Following our double win at the Jewish Community Media Awards in June, JLife reports on the story behind the ceremony.

JLife has something to shout about – winning two trophies at this year’s Jewish Community Media Awards. Our print magazine and website, www.jlifeleeds.com, beat stiff competition in the Professional Publication and Best Communal Website categories to come top of the list.

Elliot Landy, Editor of JLife and Managing Director of Media Mad Ltd, was delighted: “It’s fantastic to win an award – to win two is even better! The team here have worked incredibly hard all year to build the magazine and the website into a strong brand to be reckoned with. We were convinced this community could justify its own media and it’s proved to be the case,” he said.

The award ceremony took place on Sunday 14th June in London at the headquarters of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, who organised the event. Over 100 entries from synagogues, communal organisations, commercial agencies and schools were submitted.

The independent panel of judges, who decided the winners, included Richard Burton, Managing Editor of the Jewish Chronicle; broadcaster Clive Roslin; website specialist Danny Bermant; print specialist Clive Bayard; and Senior Editor of the Jewish Chronicle, Barry Toberman.

On the day, over 60 delegates attended seminars on publication development, which were followed by the awards ceremony itself. Winners were presented with a glass trophy inscribed with their name and award.

The Board, whose purpose is to protect and promote the welfare of the British Jewish community, has existed since 1760 and is regarded as the chief voice of British Jewry. It debates and advises on matters including employment, education and government, actively campaigns against anti-Semitism and works to improve interfaith community relations. Its 300 representatives come from all walks of life, and are democratically elected once every three years by synagogue congregations and communal organisations.

The Jewish Community Media Awards have been running for six years, and take place every 18 months. The Board’s aim in organising the awards is to provide an opportunity for those involved in the production of Jewish publications and websites to share experiences and learn from each other.

“It’s the most effective way of getting organisations within the community imparting knowledge, experience, and expertise,” explained Colin Spanjar, Divisional Manager, Community Issues Division.

“The awards are important because they allow community organisations to see what others are doing; it’s good to be judged against your peers. Entrants gain experience and awareness and share ideas. On the day of the awards, people came, took notes, and took away copies of publications. A list of websites was provided, and attendees could look at the entries that were submitted. One of the judges, Clive Roslin, said that the level of the publications was as high as he’d ever seen, and that it was pretty professional stuff.”

Despite its resounding success, JLife isn’t just going to rest on its laurels. The print version of the magazine has gone from strength to strength, containing even more great features, interviews and community news from Leeds backed by a fantastic growing list of sponsors.

The Etz Chaim Synagogue also won its second award in less than two years. Anthony Green, Editor of the synagogue's newsletter, Shabbat Shalom, is pictured receiving the Synagogue Newsletter of the Year trophy from Susan Cresswell, organiser. The newsletter won the same accolade when the competition was last held in 2007.

To find out more about the Board of Deputies of British Jews, visit www.bod.org.uk.

List of categories, winners and runners-up:

SYNAGOGUE MAGAZINE:
Winner: Belmonde (Belmont Synagogue).
Joint runners-up: Ma Hadash (Barnet Synagogue), Neshama (Hatch End Synagogue).

SMALL SYNAGOGUE MAGAZINE:
Winner: Gesher (Luton Synagogue).
Runner-up: Etz Chaim (Thanet & District Reform Synagogue).

SYNAGOGUE NEWSLETTER:
Winner: Shabbat Shalom (Etz Chaim Synagogue).
Joint runners-up: Tree of Life ( Finchley Reform Synagogue), Adat Hillock (Hillock Hebrew Congregation).

COMMUNITY PUBLICATION:
Winner: College Life (Immanuel College).
Runner-up: MJDS Magazine (Moriah Jewish Day School).

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATION:
Winner: JLife Leeds (Media Mad Ltd).
Runner-up: Maccabi Progress Report (Maccabi GB).

BEST SYNAGOGUE WEBSITE:
Winner: www.bromleyshul.org.uk (Bromley Reform Synagogue).
Runner-up: www.shulinthewood.com (St Johns Wood Synagogue).

BEST COMMUNAL WEBSITE:
Winner: www.jlifeleeds.com (Media Mad Ltd).
Runner-up: www.ujia.org (UJIA).

HETTY CRESSWELL AWARD FOR BEST ARTICLE:
Winner: ‘Why is this night different from all other nights’, by Jonny Newton (Woodside Park Synagogue).
Runner-up: ‘What Ravenswood Village means to us’, by Sharron Phillips (Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue).