Jewish Historical Society Honors Career Of Community Service

This write-up was submitted by Jewish Historical Society President Michael Dimenstein.

Last Sunday, more than 200 members and friends of the Jewish community gathered to recognize Robyn Teplitzky’s four decades of leadership, advocacy, and service to a host of local organizations and agencies. Following an intense week that included violence in Israel and multiple bomb threats against Jewish institutions, the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven’s Annual Award Celebration provided an opportunity for the community to gather in solidarity and support, and perhaps for a temporary antidote to the pain and grief.

Teplitzky’s resumé reads like a directory of important causes that touch our local community and national society, now more than ever. As a freshly minted MSW from the Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Teplitzky began a career with the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven that spanned 35 years. She is currently the Federation’s Interim Director for Women’s Philanthropy, as well as Development Director for inSIGHT Through Education, a Holocaust education program. Along the way, Robyn chaired the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League, and at Hamden Hall Country Day School she served as Director of Annual Giving, and Diversity Coordinator.

Gayle Slossberg, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, opened the event with a call for community support for relief to Israel. U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro echoed the need to stand with Israel, congratulated Teplitzky on behalf of the House of Representatives, and praised the Jewish Historical Society’s work in gathering and preserving the true stories that document the Jewish community’s experiences and contributions.

The Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven is a non-profit organization, founded in 1976 by a small group of area residents and scholars to compile and preserve documents, objects, and oral histories that may be used for research and educational purposes. This year the JHSGNH joined the Connecticut Collections initiative catalog and digital collections platform, and may be accessed at ctcollections.org.