| A Letter
from Lorraine..."Rikud Lady" at Camp Ramah in New England
and Recipient of the 2001 Covenant Award May
2001
Dear Friends and Family
It may have been quite
awhile since I've been in touch with you...
However, I've
gone down my email address book to share some exciting news with you.
It'd easier than shouting from the rooftop!
I just received word
this afternoon that I won the prestigious Covenant Award. This
is an award from the Covenant Foundation of the Crown Family
Foundation and the Jewish Education Service of North America.
"The Covenant Awards are designed to honor and thank educators
who have contributed creatively to the transmission of
Jewish knowledge, values, and identity, and who have served as
positive role models for other educators and for the Jewish community
at large".
This is among the most
coveted awards in Jewish education. I've been recognized for my work
in the area of Israeli dance education. The program I have established
for the past 27 years at Temple Israel in Albany now includes my high
school group of 53 dancers who perform throughout the northeast and at
local cultural and religious functions. I train teens to teach
in all the area religious school as well as many performing groups for
children of all ages. I established a vibrant program at Camp
Ramah in New England for the last ten years. I teach full
day Judaic kindergarten and Israeli dance at the Bet Shraga Hebrew
Academy. I now have the great joy of consulting with many
communities, schools and camps around the country to help establish
programs of Israeli dance and train new Israeli dance teachers.
I get great joy from watching my graduates teach in the communities
where they go to college or settle as adults.
My greatest nachas is
watching my own children enjoy Israeli dancing. Rachel is currently
dancing in Israel with the famous Hora Yerushalayim troupe and teaches
at several schools in the Boston area while at Brandeis. Shira
just finished teaching in an area religious school, running her own
junior high group at temple and assisting me with the high school.
Josh is a member of the high school group and teaches little kids on
Sundays. (Shira's looking for a job in the U Maryland area for
next year. Anyone have connections?) And...my best
audience and supporter is Ian. It feels great to be recognized like
this and just wanted everyone to be able to share my joy and get a
sense of what keeps me so busy.....
Lots of
love.........Lorraine |
