Simon Rockower Award: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Award given for Jewish Journalism}} {{Primary sources|date=May 2024}}

A '''Simon Rockower Award'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajpa.org/?page=RockowerAwards |title=Rockower Awards |accessdate=2017-12-29}}</ref> is an award presented by the [[American Jewish Press Association]] for "Excellence in Jewish Journalism",<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jta.org/2017/06/15/news-opinion/united-states/jta-takes-4-rockower-awards-for-journalistic-excellence|title=JTA takes 4 Rockower Awards for journalistic excellence|work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2017-12-29|language=en-us}}</ref> at a banquet in November each year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://forward.com/news/345224/the-forward-scoops-17-rockower-awards-from-jewish-press-association/|title=Forward Scoops 17 Jewish Press Awards|work=The Forward|access-date=2017-12-29}}</ref>

The awards were created in 1979 by the children of Simon Rockower.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-06-28 |title=Forward wins 12 first-place prizes at 41st Annual AJPA Simon Rockower Awards |url=https://forward.com/communications/507910/forward-wins-12-first-place-at-41st-annual-ajpa-simon-rockower-awards/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=The Forward |language=en}}</ref> Rockower was a Jewish philanthropist, who emigrated to the [[United States]] from [[Austria]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guzman |first=Rebecca |date=2022-07-08 |title=Marc Gronich, Jewish Press’s Capital Bureau Chief, Wins National Jewish Journalism Award |url=https://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/marc-gronich-jewish-presss-capital-bureau-chief-wins-national-jewish-journalism-award/2022/07/08/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=jewishpress.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In cooperation with the American Jewish Press Association and [[Yeshiva University]], the awards were first given for the year 1980, the hundred year anniversary of Rockower's birth, under the name of the "annual Simon Rockower Memorial Writing Competition."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1980-08-19 |title=Extension of Remarks |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1980-pt17/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1980-pt17-1-3.pdf |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=United States Government Publishing Office (GPO)}}</ref>

== List of categories ==

The first competition had six categories.<ref name=":0" /> As of the 2016 awards there were 24 categories,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 35th Annual Simon Rockower Award Winners - American Jewish Press Association |url=https://www.ajpa.org/2016-Competition |access-date=2017-12-29 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref> and in 2017, 22.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 36th Annual Simon Rockower Award Winners - American Jewish Press Association |url=https://www.ajpa.org/2017-Competition |access-date=2017-12-29 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref> In 2024, there were 32 award categories, plus three additional wild card categories for reporting on the [[Israel–Hamas war|Israel-Hamas war]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=43rd Annual Competition |url=https://www.ajpa.org/resources/Documents/43rd%20Annual%20AJPA%20Simon%20Rockower%20Awards/43rd%20Annual%20Simon%20Rockower%20Awards%20Competition%20Packet.pdf |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref>

Until 2020 the entries for most categories were divided by circulation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AJPA - 2020 Competition |url=https://www.ajpa.org/2020-Competition |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref> Since 2021 the divisions are ''Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers'', ''Monthly Newspapers and Magazines'' and ''Web-based Outlets''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AJPA - 2021 Competition |url=https://www.ajpa.org/2021-Competition-Winners |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"

!Category

!Description

!Division A

!Division B

!Division C

|-

|1

|The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary

|Weekly and Biweekly [[Newspaper|Newspapers]]

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|2

|Award for Excellence in Single Commentary

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|3

|Award for Excellence in Personal Essay

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|4

|Award for Excellence in [[Editorial Writing]]

|All

|

|

|-

|5

|The [[Boris Smolar]] Award for Excellence in Enterprise or [[Investigative journalism|Investigative Reporting]]

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|6

|Award for Excellence in News Reporting

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|7

|Award for Excellence in Writing about [[Social justice|Social Justice]] and Humanitarian Work

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|8

|Award for Excellence in Feature Writing

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|9

|Award for Excellence in Arts News and Features – Reporting (movie, theater, television, books, music, etc.)

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|10

|Award for Excellence in Arts – Review/Criticism (movie, theater, television, books, music, etc.)

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|11

|Award for Excellence in Personality Profiles

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|12

|Award for Excellence in Special Sections or Supplements

|All

|

|

|-

|13

|Award for Excellence in Writing about [[Health care|Health Care]]

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|14

|Award for Journalistic Excellence in Covering [[Zionism]], [[Aliyah]] and [[Israel]]

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|15

|Award for Excellence in Writing about Women

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|16

|Award of Excellence in Writing about [[Jewish heritage|Jewish Heritage]] and [[Jewish peoplehood|Jewish Peoplehood]] in Europe

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|17

|Award for Journalistic Excellence in North American Jewish History

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|18

|Award for Excellence in [[Photography]]

|All

|

|

|-

|19

|Award for Excellence in [[Interfaith dialogue|Interfaith Relations]] Reporting

|All

|

|

|-

|20

|Award for Excellence in Writing about Food and Wine

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|21

|Award for Exellence in Writing about [[Sport|Sports]]

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|22

|Award for Excellence in Writing about Seniors

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|23

|Award for Excellence in Business Reporting – Trends

|All

|

|

|-

|24

|Award for Excellence in News [[Obituary|Obituaries]]

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|25

|Award for Excellence in Writing about Politics/Government

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|26

|Award for Excellence in Education Reporting

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|27

|Award for Excellence in Writing about [[Antisemitism]]

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|28

|Award for Excellence in Writing about Jewish Thought and Life

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|29

|Award for Excellence in Writing about Young Families/People

|Weekly and Biweekly Newspapers

|Monthly Newspapers and Magazines

|Web-based Outlets; Digital Only, Website Only and Wire Services

|-

|30

|Award for Excellence in [[Podcast|Podcasting]]

|All

|

|

|-

|31

|Award for Excellence in General Newsletters

|All

|

|

|-

|32

|Award for Outstanding Accomplishments - Best [[Freelancer]]

|All

|

|

|}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Jewish mass media]]

[[Category:Jewish printing and publishing]]

[[Category:Jewish-American press]]

[[Category:American journalism awards]]