This Year's Award Recipients

The National Conference for Community and Justice honors recipients of the 2009 Brotherhood/Sisterhood Citation Award Dinner.

Guttman, Sills Receive NCCJ 2009 Citation Award

A pair of longtime community servants and advocates for cross-cultural understanding have been named recipients of the 2009 Brotherhood/Sisterhood Citation Award by the National Conference for Community and Justice of the Piedmont Triad. Rabbi Fred Guttman, of Temple Emanuel in Greensboro, and the Rev. Dr. Mark Sills, Executive Director of FaithAction International House in Greensboro, received the award at NCCJ’s annual Citation Award Dinner on November 5. The dinner was held at the Koury Convention Center.

“The Citation Award recognizes individuals who live NCCJ's vision by fighting bias, bigotry and racism," said NCCJ executive director Susan Feit. “Anyone who knows Fred or Mark knows they make this vision part of their everyday efforts to transform the Triad community. They give true meaning to this year’s dinner theme of Living the Golden Rule.”

Since coming to Greensboro in 1995, Rabbi Fred Guttman has organized and led efforts to improve race relations, foster better understanding between different faith communities, advocate for more widespread inclusiveness for gays and lesbians and special needs populations, eliminate homelessness and provide help for the economically disadvantaged. He is a passionate advocate for social justice within Greensboro. Given his commitment to interfaith and interracial understanding, Rabbi Guttman recently led an Interfaith Clergy Trip to Israel for 23 members of the Greensboro Clergy Community. Under his leadership, Temple Emanuel has organized activities for dialogue and education with a variety of faith traditions and is known for its annual Martin Luther King Shabbat Service which has become an opportunity to highlight relations between Jews and African-Americans and to facilitate community dialogue.

Rev. Mark Sills has been a fixture in local community service since 1974, and is best known for his ability to mobilize the faith community for social justice efforts. Prior to establishing FaithAction International House, he was executive director of Greensboro Urban Ministry, and directed operations at the Urban Life Center in Greensboro and the Human Services Institute in Greensboro. Most recently, Rev. Sills has worked with immigrant communities and helped provide access to services for those with limited English and limited resources.  He has been on the front lines in this community in seeking to welcome and educate new immigrants and to protect their rights, especially those of immigrant children. As the founder and director of FaithAction International House, Rev. Sills has succeeded in creating a place where people of different nationalities and religious traditions work together to form an inclusive community. Rev Sills’ life has been devoted to encouraging cross cultural learning, celebration of diversity and service to one's neighbors from around the world.

“These two faith leaders have shown for decades what it means to live by the Golden Rule,” Feit said. “Their record of translating ideals into action and service is an example for all of us.”

Rabbi Guttman and Rev. Sills were honored at NCCJ’s 43rd annual Brotherhood/Sisterhood Citation Award Dinner, the organization’s largest fundraising event.  Chairpersons for the 2009 Citation Award Dinner were Carole and Dick Bruce. Carole Bruce was the 2003 Citation Award recipient.