LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Rabbi Robert (Bob) G. Kaplan upon the
occasion of his designation by the Riverdale Jewish Community Council as
the recipient of the Michael Schreck Community Builder Award at its 26th
Annual Legislative Awards Breakfast on March 21, 2010

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those illustrious individuals of the State of New York whose
purposeful endeavors serve to enhance the quality of life in their
communities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is proud to commend Rabbi
Robert (Bob) G. Kaplan upon the occasion of his designation by the
Riverdale Jewish Community Council as the recipient of the Michael
Schreck Community Builder Award at its 26th Annual Legislative Awards
Breakfast, to be held at the Riverdale Y on March 21, 2010; and
WHEREAS, The Riverdale Jewish Community Council's 26th Annual Legisla-
tive Awards Breakfast provides an opportunity to pay tribute to those
who have supported the Council and have helped to further its efforts,
as well as those who exemplify its mission of improving the quality of
life of the citizens it serves; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Robert (Bob) G. Kaplan of the Jewish Community
Relations Council of New York (JCRC), the central coordinating and
resource body for 62 major Jewish organizations in the metropolitan New
York area, truly merits this high honor; and
WHEREAS, Bob Kaplan is currently the founding Director of CAUSE-NY, a
division of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York; he also
co-directs the New York-Jerusalem Experts Exchange, a joint project of
the JCRC and the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, and is often called
upon by the non-profit and government sectors as an expert and consult-
ant on diversity, community building, leadership development, intergroup
relations and coalitions; and
WHEREAS, He has served as the Associate Executive Director of Hillel
of New York and as Hillel Director at New York University, C.W. Post
College and Pace University and is currently an adjunct professor in the
Jewish Studies Department at The City College of New York, where he
teaches a course on the Jewish immigrant experience in New York City,
and also serves on the Boards of Habitat for Humanity-NY and Health
Plus; and
WHEREAS, Bob Kaplan, in addition, serves as a Clergy Liaison to the
Chief of the Department of the New York Police Department (NYPD) and, as
a member of the clergy, was a grief counselor for the American Red Cross
assigned to working with relief workers at the respite center located at
Ground Zero; and
WHEREAS, On behalf of the U.S. State Department, Bob Kaplan, together
with Mohammed Razvi, is involved, as well, in ongoing work with Jewish
and Arab leaders in mixed cities in Israel in the skills of coalition
building and coexistence work; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, it is appropriate to publicly proclaim and commend them for the
edification and emulation of others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Rabbi Robert (Bob) G. Kaplan upon the occasion of his designation
as the recipient of the Riverdale Jewish Community Council's Michael
Schreck Community Builder Award at its 26th Annual Legislative Awards
Breakfast on March 21, 2010; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Rabbi Robert G. Kaplan.