For her efforts on behalf of children, the arts, Jewish communal affairs and Israel, advocate Judy Bluestone will receive the American Jewish Committee’s 2001 Community Service Human Relations Award at its 57th annual dinner meeting on Monday, June 4 at the Pfister Hotel. A 6 p.m. reception will be followed by dinner at 7 p.m.
“She is most deserving of this honor, AJC’s highest award, as her commitment to intergroup relations, to children, to Israel and Jewish continuity, to mitigating the effects of oppression and improving the quality of life both here and aboard are consistent with the goals of the American Jewish Committee,” said Andrea Cooper, dinner chair.
AJC is dedicated to advancing religious, ethnic and racial understanding and combating bigotry worldwide.
“The mission of AJC,” said Bluestone, “relates so much to how I live my life. I have maintained my deep and abiding interest in the Jewish community while participating in broader, general activities. I feel it is important as a Jew to communicate and promote an understanding among all people. And I believe AJC activities bear such fruit. My involvement has given me much joy.”
At AJC, she has been a member of the board of governors, president of the Milwaukee chapter, area director and vice president of Project Interchange, an AJC Institute that conducts seminars in Israel for political, civic and religious leaders.
In addition, it was through her pioneering efforts that “Hands Across America,” AJC’s social justice curriculum, was adopted by seven area high school districts in southeastern Wisconsin. Through it and its leadership development programs, thousands of high school students benefit from hands-on experience in bridge building, conflict resolution, anti-bias activities and the unlearning of prejudice.
According to Harriet McKinney, AJC executive director, “Judy has continually given of her talents and resources to better every community in which she and her husband, Stanton, have resided.”
A native of Cincinnati, Bluestone received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Cincinnati. She began her career as the assistant to the director of the Cincinnati Jewish Federation and was active in Hadassah and the National Council of Jewish Women.
Later, while living in New York, she earned a graduate degree in communications disorders, which sparked her interest in the needs of young children.
Her family moved to Milwaukee in 1985, and she joined the staff of the St. Francis Children’s Center as a speech pathologist. In addition, she volunteered with the Milwaukee section of NCJW; AJC; the Milwaukee Jewish Federation; United Way of Greater Milwaukee; Start Smart Milwaukee, a child advocacy organization; the Artist Series at the Pabst and the Skylight Opera Theater.
In 1990, she made a career move to become the director of the AJC chapter here and later was elected its board president.
A former co-chair of the United Performing Arts annual campaign and past president of the Women’s Division of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, she currently serves on the federation’s executive committee and is co-chair of the Jewish community’s centennial trip to Israel, planned for next February.
She also serves on the Milwaukee Arts Board, and the boards of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital of Aurora, and the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. She is chair of the Jewish Culture Committee at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.
In addition, she is known throughout the community as an accomplished vocalist.
She is a recipient of Israel’s Golda Meir Award and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Civic Alliance Award and has been recognized by Hadassah, the Jewish National Fund, NCJW and Women’s American ORT.
She and her husband have two grown children. Ellen Bluestone lives in Chicago, and Steven Bluestone resides in Richmond, Calif., with his wife, Karen.
For dinner reservations or more information, call the AJC office, 291-2170.
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