Eighteen journalists chosen for '07 Gralla Fellows Program at Brandeis

Released on June 18, 2007
Contact: Marsha MacEachern, marsham@brandeis.edu or 781-736-4203

Program celebrates 10th anniversary of its founding.

Eighteen journalists chosen for '07 Gralla Fellows Program at Brandeis:

WALTHAM, Mass. - Eighteen journalists from 10 states and Canada have been selected to participate in the 2007 Gralla Fellows Program for Journalists in the Jewish Press at Brandeis University.

The Gralla Fellows Program, the premiere advanced journalism seminar in the nation on the American Jewish community, is designed to enhance journalists’ knowledge of Judaism, American Jewish life and trends relevant to religion reporting. The program will be held July 15-20 on the Brandeis campus. Fellows were selected from a competitive pool of candidates in print, audio and digital media.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Gralla Fellows Program. “We are delighted to welcome leading journalists in the Jewish press from throughout the United States and Canada to Brandeis this summer as Gralla fellows,” Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz said. “We are also proud to celebrate a decade of Brandeis University’s commitment to enhancing the quality of religion journalism in North America.”

This year’s program begins at 2 p.m. on July 15, with programs open to the public focusing on the past decade’s religion reporting and the future of the field.

Beginning July 16, the fellows will participate in a series of lectures, seminars, tours and workshops led by leading scholars, journalists and community leaders. Jonathan D. Sarna, the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History in the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, and the director of Hornstein: The Jewish Professional Leadership Program @ Brandeis, directs the Gralla Program with associate director Ellen Smith.

Founded in 1998, the Gralla Program is open to journalists in the early and middle stages of their careers. In odd-numbered years the program focuses on journalists in the Jewish press. In even-numbered years, the program is offered to religion journalists.

The program is made possible by a grant from Milton Gralla, co-founder of Gralla Publications and creator and editor of outstanding trade publications for more than 30 years. Fellows receive funding for tuition, room and board, and a travel stipend.

Since 1998, the Gralla Program has trained more than 160 fellows.

The 2007 Gralla Fellows include:
Jennifer Daddario, staff reporter, The Cleveland Jewish News, Cleveland, Ohio
Connie Dufner, freelance reporter, Texas Jewish Post, Dallas, Tx.
Rochelle Eisenberg, staff writer, Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore, Md.
Ben Harris, staff writer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York City, N.Y.
Eric Herschthal, editorial intern, The Jewish Week, New York City, N.Y.
Susan Jacobs, associate editor, The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Penn.
Esther Kustanowitz, freelance reporter, N.Y.
Josh Lipowsky, assistant editor, The Jewish Standard, Teaneck, N.J.
David Morris, editor, Florida Jewish News, Hollywood, Fla.
Randi Sherman, editorial assistant, The Jewish Week, New York City, N.Y.
Sheila Solomon, staff writer, Jewish Press Group of Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay, Fla.
Deborah Susser, associate editor, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz.
Ryan Teitman, staff writer, The Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia, Penn.
Andrea Waxman, assistant editor, The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, Milwaukee, Wisc.
Marshall Weiss, editor and publisher, The Dayton Jewish Observer, Dayton, Ohio
Stacey Palevsky, staff writer, J., The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California, San Francisco, Calif.
Sheri Shefa, campus editor/ staff reporter, Canadian Jewish News, North York, Ontario, Canada
Susan Freudenheim, managing editor, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif.