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May 14, 2004/Iyar 23 5764, Vol. 56, No. 34
Teen honored
Storch receives Anne Frank award
BETH OLSON
Staff Writer
Ruth Storch was the recipient of the 2004 Anne Frank "Teens Make a Difference" Scholarship Award at a May 2 ceremony. Holocaust survivor Gerda Klein presented each finalist with a copy of "The Diary of Anne Frank," inscribed with a note from Klein.
Photo courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix
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Ruth Storch, a 17-year-old junior at the Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School, is the recipient of the 2004 Anne Frank "Teens Make a Difference" Scholarship Award.
The award is presented annually by the Women's Department of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix to a Jewish youth with outstanding volunteer achievements. Storch was presented with the award at a May 2 ceremony.
"She has a great passion for doing volunteer work," says Sharona Silverman, who co-chaired the award committee with Aileen Osofsky. "She really seemed to feel that it was imperative for her to contribute and had very strong role models at home for doing this as well."
In particular, the award committee was impressed with a project Storch created called "Welcoming Shabbat - A Kabbalat Shabbat Experience," which joins Jess Schwartz students with a special needs teen group for prayer, activities and Shabbat luncheons.
"My motive in creating an interactive program was the fact that many teens do not have the opportunity to interact with special needs teens and sometimes are quite intimidated by them," says Storch.
Storch has been involved with a variety of programs at Council for Jews With Special Needs, created an Israel Action Club at her school, taught for ARMDI in religious and day schools, participated in the Book Buddies literacy program, sponsored a toy drive for the pediatric ward of Hadassah Hospital and raised money for terror victims.
"My work has not only impacted those in need," says Storch. "When I volunteer it inspires other people my age to do so as well."
With the award, Storch received a gift of $613, relating to the tradition of 613 mitzvot. She chose to donate a portion of that gift to the Ramah Israel Scholarship Fund.
Other finalists honored at the event were Lindsay Friefield, a junior at Desert Mountain High School; Alex Lichtblau, a junior at Chaparral High School; Sasha Meschkow, a junior at Horizon High School; Sarah Reese, a senior at Desert Mountain High School; Jackie Shapiro, a junior at Desert Mountain High School; and Allie Stark, a senior at Horizon High School.
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