Daphne Macy, Israeli- American writer and actress, is the speaker.
The Jewish Federation of Pinellas and Pasco Counties will honor 24 representatives from virtually every Jewish organization in the community at the 17th annual Sonya Miller, z”l, Women of Distinction award ceremony on Sunday, May 5.
The event will take place at Suncoast Empath Health’s “Gathering Place” beginning at 1:30 p.m. at 5771 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater and the theme will be “A Tribute to the Women of the IDF (Israel Defense Force).”
The celebration will begin with a reception, followed by a staged reading of an excerpt from “Private Moments,” a play by Daphne Macy, an Israeli-American writer and actress. The play is loosely inspired by her own experience as a soldier in the IDF. It is a coming-of-age story of a female Israeli soldier. The play strives to break the misconceptions about what it is like to serve in the Israeli army from a female perspective.
Macy, the playwrite, will be in attendance to discuss the excerpt from the play, as well as her own IDF experience. The event co-chairs are Harriet Stein and Jackie Wertel, committee members include Lynn Brodsky, Janice Caine, Anne deMarlor, Barbara Eisenman, Kara Goldberg, Janet Hammer, Laurie Reiskind and Betty Slavney.
The honoreees and the organizations they represent are:
Nancy Clark, Benjamin Tower Foundation; Ilana Hecht, Chabad Jewish Center of St. Petersburg; Dina (Diane) Jude, Chabad of Pinellas County; Tami Mor, Chabad of Clearwater; Nicole Boyle, Chabad of West Pasco; Priscilla Nathanson, Congregation Beth Shalom; Blanche Levine, Congregation Beth Shalom Sisterhood; Eileen Richman, Congregation B’nai Israel; Reisha Freedman, Congregation B’nai Israel Sisterhood; Dr. Halina Kramarz Herman, Florida Holocaust Museum; Jill Johnson, Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services; Helene Debowsky, Hadassah St Petersburg Chapter; Barbara Baccari, Hadassah Lylah Pinellas Chapter; Lois Kender, Hadassah-North Pinellas Chapter; Eileen Hochstadt, JCC of West Pasco, Congregation Beth Tefillah; Sally Israel, Jewish Genealogical Society; Robin Taylor, Jewish National Fund Southern Region; Joyce Tucker, Jewish Women International; Barbara Baughman, Menorah Manor; Ilene Klein, Temple Ahavat Shalom and Temple Ahavat Shalom Sisterhood; Laura Horwitz, Temple Beth-El; Sandi Sunter, Temple B’nai Israel; Linda White, Temple B’nai Israel Sisterhood and Polly Kraus, TOP Jewish Foundation.
Tickets range in price from $36 to $118 and program tribute options are available on the Federation’s website and by mailed invitations. Dietary laws will be observed under the supervision of Rabbi Pinchas Adler. RSVP by April 30.
For more information about the ceremony and other Federation events, visit jewishpinellas.org or call (727) 530-3223.
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