Hillel's Annual "Lech Lecha" Award Dinner

"Lech Lecha" is Hebrew for "Go Forth as "G-d commanded Abraham and Sarah to 'Go forth from your land, from your kindred, from your father's house, to the land that I will let you see.'" G-d promises to "make a great nation of Abraham and Sarah and to make their name great." Just as Abraham and Sarah were sent forth to build a Jewish world, so too, the Albuquerque Jewish Community sends forth their students to make their names great. The "Amood Awards" have been created to thank special individuals who have been of tremendous support to Hillel. They have enabled Hillel to reach great success in providing programs and a central address for students as they search for meaning in their lives. These awards will institute a tradition of excellence as we honor outstanding individuals who volunteer their time and effort on behalf of Hillel, The University of New Mexico and the Jewish Community of Albuquerque.

Because John Feldman, Eileen Grevey Hillson, Shlomo Karni, Simon Goldfine and Libby Werba care about people, their community and Jewish ethics, the Board of Directors of Hillel at The University of New Mexico is privileged to present its highest honors, the "Amood Awards," to these five outstanding humanitarians who believe in miracles and, like Hillel, work hard to make them happen.

Rabbi John Feldman will become the second recipient of the "Amood Ha Koach Award" (Pillar of Strength) for exemplary service from an Alumnus.

John Taichert Feldman is the Director of Career Services at The University of New Mexico School of Law and is also an Adjunct Professor. He teaches courses in mediation and negotiation at the law school, and has also taught in the Communications and Journalism Department at UNM.

John graduated from UNM with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism and earned a Masters Degree and Rabbinic Ordination from Hebrew Union College. John was the Director of the Colorado Chapter of the American Jewish Committee.

In 1985, John returned to Albuquerque to attend law school. During law school, he became Director of UNM Hillel/Jewish Student Union. During this time, Hillel grew in presence and numbers and the first Hillel House was established. After graduating from law school, Feldman was the first judicial law clerk for the late Justice Seth D. Montgomery of the NM Supreme Court. He was a mediator and training attorney for the NM Workers’ Compensation Administration for ten years. He served concurrently as a pulpit rabbi for Congregation B’nai Israel in Amarillo.

In addition to his work at UNM, John is the rabbi of Congregation Beit Tikvah in Santa Fe and the leader of “Curio Cowboys - Albuquerque’s Own Western Swing Band.” “Music preserves the spirit of New Mexico’s Western heritage” says John, who is steeped in the rich tradition of New Mexico. His grandfather, Joseph A. Taichert, settled in Las Vegas, NM prior to Statehood.

John met and married Carol Chelemer through Hillel. She a former UNM Hillel President. They are the parents of Corrina Chelemer Feldman.

Eileen Grevey Hillson will receive the "Amood Ha Sechel Award" (Pillar of Wisdom) for outstanding service from a Board Member.

Eileen, born and raised in Albuquerque, is a life-long member of Congregation Albert, where she taught Sunday School. Eileen served as the State Chair of AIPAC, Israel Bonds and on the Board of Hillel at UNM. She has been honored by Israel Bonds for outstanding service.

Eileen served on the Boards of the Hispanic Culture Foundation (as a founding member), the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Albuquerque Civic Light Opera, Senior Aids Foundation, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, All Faiths Receiving Home and many other civic organizations.

She currently chairs the Water Task Force of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and serves on the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Water.

She credits her father, the late Jack Grevey, for her activism. She says “I am my father’s daughter because it was he who instilled in me an awareness of how precious and fragile are the rights of Jews to the pursuit and achievement of life, liberty and happiness. He encouraged me to work proactively to preserve these rights.”

Married to David Hillson, a dentist, they are the parents of Nathan, Bethany, Lisa and Sean.

Professor Shlomo Karni will be presented with the "Amood Ha Limud Award" (The Pillar of Learning) for outstnading service as a Faculty Advisor.

Shlomo Karni was born in Poland and raised in Israel. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces, Shlomo obtained his BSEE from the Technion, Haifa, his ME from Yale University and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana. He served on the faculty of UNM since 1961 as a professor of Electrical Engineering and Religious Studies since 1972. He retired in 1999. He spent sabbaticals at the University of Hawaii, the Technion, Tel Aviv University and several other universities.

Professionally, Shlomo has served on many committees, advisory boards and editorial boards. He is an accomplished author of journals on electrical engineering and the recipient of many awards and honors including: the UNM Engineering Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence, the Faculty Award for Outstanding Service, UNM College of Engineering and the Teacher of the Year Award from UNM. His “Basic Dictionary of the Bible” has just been published.

Shlomo is the founder and first editor of The Link, the Albuquerque Jewish community newspaper, a teacher for Bar Mitzvah at Congregation B’nai Israel and a founding and committed member of Chavurat Hamidbar (The Fellowship of the Desert). He has served as a member of the Boards of The Jewish Federation of Greater Albuquerque, The Ronald Gardenswartz Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque, Hillel at The University of New Mexico, the Jewish Community Relations Council of the JFGA and various other committees for the Jewish community.

Married to Michaela at the Hillel House in Urbana by Hillel Rabbi Hirsch, they are the proud parents of Gideon, who works in the travel industry, and Sarah, an attorney.

We are very pleased to present Simon Goldfine and Libby Werba with the "Amood Ha Yecholet Award" (The Pillar of Promise).

Simon, a native of Albuquerque, will graduate with a BA in Political Science in May 2003. He will receive an MBA in Marketing in May 2004. Simon has been involved in Hillel since his freshman year. He has held various leadership positions and currently serves as co-president. Simon enjoys participating actively in the Albuquerque Jewish community for many years. Simon, his mother, Leslie, and his sister, Erica are members of Chabad of New Mexico.

Libby Werba was born and raised in San Jose, California. She is studying Finance at UNM. In addition to serving as co-president of Hillel at UNM, Libby is a pre-school teacher, Hebrew school teacher, and youth director at Congregation B’nai Israel. Libby attributes her religious and community inspiration to being raised in a loving, Conservative Jewish home by her parents, Alan and Pat. Libby has a sister, Jenny, and a brother, Jim.