Jewish Heritage Committee Awards Dinner 2024
Tikkun olam — Hebrew for “repairing the world” — was the theme for the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Awards dinner for a second straight year. The event, which was held at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens on Dec. 5, was “joyous and festive, with the spirit of unionism and repair of the world infused throughout,” said Jason Goldberg, the committee chair.

Getting together for a group shot are (from left) Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, AFT President Randi Weingarten, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff, awardees UFT President Michael Mulgrew (Tikkun Olam Award) and Melinda Katz (Public Service Award), parent Avi Bar, Student of the Year Yonathan Bar, parent Lilath Bar, UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg.

Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff (center) of the John F. Kennedy Jr. School accepts her award from UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman at the committee’s awards dinner on Dec. 5 at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Teacher of the Year Mara Baboff (center) and friends set up to take a selfie.

Dinner attendees cheer as Mara Baboff is announced as the Teacher of the Year award winner.

Posing for a group shot are (from left) UFT Teacher Center staffer Mindy Rosier, teacher Erin Betito of PS 224 in Queens, retiree Amy Bernstein, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff and teacher Sara Gottlieb of PS 165 in Queens.

Observing the Pledge of Allegiance are (from left) retired special education teacher Kerry Yefet, Chapter Leader Ariana Hutchinson of PS 123 in Brooklyn and Chapter Leader Debra Elhadri of PS 75 in Brooklyn.

Student Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science stands in front of his parents before accepting the Student of the Year award from the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee.

UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg (left) and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman present the Student of the Year Award to Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science.

UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell (left) and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg share a laugh during the presentation of the Tikkun Olam Award.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew (left) receives the committee’s Tikkun Olam Award from UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the committee’s Public Service Award honoree, is flanked by UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum offers a blessing during the celebratory event held at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Getting together for a group shot are (from left) Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, AFT President Randi Weingarten, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff, awardees UFT President Michael Mulgrew (Tikkun Olam Award) and Melinda Katz (Public Service Award), parent Avi Bar, Student of the Year Yonathan Bar, parent Lilath Bar, UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg.

Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff (center) of the John F. Kennedy Jr. School accepts her award from UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman at the committee’s awards dinner on Dec. 5 at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Teacher of the Year Mara Baboff (center) and friends set up to take a selfie.

Dinner attendees cheer as Mara Baboff is announced as the Teacher of the Year award winner.

Posing for a group shot are (from left) UFT Teacher Center staffer Mindy Rosier, teacher Erin Betito of PS 224 in Queens, retiree Amy Bernstein, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff and teacher Sara Gottlieb of PS 165 in Queens.

Observing the Pledge of Allegiance are (from left) retired special education teacher Kerry Yefet, Chapter Leader Ariana Hutchinson of PS 123 in Brooklyn and Chapter Leader Debra Elhadri of PS 75 in Brooklyn.

Student Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science stands in front of his parents before accepting the Student of the Year award from the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee.

UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg (left) and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman present the Student of the Year Award to Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science.

UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell (left) and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg share a laugh during the presentation of the Tikkun Olam Award.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew (left) receives the committee’s Tikkun Olam Award from UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the committee’s Public Service Award honoree, is flanked by UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum offers a blessing during the celebratory event held at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Getting together for a group shot are (from left) Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, AFT President Randi Weingarten, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff, awardees UFT President Michael Mulgrew (Tikkun Olam Award) and Melinda Katz (Public Service Award), parent Avi Bar, Student of the Year Yonathan Bar, parent Lilath Bar, UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg.
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UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell (left) and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg share a laugh during the presentation of the Tikkun Olam Award.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew (left) receives the committee’s Tikkun Olam Award from UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the committee’s Public Service Award honoree, is flanked by UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum offers a blessing during the celebratory event held at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Getting together for a group shot are (from left) Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, AFT President Randi Weingarten, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff, awardees UFT President Michael Mulgrew (Tikkun Olam Award) and Melinda Katz (Public Service Award), parent Avi Bar, Student of the Year Yonathan Bar, parent Lilath Bar, UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg.

Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff (center) of the John F. Kennedy Jr. School accepts her award from UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman at the committee’s awards dinner on Dec. 5 at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Teacher of the Year Mara Baboff (center) and friends set up to take a selfie.

Dinner attendees cheer as Mara Baboff is announced as the Teacher of the Year award winner.

Posing for a group shot are (from left) UFT Teacher Center staffer Mindy Rosier, teacher Erin Betito of PS 224 in Queens, retiree Amy Bernstein, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff and teacher Sara Gottlieb of PS 165 in Queens.

Observing the Pledge of Allegiance are (from left) retired special education teacher Kerry Yefet, Chapter Leader Ariana Hutchinson of PS 123 in Brooklyn and Chapter Leader Debra Elhadri of PS 75 in Brooklyn.

Student Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science stands in front of his parents before accepting the Student of the Year award from the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee.

UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg (left) and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman present the Student of the Year Award to Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science.

UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell (left) and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg share a laugh during the presentation of the Tikkun Olam Award.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew (left) receives the committee’s Tikkun Olam Award from UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the committee’s Public Service Award honoree, is flanked by UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum offers a blessing during the celebratory event held at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Getting together for a group shot are (from left) Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, AFT President Randi Weingarten, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff, awardees UFT President Michael Mulgrew (Tikkun Olam Award) and Melinda Katz (Public Service Award), parent Avi Bar, Student of the Year Yonathan Bar, parent Lilath Bar, UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg.

Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff (center) of the John F. Kennedy Jr. School accepts her award from UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman at the committee’s awards dinner on Dec. 5 at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Teacher of the Year Mara Baboff (center) and friends set up to take a selfie.

Dinner attendees cheer as Mara Baboff is announced as the Teacher of the Year award winner.

Posing for a group shot are (from left) UFT Teacher Center staffer Mindy Rosier, teacher Erin Betito of PS 224 in Queens, retiree Amy Bernstein, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff and teacher Sara Gottlieb of PS 165 in Queens.

Observing the Pledge of Allegiance are (from left) retired special education teacher Kerry Yefet, Chapter Leader Ariana Hutchinson of PS 123 in Brooklyn and Chapter Leader Debra Elhadri of PS 75 in Brooklyn.

Student Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science stands in front of his parents before accepting the Student of the Year award from the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee.

UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg (left) and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman present the Student of the Year Award to Yonathan Bar of the Bronx HS of Science.

UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell (left) and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg share a laugh during the presentation of the Tikkun Olam Award.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew (left) receives the committee’s Tikkun Olam Award from UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the committee’s Public Service Award honoree, is flanked by UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg and UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum offers a blessing during the celebratory event held at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.

Getting together for a group shot are (from left) Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, AFT President Randi Weingarten, Teacher of the Year honoree Mara Baboff, awardees UFT President Michael Mulgrew (Tikkun Olam Award) and Melinda Katz (Public Service Award), parent Avi Bar, Student of the Year Yonathan Bar, parent Lilath Bar, UFT Educational Liaison Laurie Lubman and UFT Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Jason Goldberg.