DI Board of Director Member Honored with Gold Medal Award at 18th Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards

Dr. Ellen Frankel, Dialogue Institute/ Journal of Ecumenical Studies (DI/JES) co- Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors, was recently honored as a gold medal winner in the Religion category at the 2014 Independent Publisher Book Awards for her ‘Preface to the Torah’, included in the revolutionary ‘Three Testaments’, the first work to combine the texts of the Torah, the New Testament and the Quran in one collective volume.

Frankel is a prolific author of Jewish scholarship, author of eleven titles including The Five Books of Miriam, The Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols, and The Classic Tales. She served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) from 1991 until her retirement in 2009; she also served as the first woman CEO from 1998 - 2009. In addition, Frankel is an accomplished storyteller, lecturer and teacher. She continues to pursue her own writing and scholarly projects and remains actively engaged in the Jewish community. She has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the  DI/JES since 2012

The DI/JES work to bridge religious and cultural differences, build sustainable relationships and support interreligious scholarship and initiatives worldwide. The JES advances critical awareness of the latest directions in intra- and interreligious research and provides a print forum for scholarly discourse and dialogue. The Dialogue Institute trains students, scholars and religious and civic leaders in the skills of critical thinking and respectful dialogue in order to increase tolerance, understanding and cooperation toward positive social change.

“It is our honor to have Dr. Ellen Frankel serve as one of our distinguished Board of Director members, and her excellent work within the Jewish community has proven invaluable as we advance in our mission to cultivate relationships that bridge the divide of religion and culture across all faiths. As a prolific author and expert on the Torah, she is highly deserving of this gold medal award,“ reflects Rebecca Mays, Executive Director of the DI/JES.

‘Three Testaments’ is published by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc. and can be purchased by contacting the DI/JES office at 215-204-7525, dialogue@temple.edu, or through a variety of online retailers. Plans are currently underway to present this work in a dramatic version off-Broadway in New York this fall.