OU to honor Mark and Anna Ruth Hasten for lifetime achievement

RECOGNITION WELL EARNED —– Mark and Anna Ruth Hasten will be honored by the Orthodox Union next month in New York with the OU’s highest honor, its Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

NEW YORK —– The Orthodox Union will honor Mark Hasten of Indianapolis April 6 at its 110th Anniversary National Dinner here.

Mark Hasten is a leader in the Indianapolis Jewish, business and philanthropic communities who has led a remarkable life.

The OU noted that Hasten is a trained engineer and entrepreneur in banking, real estate and health care, a fighter against the Nazis, a close friend of the late Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin; a member of Begin’s Irgun Tzvai Leumi organization, a veteran of Israel’s War for Independence, a leading figure in the Indianapolis Orthodox community; a prime supporter of Jewish education as chairman of the Board of Trustees and Board of Overseers of Touro College; and a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

The OU will present its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, to Hasten and his wife, Anna Ruth, at the Grand Hyatt New York in Manhattan.
In a news release, the OU declared Hasten “a true visionary.”

Hasten’s autobiography Mark My Words! A Personal History, published in 2004, has been described by a reviewer as “an astounding odyssey” that “led him through countless episodes that tested his courage and character.”

Updated 3/25/08

 



 

OU in New York suggests:
“Go live in Indianapolis”

NEW YORK — Indianapolis could find itself welcoming a flood of new Orthodox residents if they follow the advice of the Orthodox Union.

The OU has chosen Indianapolis to be highlighted to Orthodox as a good home for those “seeking to relocate to a close-knit and warm community, with a growing Orthodox presence, employment opportunities, and the availability of affordable housing and yeshiva tuition,” according to an OU news release.

The OU plans an event titled the Emerging Communities Showcase, focusing on 13 cities the organization considers to be highly attractive locations for those contemplating making a move.

The free event will be at the Grand Hyatt Hotel here April 6.

Along with Indianapolis, the targeted communities are Charleston, S.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Denver; Edmonton, Alberta; Houston; Memphis; Oakland, Calif.; Omaha; San Diego; Seattle; and Vancouver, B.C.

The OU is urging attendance by young couples confronting the challenge of housing and yeshiva tuition in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area; persons seeking to retire, career changers and people eager to help build Orthodox Jewish communities coast to coast.

Representatives from the OU synagogues in each city will be on hand to describe what their community offers in terms of housing, Jewish education, synagogue life and job opportunities. The OU Job Board will match participants with openings in the 13 cities.

Rabbi Nosson Schuman of Congregation B’nai Torah in Indianapolis said, “Congregation B’nai Torah is truly honored to have the OU select Indianapolis as one of its emerging city selections. In Indianapolis’s small community, he said, “every Jew is greatly valued and has immediate impact.”