NEW YORK, NY—May 19, 2009—The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science was recognized as a Bronze Winner by the 29th Annual Telly Awards. This is the second Telly, one of the most recognized awards for video and film productions, won by the American Committee in the past three years. The award was presented to a film shown at the 2008 New York Gala entitled, Dor L’ Dor: Honoring the Generations. The film pays tribute to and serves as a lasting legacy for three families’ multigenerational philanthropic support of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Funding for this film, in addition to previous ones, was granted to the American Committee by Arlyn Imberman, who served as producer.
Ms. Imberman, a member of the Weizmann President’s Circle and a renowned graphologist, has provided funding to the American Committee for the past three years to support the production of films that accentuate the significance and benevolence of supporting research at the Weizmann Institute. The films have been screened annually at the New York Region Gala dinner, and are also viewed by Weizmann Institute supporters across the country.
“We are proud that Arlyn Imberman’s creative vision has been recognized with two prestigious Telly awards,” Marshall S. Levin, Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Committee, said. “It was Arlyn’s goal to share the core philanthropic values and beliefs of Weizmann Institute supporters with a larger audience, and we have achieved that by producing these poignant videos. We are grateful for her generous support and creative guidance.”
The Dor L’ Dor film is a 7-minute discourse with three families who have made supporting the Weizmann Institute a priority over several generations. In the film, the Blumberg, Pickman, and Gurwin families explain their enthusiasm for the Weizmann Institute’s cutting-edge multidisciplinary research, talented scientists, and pursuit to solve some of the most difficult challenges facing humanity. Each family also addresses the value of philanthropy and the importance of passing down the dedication to philanthropic activities, including a commitment to supporting Weizmann, from one generation to the next.
A similar film, also produced by Ms. Imberman, was previously recognized with a Silver Telly, the top honor. The 29th Annual Telly Awards was one of the most competitive thus far, with 13,500 entries from all 50 states and countries around the world. The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs; the finest film and video productions; and groundbreaking web commercials, video, and film. More than 40 accomplished industry professionals, each a past Silver Winner, compose the prestigious Telly Awards judging panel. Entries do not compete against each other; instead, each entry is individually judged against a high standard of merit.
The winning films were created for the American Committee by Twenty-Two Productions, an award-winning New York City-based film production company, led by Dean Silvers and Marlen Hecht.
The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (ACWIS), founded in 1944, develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, one of the world's premier scientific research institutions. The Weizmann Institute is a center of multidisciplinary scientific research and graduate study, addressing crucial problems in medicine and health, technology, energy, agriculture, and the environment. For additional information, please visit www.weizmann-usa.org.