Five organizations are recipients of the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Prize in Inclusion, honoring groups that provide services to foster the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the Jewish community.

“Now in its third year, the Ruderman Prize in Inclusion has truly become an international recognition of excellence for the inclusion of people with disabilities in our worldwide Jewish community,” said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “This year we have selected organizations from Australia, Canada, Israel and the United States. It is our hope that these awards will inspire Jewish organizations around the world to embrace the inclusion of people with all abilities in our community.”

This year’s winners include programs dedicated to employment, higher education, mentoring, leadership training and full inclusion in communal activities and schools. Each winner will receive $50,000 in order to help them continue their work or innovate new programs.

The winners are: Jewish Vocational Service of Toronto, JewishCare Big Brother Big Sister in Sydney, Australia, Bar-Ilan University in Israel, Jewish Family Services of Houston, and the St. Paul Jewish Community Center in St. Paul, Minn.

“The Ruderman Prize in Inclusion is a signature program of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which believes that inclusion and understanding of all people is essential to a fair and flourishing community,” the foundation said in a statement.

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