The Intermountain Jewish News has won eight Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism for articles published in 2024.
The awards were announced at the American Jewish Press Association’s annual meeting June 23, 2025, at the Simon Rockower Awards Banquet at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Penn.
IJN Editor and Publisher Rabbi Hillel Goldberg was on hand to accept the awards.
All entries in the annual contest are judged blindly.
In nearly all categories, the IJN competed against all weekly and biweekly newspapers of all sizes, circulations and resources.
Larry Hankin IJN associate editor, three awards; Steve Mark, IJN staff writer, two awards; Shana Goldberg, IJN assistant publisher, two awards; Chris Leppek, recently retired IJN assistant editor, two awards; and Tehilla R. Goldberg, IJN columnist, one award.
“The IJN being recognized also shines a light for a national audience on our special intermountain Jewish community,” said Rabbi Hillel Goldberg.
In the Wild Card category, Excellence in Writing about the War in Israel: Anti-Semitism, Shana Goldberg, Larry Hankin, Chris Leppek and Steve Mark won shared second place for Zionists not invited to the party.
Judges’ comments: “A good look at how a Jewish politician stood up to pressure and what was at stake for him.”
Additionally,
Larry Hankin won:
• First place, Excellence in Education Reporting: Med school — and survival
Judges’ comments: “Riveting narrative. Excellent interviews with students.”
Hankin also won a second-place award for this story, in the category Excellence in Writing about the War in Israel: News and Feature Writing. Judges’ comments: “Nicely executed story interviewing two young medical students who braved bullets in Gaza to care for Israeli soldiers.”
Chris Leppek won:
• Second place, Excellence in Writing about Health Care: A different trauma: Aurora shooting survivor and wife contribute
• Second place, Excellence in Writing about the War in Israel: Schools and Universities: Jewish at DU: In the aftermath of Oct. 7
Steve Mark won:
• Honorable mention, Excellence in Writing about Politics/Government: At the City Council: Disruption and a failed proclamation and Pro-BDS bill goes down in flames — 10- 1 — after denuncations and some defense.
Judges’ comments: “Bravo to Steve Mark for making sense of a Denver City Council meeting that turned into mayhem when members considered a proclamation that called for a Gaza ceasefire. Quotes from council members and a vocal audience of Palestinian sympathizers advanced the narrative.”
Tehilla R. Goldberg won:
• Honorable mention, Wild Card Category — Excellence in Writing about the War in Israel: News and Feature Writing: “The most exquisite flower of all”
Judges’ comments: “Tehilla Goldberg’s magnificent tribute to a late friend resonates with love and meaning. Her recollection of seemingly ordinary things — handwriting, honey cake, flowers, and driver’s ed — evokes the essence of an elegant, extraordinary woman, and a relationship that has left an indelible mark on her life. What a beautiful way to be remembered, in the words of an immensely gifted writer!”
Shana Goldberg won:
• Honorable mention, Excellence in Writing about Social Justice and Humanitarian Work: Playground of yesteryear: Life is good at the cabin
Judges’ comments: “Just as the Catskills were a respite for Jewish 20th century urban dwellers, black entrepreneurs created their own safe haven of getaway cabins, taverns, lodges and a summer camp in Lincoln Hills, an hour outside of Denver. This is a fabulous history of the little known black enclave, which attracted the likes of Langston Hughes and Duke Ellington, and its importance in black history.”
Judging the contest were: Brian Bandell, South Florida Business Journal real estate editor; Bob Batz, writer and editor; Adam Bell, business and arts editor for the Charlotte Observer; Yoav Ben-Horin, retired educator with Middle East focus; Lisa Brennan, veteran freelance writer; Barri Bronston, editorial writer, Tulane University; David Chack, professor of theatre at DePaul University; Gary Cohn, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter; Dawn Fallik, associate professor in communications at University of Delaware; Thom Fladung, managing partner of Hennes Communications in Ohio; Martin Golan, Retired Reuters reporter; Roy Gutterman, associate professors of law and journalism at the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University; Marcy Harris, retired reporter; Deborah Hirsch, retired reporter in entertainment for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Craig Karpel, award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in legacy secular and Jewish media; Leslie Katz, Forbes senior contributor covering the intersection of science, technology and culture; Hilary Krieger, news editor; Tom Mashberg, former investigative editor and Sunday editor at the Boston Herald; Hugo Ottolenghi, communications lecturer at Florida International University in Miami; Abraham (Avri) Ravid, professor of business and finance at Yeshiva University; Neil Reisner, journalism professor at Florida International University in Miami; Arnie Rosenberg, editor; Ellen Roteman, retired journalist and marketing director in Pittsburgh; Michael Roteman, author of the “Greatest Jewish Athletes of the Twentieth Century” series of articles; Lauren Rublin, senior managing editor at Barron’s; Iris Samson, former assistant editor Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle; Rebecca Shimoni-Stoil, historian, journalist and professor at Clemson University; Emily Soloff, former professor of journalism and freelance book reviewer; Jeffrey Spitz Cohan, former staff writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Andrea Stone, retired freelancer whose work has appeared in media across the country; and Shira Vickar-Fox, veteran journalist in Jewish media.
The complete list of winners, categories and divisions can be found on the AJPA website, www.ajpa.org.
