By COLlive reporter
Whatever the outcome of online voting for the Jewish Community Heroes contest, the final say is left for an independent judging panel.
And so far there are two Lubavitchers included in that exclusive group chosen by UJC / The Jewish Federations of North America, COLlive was told.
The first is Billy Rudolph, President of Yeshiva Schools and Lubavitch Center of Pittsburgh and Chairman of United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh.
Joining him is Dmitri Salita, Ukrainian-born undefeated boxer who is a regular at Chabad of Flatbush and was recently married in Crown Heights.
Andy Neusner, UJC’s web content manager, told COLlive he was annoyed to hear of claims in Chabad circles of an attempt to undermine Lubavitch nominees, which he denied.
“We had 4 weeks left and the top 10 group was stable,” he said in reference to the last-minute decision to choose from the top 20 list instead of the top 10.
“If we wanted to disenfranchise the great Chabad nominees – there can be other ways,” Neusner added, acknowledging their past resentment to Lubavitch among Federation leaders.
Currently (Sep. 22 6:01PM EST) there are 11 Lubavitch rabbis and activists in the top 20 list. Since COLlive first reported about the first Lubavitch nominee (Texas Shliach Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff) the list quickly grew to tens of nominations.
Neusner, a former writer with the JTA news agency who has ties with Chabad spokesman Rabbi Zalman Shmotkin, says he was only moderately surprised.
“I an eminently aware how web savvy Chabad communities are and kind of knew Chabad would be leading in the list,” Neusner said.
Voting for the top 20 semi-finalists ends Thursday, October 8, 11:59PM EST. From then, a panel of judges selects the five finalists.
The winner will receive $25,000 and a speaking slot at the 2009 UJC General Assembly in Washington, DC.
Is Devora Benjamin off the list? I can’t find her to vote for her.
Ari teamen is a very bug supporter of chabad,vote for him he is a chevreman and an ish chesed,that does alot of amazing work.
http://www.jewishcommunityheroes.org/vote/vote/177/1/
please choose devorah benjamin. this isnt a unfair plea, i think and many others think the same that not only is devorah deserving it fuly, she can also use it in the best way, continuing her wonderful work
It’s just easier to use comment 11’s link
http://www.ujc.org/page.aspx?id=206765
http://www.jewishcommunityheroes.org/
I have created a link that automatically votes for 16 Lubavitchers on the UJC list by just visiting:
http://sharetabs.com/?vote
these are the pics of all front runners not only the lubavitch ones
can you please post the link to vote for all of them at once?
its not a lubavitch V Jewish USA, we have power to bring people together and unite them not to fight over 25k.
Take the effort and use it for the good, gamarchima tova!
Devorah Benjamin rocks!!!
Go Mr. Rudolph Go!!!
since when is bookstien a lubavitcher?!? who deemed him worthy of this title???
If you’ve been serviced by her you know how special she is. Now, lets get people to vote for her and all those doing the Rebbe’s work.
Please remove the picture of the individual between Rabbi Engel and Rabbi Zippel in the third row. This is the sonei who helped with the efforts to bring down the Rubashkins and he stands to be rewarded for his efforts because of the votes he is getting from misled Jews who support his rishus.
It is bad enough I have to see his sick grin when I vote on the site; no need to see it here.
you guys are the sane voice of lubavitch
Hope she wins. I wish they ALL win $25,000. But I know it can’t be & in the end I have to show Hakores Hatov to devorah Benjamin.
Yeah I’m the first one to post a comment