Honors and Awards

Senda Abbott became the first Jewish woman enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Abbott, known as “The Mother of Women’s Basketball,” wrote the official rules for the game in 1892.

Rachel Biale, author of Women and Jewish Law, received the Kenneth Smilen Award for pioneering work by a woman.

Claire Epstein of Kibbutz Ginnossar, won the Schimmel Award for Archeology, presented by the Israel Museum at a special ceremony.

Barbara W. Tuchman, historian and author, received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Mierle Laderman Ukeles, an artist, was awarded a one-year fellowship by the Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.

Awarded National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships for Creative Writers (each worth $20,000): Jessica L. Auerbach of Ridgefield CT; Joyce Kornblatt of Bethesda, MD; Tova Reich of Chevy Chase MD; Lynn Sharon Schwartz of New York NY.