We are thrilled to announce that Dona Stillman has been awarded the prestigious 2024 Pappas Prize for her innovative and heartfelt initiative, Pizza B’yachad. This award recognizes excellence in the creation and implementation of ideas that significantly benefit the Jewish Federation of Detroit, and Dona’s project embodies the spirit of creativity, connection, and community impact.
The Pappas Prize celebrates the power of ideas and encourages all Federation staff to think creatively about ways to enhance our programs, services, and work environment. The winner of this award receives a stipend for professional development, recognizing the importance of ongoing learning and growth.
Pizza B’yachad was born out of a deep need—not simply for Israelis to eat more pizza or for American Jews to contribute more money, but for something more personal and tangible. Following the tragic events of October 7, our community rallied to raise nearly $30 million for the Israel Emergency Fund. Yet, many people felt a profound desire to do something more.
In the days and weeks after the crisis, our department received an overwhelming number of calls from community members eager to “do something” for Israel. While we encouraged donations to the Emergency Campaign, for many, this wasn’t enough. People wanted to send goods: bulletproof vests, boots, helmets, socks, soap, even friendship bracelets. However, as we often explained, shipping these items to Israel is logistically challenging, if not impossible. As Federation, we are not FedEx.
What community members sought was a way to connect—a way to send a metaphorical hug across the miles to their Israeli family. Pizza B’yachad met that need beautifully. Through this program, pizzas were delivered to families in our partnership region who had a parent serving in the army reserves, providing them with a moment of comfort and a reminder that they are not alone.
This initiative allowed our community to send love and solidarity in the form of something simple yet powerful: food. As we all know, food is the love language of the Jewish people. Through Pizza B’yachad, we found a way to stretch our arms across the globe, providing comfort and connection in a time of deep need.
Congratulations to Dona for her creativity, compassion, and ability to turn an idea into action. Her work exemplifies the impact of innovative thinking, and we are so proud to celebrate her success! And thank you to Norm and Susie Pappas for supporting the Pappas Prize!