The OU will honor Rabbi Dratch, as well as 11 other outstanding rabbis and their congregations who have made unique contributions to Orthodox Jewish life in America. Rabbi Yosef Grunblatt, spiritual leader of the Queens Jewish Center in Forest Hills, NY – who will also be honored at the dinner – will be the keynote speaker.

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

Rabbi Dratch has a special interest and expertise in the halachic (Jewish legal) issues surrounding child abuse and domestic violence and is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Religion and Abuse.

In 1993, Rabbi Dratch addressed the first international rabbinic conference on child abuse and domestic violence. His discourse on the halachic implications of family violence has been used by a number of organizations including the Rabbinical Council of America, Jewish Family and Children’s Services throughout North America and Jewish Women International. He has collaborated with the Institute for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Toronto on a five-part training video for faith leaders. Rabbi Dratch also participated in "Broken Vows," a video dealing with family violence in faith communities, produced by the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence in Seattle, where he is a member of the Jewish Advisory Committee.

Recording Secretary for the Rabbinical Council of America as well as for the Rabbinic Alumni of RIETS, Rabbi Dratch is also a member of the Orthodox Caucus and a board member of the American Friends of Nishmat. In addition, Rabbi Dratch serves as a "Vebbe Rebbe," answering halachic questions sent in to the Orthodox Union website.

Rabbi Dratch received his B.A. from Yeshiva College of Yeshiva University. He earned his M.S. in Jewish Education from the University’s Ferkauf Graduate School and received his semicha (rabbinic ordination) from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS).

"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."

The honorees include: Rabbi Yosef Adler (Congregation Rinat Yisroel, Teaneck) Rabbi Moshe Bomzer (Congregation Beth Abraham Jacob, Albany); Rabbi Reuven Bulka (Congregation Machzikei Hadas, Ottawa); Rabbi Joseph Grunblatt (Queens Jewish Center, Forest Hills); Rabbi Dr. Basil F. Herring (Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach); Rabbi Shaya Kilimnick (Beth Sholom, Rochester); Rabbi Zvulun (Sidney) Lieberman (Beth Torah Congregation, Brooklyn); Rabbi Yisroel Miller (Poale Zedeck Congregation, Pittsburgh); Rabbi Adam Mintz (Lincoln Square Synagogue, New York); Rabbi Arthur Schneier (Park East Synagogue, New York); and Rabbi Harvey Well (Or Torah Congregation, Skokie).

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