Two Oregonians may be national Jewish Community Heroes

By DEBORAH MOON

article created on: 2010-09-01T00:00:00

Two Oregonians have been nominated for the Jewish Federations of North America’s second-annual Jewish Community Heroes campaign. The program “celebrates the selflessness and courage of those who put others before themselves.”

The Oregon nominees are Tamara Rubin and Robert Horenstein.

“This is our community’s opportunity to shine a national spotlight on the unsung, whether their work impacts five people or 5,000,” according to JFNA’s Heroes website Jewishcommunityheroes.org.

“Building on the success of last year’s campaign, in which participants cast more than 500,000 votes, this year we will single out a 2010 Jewish Community Hero and several other honorees for going above and beyond. The honorees will be selected by an online nomination and voting process that will establish our 20 semifinalists, and then the judge panel will select our honorees from that semifinalist list.”

Until Oct. 8, individuals can vote for their favorite nominees once a day. To read the full nomination profiles and vote for the Oregon nominees go to: jewishcommunityheroes.org/nominees/profile/tamara-rubin/ and jewishcommunityheroes.org/nominees/profile/robert-horenstein/.

Rubin is a nationwide volunteer advocate speaking out against lead poisoning—a poison that impacts millions of children across the country. She has been invited to speak at the Environmental Protection Agency’s western U.S. conference Sept. 21-23 in Denver.

Her three youngest sons will attend Portland Jewish Academy this year. Her oldest son is in the Portland Youth Philharmonic and will attend Cleveland High School.

According to the online nomination citation: “Childhood lead poisoning causes permanent brain damage, learning disabilities and lifelong health challenges....

“After a painting contractor poisoned her children [using dangerous illegal techniques to remove old lead paint from her home to prepare it for painting] Tamara learned that a generation (parents, pediatricians, contractors) knew nothing about lead poisoning.

Despite studies showing lead poisoning is still a problem, many think it was ‘solved’ with the 1978 ban on lead paint. Most don’t realize lead paint applied to homes decades ago is still there and when disturbed through renovation, will poison children.

Tamara saw an opportunity to make a difference and increase awareness by sharing her story.”

This year, in addition to the Jewish Community Hero of the Year and four other honorees, JFNA said it will also honor a Federation Hero, who will be drawn from the pool of nominees who do their good works for a project that is supported directly by the federation movement.

Robert Horenstein, community relations director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, has been nominated as a Federation Hero. Horenstein is also president of the national CRC Directors Association.

The nomination citation states: “Bob serves as Director of our Federation’s CRC, no simple task given the surprisingly large and vocal contingent of anti-Semitic rhetoric in the broader community here in Portland. Despite the challenge, Bob remains steadfast to our Jewish values, spearheading programs, lectures and forums to open dialogue among all members of the Community. Furthermore he developed a unique learning/charity exchange (Hand to Hand), which is a day-long two-prong marathon devoted to charitable works. …

This effort alone has cast a much brighter light on perceptions of our Jewish community by Portland’s non-Jewish residents. Bob organized this program while regularly defending the Jewish community in opinion pieces published in regional papers including the Oregonian. But perhaps most impressive of all, he conducts all such affairs in the most selfless, humble manner, taking equal time to help Jewish college students face anti-Semitic campus protesters or to meet with one of our U.S. Senators.”

The Hero of the Year will receive a grant to be used as an investment in their community project or non-profit effort and will be invited to and recognized at the 2010 JFNA/Federation General Assembly in New Orleans, according to the heroes’ website. The remaining four finalists will receive a smaller amount to be used as an investment in their community project or non-profit effort. The Federation Hero will also receive a grant.

“If I win the Jewish Community Hero award this year I would like to use the money it to finalize the incorporation of my foundation,” said Rubin, noting the foundation will focus on providing emergency services to families with lead poisoned children in the United States and abroad and will support parents who need funding to participate in the advocacy in support of children’s health and well-being.

“Even if I don’t win, the amount of exposure this campaign will bring to the cause will be very helpful,” Rubin said.

Rubin has been a vocal advocate for reducing children’s risk of lead poisoning. She maintains a website (www.mychildrenhaveleadpoisoning.com) sharing her story and promoting efforts to battle this little known risk.

“I want to remind you that this ‘contest’ is not about me—but it is about furthering awareness and creating the opportunity for the health and well-being of all of the children in this country—present and future,” wrote Rubin in an email.

Horenstein was traveling as this story was prepared.