where children, teens, adults, and older adults find connection, enrichment, and support. By championing this campaign, Betsy is helping ensure that the next generation of families, seniors, and community members can thrive in a space that meets their needs with dignity and respect. Her leadership goes far beyond fundraising. Betsy inspires others to give, volunteer, and believe in the future of our community. She has a unique ability to bring people together across generations, reminding us that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that we all benefit when we invest in each other. Betsy has also been a steadfast leader within our organization. She served on the JCC Board for nearly two decades (1997–2011, 2015–2021), including as Board President from 2016–2018, guiding us through periods of both challenge and growth. Her wisdom, compassion, and vision consistently lifted others and set the tone for collaborative leadership. At the same time, Betsy has given generously of herself to causes throughout the broader community. For over 20 years, she has been an active board member and volunteer with Rachel’s Table, an organization dedicated to fighting hunger in our region. Through that work, she has helped provide food security and dignity to countless families in need. She is also a committed member of Sinai Temple, the Longmeadow Anti-Racism Coalition, and Hadassah, where her volunteerism and advocacy continue to advance inclusivity, equity, and community well-being. In every role—mentor, leader, advocate, fundraiser, volunteer—Betsy has enhanced the lives of those around her. Teens, families, older adults, and those facing food insecurity have all felt the impact of her commitment. Her work ensures that our community is more welcoming, more resilient, and more connected, now and for generations to come.

Patti is always the first to volunteer whenever help is needed at Temple Beth El. She helps in the office, makes herself available during Temple activities for setup and cleanup, and works the registration table at events. Patti never says, "No" and often offers to help without being asked. She is very generous with her time. Patti is especially valued for her efforts delivering Mitzvah Garden flowers and Shabbat dinners to shut-ins and Temple members who could use a "pick-me-up". She is friendly and glad to connect with people, and the outreach she does makes a difference to our members. Patti brightens other people's days!

Temple Israel of Greenfield is a Jewish congregation serving Franklin County and surrounding communities. We operate with no director or administrator. We have multiple volunteer committees that advise the Board of Directors on a myriad of congregation business and religious practice issues. We have many committed, outstanding volunteers who give tireless time and energy, year after year, without seeking personal recognition.

When asked to identify one outstanding volunteer with qualities of quiet humility and graciousness, our nominee for 2025 is Marc Weinberger who has been an active member here for more than forty years.

He volunteers almost without limit, knows what needs attention, and quietly shows up, takes care of the issue, and leaves. Hе works well with everyone and assists with almost every important project. His active committee contributions include leadership with facility and construction planning and oversight, budget and finance planning, investment oversight, sanctuary care, security, and this year Marc started a new invested fund to support our expanding program initiatives.

A professor emeritus, Isenberg School, UMass, Marc shares organization skills and congregation commitment quietly and prefers no special recognition. We would like to recognize Marc Weinberger as our Shem Tov Nominee, 2025.

We are proud to nominate Robert S. Feldman for the Shem Tov Award in recognition of his extraordinary leadership, dedication, and commitment to advancing the values of UMass Hillel. As a member of our Board of Directors and Senior Advisor to the Chancellor at UMass Amherst, Bob consistently goes above and beyond to advocate for Jewish students by bringing together campus leaders and Hillel in ways that proactively strengthen our campus community. A committed philanthropist and advocate for Jewish life, Bob embodies UMass Hillel’s mission and core values in every aspect of his work. He has been instrumental in strengthening our organization, fostering a vibrant campus community, and ensuring that our campus, including Hillel, remains a welcoming and inclusive space for all students. Beyond his support of Hillel, Bob has tirelessly worked to improve campus climate, serving as a mediator, ambassador, and consultant on sensitive issues across the University. His ability to listen, build bridges, and facilitate meaningful dialogue has had a profound impact on countless individuals and initiatives. Bob’s combination of vision, integrity, and deep care for the UMass community makes him an exceptional leader and role model. His commitment to fostering understanding, collaboration, and respect aligns perfectly with the spirit of the Shem Tov Award. Beyond UMass Hillel, Bob is actively involved in the Western Mass community and has served in leadership roles throughout the area, including at the JCA in Amherst, MA. We cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honor.