Three Community of Respect® Designations Cap 2011

Date: December 20, 2011

On Sunday, December 11, Monday, December 12, and Tuesday, December 20, ADL Chair Janet Pozmantier,  ADL Board Member, Michele Croft, and ADL Vice Chair Emily Deakins respectively presented Community of Respect® designations to Congregation B'rith Shalom, Klein ISD and its Unite for Understanding Council, and Blank Rome LLP for their work to promote respect and challenge hatred. 

In her presentation to Rabbi Ranon Teller at the concluding dinner of Congregation B'rith Shalom's "Mitzvah Day", Pozmantier praised Congregation B'rith Shalom for being a "beacon of light on a pathway to a better and more respectful world."  To earn its 2011 Community of Respect® designation, Congregation B'rith Shalom hosted Pastor Ron Smith, New Mount Calvary Baptist Church, speaking about race relations in America today, with a focus on where our country stands today in efforts to provide full rights to African Americans.  B'rith Shalom also participated in Sacred Sounds and Sacred Sites in order to give the community an opportunity to learn more about Judaism and their house of worship.  The third Community of Respect® activity was a Black-Jewish Seder that highlighted the historical struggles for freedom that both African Americans and Jews faced. 

Croft presented Dr. Jim Cain, Klein ISD Superintendent, with the District's 2011 Community of Respect® designation for its work, along with the Unite for Understanding Council, to strengthen the district's anti-bullying policy, sponsor anti-bullying programs during its Anti-Bullying Week, and create a Diversity Art Calendar that was distributed to 10,000 people in the Klein community.

On December 20, the law firm of Blank Rome LLP received its Community of Respect® designation as well.  Deakins presented the designation to the firm's partners for their activities that included a viewing of a documentary that examined race relations in Tulia, Texas, a "Second Heritage Breakfast" and recipe collection, and a viewing of "Mao’s Last Dancer" about a Chinese immigrant and his experience to escape poverty and come to America to succeed.