Local professor earns recognition from New Israel Fund

The New Israel Fund (NIF) honored a local university professor for his contributions to academia and the Jewish community at a Nov. 20 ceremony at Congregation Shearith Israel.

“At a moment of such profound turmoil both here in the United States and in Israel, it’s more vital than ever that we have a clear ethical compass,” said Shai Robkin, the chair of the NIF’s Atlanta regional council.

“That’s why I can’t think of a better recipient of the NIF’s Tzedek Award than Dr. Paul Root Wolpe, one of the preeminent ethicists of our time and a pillar of the Atlanta Jewish community,” Robkin continued.

Established in 1979, NIF aims to advance democracy and equality for all Israelis. The organization supports a wide range of Israeli nonprofits and has provided over $300 million to progressive civil society organizations since its inception.

Wolpe is the sixth annual Tzedek Award recipient. The award honors members of the Atlanta Jewish community who embody NIF’s commitment to equality and democracy.

“We have a long and rich tradition of Jewish ethical thought that informs how we should engage with the world. I’m honored to receive this year’s Tzedek Award, because there are few organizations that embody that ethical Jewish tradition better than the NIF,” said Wolpe.

Wolpe is a bioethicist, conducting research on ethical, social, and legal issues that arise in biomedicine and biomedical research. Bioethicists often help draft institutional policies; serve on ethics committees, and provide consultation and advice on ethical issues.

He is a professor at Emory University in the departments of medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, sociology, neuroscience, and biological behavior and is the director of the Center for Ethics and the Raymond F. Schinazi distinguished research chair in Jewish bioethics.

For more information on NIF click here.