Community Leadership Awards

Romemu is defined by our community. We are people from all walks of life with diverse backgrounds and identities who join together on a common journey of spiritual growth. Many members dedicate their time, passion, and energy to our community.

While we express our appreciation to these dedicated individuals in many ways, twice each year we reflect on all the service of our many volunteers and select a few who have had a significant impact on our community to honor. At the Annual Community Meeting we celebrate the recipients of the Jade Netanya Ullman Spirit Award and at our Annual Gala we celebrate the recipients of the Reb Zalman Award for Visionary Leadership.

The Jade Netanya Ullmann Spirit Award is given each year to Romemu members who contribute their time, talents, and dedication to building and deepening community, creating a warm, welcoming spiritual home for all.

It is named in honor of Jade Netanya Ullmann who served (and still serves) as a Board Member, and volunteered her time as Executive Director of Romemu. Jade always gives of herself in selfless service that demonstrates her commitment to renewing the relationship that people have with Judaism through their experience at Romemu. She is the essence of what Romemu is; she is heart-centered and takes action on the many pieces that create community, from welcoming new members, serving on committees, helping with fundraising, and jumping in wherever help is needed. She was awarded this honor in 2011.

This award is for both depth & breadth of involvement, and for someone who shows up with radiance as a trustworthy representative of the “soul of Romemu”. Those of us who have received the award bring nominations, looking at each person in a “four-world model,” receiving each person’s neshama and dropping into a place of holy decision-making in order to present this award.

Each year at the annual community meeting, a group of the past recipients of the Jade Netanya Spirit Award select others worthy of carrying on her legacy. For many years, Caren Fried has led this group effort.

Jade Netanya Ullmann
Jamie Askin
Michelle Harvath
Wendye Chaitin
Howard Tear
Nili Weissman
Angie Atkins
Allegra Kochman
Miriam Rubin
Judy Gray
Alyssa Marko
Mijanou Rachel Mosher
Lauren Jacobs
Rabbi Mira Rivera
K’lilah Nooning
Rebecca Cruz
Tal Siegel
Robin Aronson
Iva Kaufman
Lisa Phillips

Named for Rabbi Zalman Schechter Shalomi, founder of Jewish Renewal, teacher of Rabbi Ingber and our community’s spiritual ancestor, this award honors individuals who have contributed to the renewal of the spirit of Jewish living.

Individuals selected for this award have demonstrated expansive vision and inspirational leadership that has engaged and reawakened seekers to the powerful healing and wisdom of the spiritual path in Judaism.

Reb Zalman taught that in every generation we are invited to own, expand upon, and reinterpret what Judaism means and how it, along with other practices and paths, can continue to instruct us and inform our lives. This process belongs to us all. This recipients of this award have demonstrated exceptional ability to recognize this and invite others into their path.

Rabbi David Ingber
Jade Netanya Ullman
Jeff Cahn
Ilene Sameth
Judi and John Hannan
Steve and Shari Melamed Kaplan
Pam and Peter Takiff
Marcia Meislin
Karen Goldstick