With 9,187 Votes, Rovinsky
Moves to 'Heroes' Semi-Finals!

Rabbi Michael Rovinsky (better known as “Rabbi Mike”), a St. Louis Mohel and Founder and Director of The Jewish Student Union of St. Louis, has emerged as one of the 20 semifinalists for the first national Jewish Community Hero Awards. JUS is a group of clubs currently set up in seven public and non-Jewish private schools and has more than 600+ members of all denominations designed to reach unaffiliated Jewish teens.

The announcement was made by UJC/The Jewish Federations of North America. The Heroes campaign generated an overwhelming response across the continent. Semifinalists were chosen by the public via an open, online selection process that received more than 570,000 votes. In just over eight weeks, individuals across North America nominated 430 heroes from all walks of Jewish life. St. Louis nominess included musician Rick Recht, philanthropist Michael Staenberg, Shaare Zedek’s Rabbi Mark Fasman and Iraq veteran Eric Geitens. Sixty partner organizations, including Jewish Federations in St. Louis and cities across North America, are participating.

Rabbi Mike said he was flattered and dumbfounded by the honor. “I do what I do because that’s the way my parents raised me. You can’t be a taker; you must be a giver. I believe that what I and the other nominees do to strengthen our communities and the Jewish people is not really heroic. It’s simply what we are supposed to do. In fact, everyone has the ability to be a ‘community hero’ by using his or her own unique talents to make a difference in the Jewish community.”

He added that Judaism today is “under assault like it’s never been before. If we don’t get young people engaged in Judaism now, we don’t stand a chance. Organizations like Jewish Federations, JCCs, synagogues and more will disappear. My life’s mission is to grab the attention of as many Jews as I can – of all ages and denominations—to see the relevancy and excitement of what it means to be an engaged active Jew. The key is just to get involved. I reach Jews through relationships and by dealing with every single Jew with unconditional positive regard.”

About Rabbi Rovinsky
Rabbi Rovinsky, originally from Dallas, grew up in a Reform-Conservative household and attended a Jewish day school. After graduating from public high school, he spent two years in Israel and decided to become a teacher. He returned to the U.S. to continue rabbinic studies in New York, where he was ordained. He also received his undergraduate degree in education from Adelphi University and earned a master’s degree in administrative sciences at Johns Hopkins University. He received a second rabbinic degree from Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore, where he became a certified mohel.  Rovinsky taught in Baltimore for six years, and then moved back to Dallas to become Judaic Studies Director of his day school alma mater. In 1993 he came to St. Louis to head Epstein Hebrew Academy. In 2001, he and a student started the Kiosite software company. A year later, Rovinsky took a leave to serve as interim Director of the NCSY, and a year after that, started the Jewish Student Union (JSU).  JSU began in 2003 at Ladue High School and served an average of 15 students per week. Today, it boasts clubs in seven schools that serve 600+ students. In addition to JSU, Rovinsky is Director of Camp Nageela Midwest in Marshall, Indiana, and runs a bris practice. 

Selecting the Winner
A panel of 10 judges will select the Jewish Community Hero of the Year along with four additional finalists, who will be announced at this fall’s General Assembly (GA) in Washington, D.C., which takes place Nov. 8-10. The Jewish Community Hero will receive $25,000 to put toward his or her work. 

“We’d like to thank everyone who nominated a hero or voted for a hero – you have made the First Annual Jewish Community Hero Awards a tremendous success,” said Adam Smolyar, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications, UJC/The Jewish Federations of North America.  “Most of all, we want to extend our sincere appreciation to all of the nominees. You inspire so many people in so many ways.”  

Smolyar also congratulated the semifinalists. “It’s in the judges’ hands now, and we eagerly await their decisions.”     

The 20 semifinalists are:           

Judges will select five finalists who show exceptional qualities and commitment that exemplify the mission of UJC/The Jewish Federations of North America: strengthening the Jewish community, and the ideals of tikkun olam (repairing the world). The individual who receives the highest number of votes from the judges will be named Jewish Community Hero of the Year. 

“The Jewish Community Hero Awards’ 430 outstanding nominees demonstrate that there are so many ways, big and small, to be a hero,” said Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of UJC/The Jewish Federations of North America.

“The diversity of important issue areas in which the nominees work is a reminder that countless opportunities exist for everyone to help,” he added.  “Community service and volunteerism hold our communities together.”

The General Assembly (GA) is the premier annual North American Jewish conference, attracting Federation lay leaders and professionals as well as the leadership of partner organizations and other important national Jewish organizations.

This year's GA – with the theme, "Remember When Anything Was Possible? It Still Is" – will emphasize community service and volunteerism. The Jewish Hero of the Year and four finalists will play a central role in the proceedings. The Hero of the Year will take part in a media presentation, and GA participants will have an opportunity to meet the winner. For more information on the GA, visit: www.ujc.org/ga. 

The Jewish Community Heroes initiative is part of a broad effort by UJC/The Jewish Federations of North America to promote public service throughout the Jewish community. The effort includes service projects, outreach initiatives and tools that help Federations develop and promote service activities.

Visit the Jewish Community Heroes Web site at www.jewishcommunityheroes.org.