This week
`Newspaper Of The Year'
Detroit Jewish News wins first place in statewide newspaper competition.
Lieberman
Cohen
DAVID SACHS
Senior Copy Editor
T
10/12
2001
12
he Detroit Jewish News was voted
2001 "Newspaper of the Year" in
a competition of 35 weekly
Michigan newspapers of compa-
rable circulation size.
The Michigan Press Association (MPA)
issued its top award to the JN for the sec-
ond time in three years, announcing its
awards in conjunction with National
Newspaper Week, Oct. 7-13. Similar
awards were given by the group to five daily
newspapers and to four other weeklies of
larger or smaller circulations. The competi-
tion was judged by members of the Illinois
Press Association.
In awarding the general excellence award
to the JN, the judges cited the "great" trib-
ute issue to the late Ambassador David
Hermelin ("Forever Ours," Dec. 1, 2000) as
well as the "great covers" on the newspaper.
The Redford Observer took second place and
the West Bloomfield Eccentric finished third.
"It's a strong testimony to our staff and to
the quality of the products we put out for
our readers and advertisers," said JN pub-
lisher Arthur M. Horwitz.
"In the midst of all of the things that are
on our minds as Americans and as journal-
ists, it's nice to be able to step back just a
little bit in order to recognize and appreci-
ate the fact that what the staff at the Jewish
News does is truly special and truly award-
winning."
For local reporting, JN Copy Editor and
Education Writer Diana Lieberman was
awarded first place among 58 entries for her
report on the creation of the Jewish
Academy of Metropolitan Detroit ("A
Ladder For Learning," Aug. 25, 2000).
The article was lauded by the judges for
its "meaningful content and quality presen-
tation on what it took for a community to
successfully build a Jewish high school."
Also in the local reporting category, JN
Schultz
Schwartz
Charnas
Story Development Editor Keri Guten
Cohen took third place with her series of
reports from Israel on the Michigan Unity
Mission (Jan. 19 and 26, 2001). "The sig-
nificance and impact of a community's trip
to Israel at a time of danger are clearly com-
municated," the judges stated.
Commenting on the awards, Jewish News
Editor Robert A. Sklar said, "We're com-
munity journalists above all, so that makes
our commitment to readers foremost on
our minds."
Bachrack
Sklar
Horwitz
Below, clockwise from top left:
The memorial to David Hermelin was cited
in granting the JN the general
excellence award.
The cover story on the Jewish Academy
of Metropolitan Detroit won first place
for local reporting.
The first-place SourceBook.
The winning Style at
the Jewish News.
Design And Special Sections
The Jewish News Creative Services depart-
ment, including Art Director Deborah
Schultz and the artistic staff, won second
place kudos for design, behind the
Waterford Eccentric.
Referring to the JN's creative page design,
which bested 16 other papers, the judges
said, "This is something different. You don't
stick to the traditional idea of a newspaper."
The JN was also honored for its colorful,
glossy special sections. The JN SourceBook:
Your Complete Guide to Jewish Living in
Metropolitan Detroit, edited by Cohen,
designed by Schultz and with information
management by Bobbi Charnas, won first
place. The judges found SourceBook "very
creative and appealing" and an "informative
book."
Right behind SourceBook was the second-
highest rated special section, Style at the
Jewish News, under Editor Carla Schwartz,
Assistant Editor Linda Bachrack and Art
Director Schultz. The Nov. 3, 2000, issue
was praised by judges as a "nice magazine"
with "good artwork." The JN special sec-
tions beat out 24 other
"We've got a terrific staff in every depart-
ment," said JN Editor Sklar, "and this over-
all honor certainly validates and under-
scores that.
"The honor is one the entire Jewish. News
community can savor." ❑
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