OU Statement to The Press - From the OU Department of Public Relations
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America

Department of Public Relations

Main Office:
333 Seventh Ave.
New York, NY 10001

Phone: 212-613-8321
Fax: 212-564-9058
E-mail: media@ou.org

Sharyn Perlman
Director

Rabbi Dr. Sol Roth, of Manhattan To Be Honored For Unique Contribution to Jewish Life

February 4, 1998, New York, NY: Rabbi Dr. Sol Roth, of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan, will be honored at the Orthodox Union's (OU) Rabbinic Centennial Medallion Awards Dinner on Wednesday, February 24, 1998, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue in New York.

In celebration of its Centennial, the OU will honor Rabbi Roth as well as six other outstanding rabbis and their congregations who have made unique contributions to Orthodox Jewish life in America. Rabbi Dr. Bernard Lander, President of Touro College, who will also be
honored, will be the keynote speaker.

"Dr. Roth is an impressive community and spiritual leader whose has made an enormous contribution to Jewish life," said Mandell I. Ganchrow, M.D., President of the OU.

The Fifth Avenue Synagogue, which boasts an illustrious membership, is known as a spiritual home for leading Israeli dignitaries including Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chief Rabbis. Its members, many of whom have national and international reputations, include Elie
Wiesel and Ira Rennert.

Rabbi Roth is Adjunct Professor Philosophy at Yeshiva University and the author of numerous works. He served as President of the Rabbinical Council of America, the New York Board of Rabbis and the Religious Zionists of America.

"As we celebrate our 100th year, we cannot overemphasize the importance of rabbis, synagogues and communal institutions working in tandem to insure a thriving Orthodoxy," said Rabbi Raphael B. Butler, Executive Vice President of the OU. "The Orthodox Union acknowledges the synagogue as the focus of Jewish communal life. Each community is built around a vibrant synagogue led by a dynamic rabbi. It is that leadership that we are proud to honor," continued Rabbi Butler.

The honorees include: Rabbi Dr. Bernard Lander (Touro College); Rabbi Steven Dworken (Congregation Anshe Chesed, NJ); Rabbi Tzvi Flaum (Congregation Kneseth Israel, NY); Rabbi Barry Freundel (Kesher Israel Congregation, Washington, D.C.); Rabbi Steven Pruzansky (Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, NJ); Rabbi Dr. Sol Roth (Fifth Avenue Synagogue, NY); Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler (Community Synagogue of Monsey, NY) and Rabbi Dr. Chaim Wakslak (Young Israel of Long Beach, NY).

For dinner reservations, please contact Steven Karp at (212) 613-8134.

The Orthodox Union, celebrating 100 years of service to the Jewish community of the United States and other countries, is a foremost leader in youth work, advocacy for the disabled, synagogue services, adult education and political action. Its kosher supervision label, the OU, is the world's most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 200,000 products in 59 countries around the globe.

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