NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Two honorees have been named winners of the 2014 Yitzhak Rabin Peacemaker Award by the Coalition for Mutual Respect. The Reverend Deacon Hyacinth E. Lee, Minister of Trinity St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Joel Fridovich, Administrator of Campus Alternative High School, will be honored at its annual Award event at New Rochelle City Hall Chambers, Wednesday, September 17th. A reception will be held at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Award ceremony at 5:45 p.m. There is no charge and the public is welcome.
The Reverend Deacon Hyacinth E. Lee, R.N. M.S., has been an active member of the New Rochelle community for over 40 years. Recruited from her native country, Jamaica, by New Rochelle Medical Center (now Montefiore –New Rochelle) to serve as an RN, she advanced to administrative positions. She holds degrees from Marymount College (B.A.), and from Long Island University (an M.S.in Health Management). In 1992 she was ordained as a Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of New York with her ministry focusing at Trinity St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where she has been a member since the late sixties. In addition to her diaconal duties, she is Chair of the Outreach Committee and established the Brown Bag Lunch Program at the Church, which serves 25,000 meals annually.
Within the community her activities include Board Member of the Interreligious Council and Board Member of Meals-on-Wheels of New Rochelle as well as the Coalition for Mutual Respect. For the Nurses’ Network of America, she has worked as
Director of the Project C.H.I.L.D.D.program, a community-based outreach that ministers to children who have developmental disabilities. In 2012 she retired from the Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley for which she was the Coordinator of the Maternal-Child/Pediatric program.
Joel Fridovich is a product of the New Rochelle School system with degrees from Northwestern University (B.A.), NY U (M.S W.) and SUNY New Paltz (School District Administration). He has spent his entire professional career and in various volunteer capacities serving youth both in and outside of New Rochelle. From 1973 -1992 he was employed by The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry where he received special recognition for his work on behalf of the youth. In1992, he became Director of the Alternative High School program, a recent project of the New Rochelle City School District. He has also been a part time instructor for Westchester Community College and Mercy College.
A long-time member, he is Co-Chair of the Board of Commissioners for the New Rochelle Youth Bureau. He is also President of The Board of Directors of Family Focus Adoption Services, a board he has served on since its inception twenty six years ago.
He has also coached baseball and basketball teams for Youth Baseball of New Rochelle, Babe Ruth Baseball of New Rochelle and other organizations. A volunteer with HOPE Community Services of New Rochelle, he works with student volunteers assisting in food collection and distribution and has also assisted student volunteers in tutoring elementary students. He continues to be a mentor, advocate and friend to hundreds of alumni.
The Coalition for Mutual Respect was formed in 1979 as a Black-Jewish dialogue in an effort to overcome distrust and animosity in the community. Founded by the Reverend Vernon Shannon of St. Catherine AME Zion Church and Rabbi Amiel Wohl, then Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel of New Rochelle, it continues with the Reverend Michael Rouse, successor to Reverend Shannon, who now serves as Co-Chairman with Rabbi Wohl.
For additional information, call 914-235-1800.