WESTPORT – Linda Russ and Sandy Speter have been selected recipients of the 37th Annual Mitzvah Awards presented by Jewish Family Service of Stamford. The women will receive their award at “An Evening with JFS” to be held on Sunday evening, May 15 at Temple Beth El in Stamford. JFS Associate Executive Director Iris Morrison, who is leaving the agency this spring to return to Israel, will also receive special recognition at the reception.

A resident of Westport since 1995, Linda Russ serves as vice president of the Board of Trustees of Bi-Cultural Day School. A past chair of the Board of Directors of UJA/Federation Westport Weston Wilton Norwalk, she became co-chair of the newly-formed Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County, when UJA/Federation merged with the Jewish Federation of Eastern Fairfield County. A graduate of the Behrend Institute for Leadership, she is a lifetime member of Hadassah and a member of AIPAC’s Capitol and Congressional Clubs. She also served for four years on the Board of The Conservative Synagogue in Westport. Russ and her husband, Len, have two adult children.

Sandy Speter has been an active Jewish community volunteer since moving to Stamford in 1976. A member of Hadassah for more than 30 years, she is a past president of the Gladys Zales Group and the Stamford chapter. Currently, she is vice president of fundraising for the Connecticut Region of Hadassah. She also served on the Boards of Bi-Cultural Day School and Westchester Hebrew High School, and she is a past chair of the JFS auction for seven years. Speter and her husband, Moshe, have four children and eleven grandchildren.

Iris Morrison

After 11 years as associate executive director, Iris Morrison is leaving JFS to return to Israel. During her tenure, she oversaw day-to-day operations at JFS and helped to create partnerships between JFS, other agencies, lay leadership, individual donors and congregations. She edited the agency’s newsletter, coordinated the agency’s reaccreditation process, supervised Continuing Quality Improvement committees and activities, and oversaw the initial implementation of the new client database system. Prior to joining the JFS staff, Morrison served as assistant executive director for the UJA/Federation Westport Weston Wilton Norwalk.

In addition to dinner, An Evening with JFS will feature both silent and live auctions.

For information call (203) 921-4161 or visit www.ctjfs.org.

CAP: Linda Russ (left) and Sandy Speter