High Marks
solidarity mission organized by the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit to Israel during the current
intifada (Palestinian uprising) and has
sent a reporter to chronicle the dedica-
tion of Detroit Jews participating in
each one.
The MPA cited David Sachs as win-
ner of its fourth-place award for
able to chronicle the tragedy in a very
Enterprise Feature from 51 entries for
complete and compelling way."
his four-week series on Federation's
All winning items cited in this arti-
solidarity
mission last December ("At
cle can be accessed through the "Cover
Israel's Side," on JN Online archive,
Story Archive" of the Jewish News'
Dec. 14, 2001). The mission followed
Web site, JN Online:
by a day the Jerusalem and Haifa ter-
www.detroitjewishnews.com
rorist bombings on Dec. 1.
"David's four-part package localized
Winning Cover
how metro Detroiters were reacting to
what was going on in their
The JN also won recognition
Jewish homeland," said Sklar.
for its coverage of the after-
"He also told the story
math of the Sept. 11 attacks
through the eyes of a cousin
on the United States.
who immigrated to Israel. His
In the Spot News Picture
stories underscore our com-
category, among 20 entrants,
mitment to Federation's mis-
JN Staff Photographer Krista
sions to Israel and our com-
Husa won a second-place
mitment to first-hand cover-
award for her cover photo of Krista Husa
age of the Jewish state."
a child at a post-9-11 rally
The Jewish News was also
("Standing As One," Oct. 5,
awarded the second-place prize
2001). The cover photo
for design from among 12
focused on the child's
entrants. "Very clean, classic
intense expression holding
and elegant" is how judges
both American and Israel
deemed the paper's look. The
flags at the rally.
JN has placed either first or
"The picture said it all in
David Sachs
second in design the last four
terms of how Jews were feel-
years.
ing and responding to the
"We spend a great deal of time and
tragedy of 9-11," said Sklar. "It cap-
energy
on the look and presentation of
tured in the look of this child the
our paper — not just the content.
sense of oneness the Jews were feeling
And that's reflected in the caliber of
once again, rallying together as a com-
our designers and their commitment
munity to show the world that we
to compelling, eye-grabbing presenta-
were Jews — but also Americans and
tion," Sklar said.
are doing our part to stand up for and
"The comment here is very good;
protect the freedoms that we all enjoy."
`clean,
classic, elegant' speaks to all
As part of its Israel coverage, the
these points."
Jewish News has co-sponsored every
The Jewish News is recognized for "general excellence" by fellow journalists.
Editor Robert Sklar surveys the damage to the IN offices the day after the fire.
I
is been a tumultuous year for
the Detroit Jewish News and the
Jewish community it covers — a
year marked by terrorism in the
Jewish homeland, attacks upon the
United States and a devastating fire at
the JN offices.
Despite the accidental but ravaging
blaze Jan. 27 that destroyed the paper's
Southfield offices, the JN did not miss
a step.
Citing the paper's "high marks in
every category," the Michigan Press
Association has given first-place hon-
ors for General Excellence to the JN
for the third time in four years. The
awards were announced by the MPA
Oct. 6 to begin National Newspaper
Week. Journalists from the Georgia
Press Association served as judges.
Out of 27 weekly newspapers of
similar circulation from around the
state, the JN tied for the top prize in
General Excellence with the Southfield
Eccentric. In total, the JN received five
awards covering all aspects of journal-
ism, from breaking news coverage, to
in-depth reporting, to photography, to
artistic design.
"I think it's significant that we
placed well in the key categories of
content and design, which represent
the quality of the work we do," said
JN Editor Robert A. Sklar. "Being a
General Excellence winner so often
speaks to how highly our publication
is viewed by the secular press."
Another award was for Spot News
10/11
2002
22
for the issue that was published just
after the fire ("From The Ashes," Feb.
1, 2002). The second place prize was
determined from among 33 entries.
Under the direction of Sklar and Story
Development Editor Keri Guten Cohen,
the reporting staff of Harry Kirsbaum,
Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Diana
Lieberman and Sharon Luckerman
spearheaded the team coverage.
"The fact that we were honored for
our fire coverage is significant on a
number of levels," Sklar said, "not the
least of which is that we didn't have a
building or any of our files. We were
standing in a parking lot watching our
newspaper 'home' burn down, literally,
and less than a week later, we were
, —
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The Oct. 5, 2001, cover won a Spot News Picture award; "From The Ashes" on Feb. 1, 2002, won a Spot News
reporting award; four-part Israel Mission coverage in December 2001 was honored for Enterprise Feature.