In the world of Jewish education, there is no more prestigious honor than the Covenant Award, given annually by the Covenant Foundation to three innovate educators for forging change in the field and the Jewish community at large.
This week, Judith Turner, Senior Program Officer for Volunteer Services and Intergenerational Programs, received the award for her game-changing work in creating intergenerational programs at DOROT.
“Judith is an extraordinary Jewish educator and thought leader,” said Mark L. Meridy, DOROT’s executive director. “Her leadership and passion for informal Jewish education has transformed DOROT into a national and international leader in the engagement of volunteers and in intergenerational programming.”
For the past 20 years, programs created and launched by Judith bring the generations together for meaningful, memorable and often life-changing experiences. For example, DOROT’s signature intergenerational program, the Summer Teen Internship program, challenges teens to see the wisdom that older adults can offer as they develop personal Jewish connections and further their understanding of who they are and their potential impact on the world.
She also created and launched the College and Teen Internship Programs; DOROT’s service-learning programs for schools and youth organizations; the Tapestry Tour, a Holocaust and creative healing program; and the Intergenerational Chess Program and Book Buds, an intergenerational book discussion program.
A lifelong Jewish educator, Judith oversees the entire program portfolio for DOROT’s Volunteer Services and Intergenerational Program Engagement departments. These departments annually engage more than 6,300 volunteers of all ages and more than 200 community partners to meet the changing needs of older adults.
She has also established educational pedagogy and best practices for intergenerational and service-learning programming. She introduced innovative ways to expand and improve programs through strategic planning, capacity building and collaboration with staff members, lay leaders and Jewish community networks.
Judith credits much of her success to her mentors and colleagues at DOROT and throughout the Jewish educational field.
Congratulations to Judith from the entire DOROT community of volunteers, older adults, donors and staff.
Interested in learning more about DOROT's Intergenerational Programs?
Listen to Judith Turner discuss intergenerational connections on the Great.com podcast HERE.
Read an article about DOROT's Summer Teen Internship Program in The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships HERE.
Watch a feature on DOROT's Intergenerational Programs on Bronxnet TV HERE.