The Annual Meeting is required business for our congregation, but with the business we also take time to recognize two very deserving leaders in our congregation.

Rabbi Lawrence A. Kotok Tikkun Olam Award
Since coming to TBK in 1996 Rabbi Kotok has led us to the 21st century, helping to re-envision worship, education, interfaith relations and programs of social justice. He founded the Tikkun Olam Award in 2002 to recognize a congregant who has sought to keep TBK in touch with itself, its congregants and its community. Recipients have exhibited outstanding leadership within the B'rith Kodesh and greater communities.

This year's recipient of the Rabbi Lawrence A. Kotok Tikkun Olam Award is Gertrud Lind.

Gertrud and her late husband Arthur joined temple in 1977 after moving to Rochester from New York City. She became involved in WRJ/Sisterhood due to their initial warm welcome. Gertrud helped organize the monthly programs as well as to cook, serve and clean up for the lunches. One of her early projects was helping with the TBK sponsorship/resettlement of a Vietnamese boat family. Gertrud has been delivering flowers and visiting congregants who are no longer able to come to temple for as far back as she can remember. For about 25 years she and her husband were members of Havurah Shalanu at TBK and she would love to see the Havurah concept revived.

Between 1982 and 2004 Gertrud was the Administrative Assistant in the Religious School. Since retirement she has served on the WRJ/Sisterhood Board in various capacities, and taken over setting up the refreshments after services when there is no B'nai Mitzvah. Gertrud has always been interested in interfaith work and in building bridges of international understanding. She is a member of Hadassah and been active in One by One, an organization that facilitates dialogue between children of holocaust survivors and children of perpetrators/bystanders. In her spare time she is attempting to capture the adventures of her life in writing.

In Gertrud's words: "In accepting this award I have to pay tribute to my grandfather who taught me the concept of Tikkun Olam when I was a tiny tyke. He also set an example in living by that motto. I am the person I am because of the guidance and love of my grandfather, to whom I was attached by that proverbial apron string for the first 13 years of my life and besides, what other option was there finding a way into the world out of the scorched earth and the ash laden skies of mid-century Europe".

The Aaron D. Braveman Etz Chayem Award
This award was established in 2002 and named after our former Director of Education. Aaron has always been the perfect example of the word "Mensch", a wonderful human being and a great humanitarian. The past and present winners of this award fall show great leadership and a constant willingness to make TBK a better place.

The winners of this year's Aaron Braveman Etz Chayim Award are Hinda and Michael Miller.

Hinda and Michael have been long-time volunteers at temple and within the larger Rochester community. As Michael stated "We are a team" and have been married for 45 years. Hinda has volunteered in the library of TBK, along with Michael she taught a Post-Confirmation class for three years, served on rabbi search committees and Synagogue 2000 committee. Presently she and Michael co-chair the TBK Caring Committee. Outside of temple Hinda has served as a past president of Jewish Family Service, served on the United Way Committee on Children, Board of Urban League of Rochester and the Feinbloom Foundation Board. Professionally Hinda was Community Relations Specialist at Highland Hospital, Director of Literacy Volunteers, Director of the Rochester Area Children's Collaborative and Director of the Florance Melton Adult Mini-School to name a few.

Michael is a member of the TBK Religious Practices Committee, was a presenter at the 2000-Year Road to the Holocaust program and is a participant in Wednesday Evening Minyan, Torah study and various Kollel classes as both a participant and a presenter. Michael presently serves on the Monroe County Bar Association's Lawyers Helping Lawyers Committee, is a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Home, Board of Directors of St. Joseph's Villa and the Advisory Board of the Children's Agenda. Michael is a recipient of many community awards to name a few: the Association for Retarded Citizen's Community Partner of the Year Award, Citizen of the Year designation by the Brighton Rotary Club, a Friend of Children Citation from the Rochester Area Children's Collaborative and the list goes on. Michael is presently of counsel with the law firm of Chamberlain, D'Amanda, Oppenheimer & Greenfield LLP.

We are most fortunate to have Gertrud Lind and Hinda and Michael Miller as members of our Temple community. Please join us at the Annual Meeting on June 4th at 5:30 p.m. to help honor our award winners. A light supper will be served followed by Shabbat Services at 7:00 p.m.