Porth recieves award from JFNA

Ina Porth, who has a rich 38-year history of commitment to the Greater Orlando Jewish community, is one of the recipients of the 2016 Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).

The award was presented during the International Lion of Judah Conference, held Sept. 11-13 in Washington, D.C.

The distinction, named for Lion of Judah founders Norma Kipnis-Wilson and Toby Friedland z"l of the Miami Jewish Federation, honors the most inspiring women in Jewish communities throughout North America.

Porth was nominated for the award by the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando for exemplifying the values embodied in the notion of a woman of valor. "Ina is a true Eshet Chayil who has set a high standard of caring, philanthropy and volunteerism," JFGO Executive Director Olga Yorish said. "Ina's love for everything Jewish shines through and is truly infectious."

Porth is a past JFGO President, having served from 1990-91. In addition, she has been chair of the Federation's Women's Division twice and chair of the Annual Campaign four times, as well as the chair of several other JFGO committees. She currently serves as a Federation board member and is a chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council.

Porth has previously been recognized by JFGO for her leadership, receiving both the Byron B. Selber Young Leadership Award and the Jerome J. Bornstein Leadership Award. In 2015, she was awarded the Harriet Ginsburg Woman of Choice Award, the highest honor for a Jewish woman in Orlando. A longtime Lion of Judah, Porth has established a Lion of Judah Endowment to perpetuate her philanthropy.

In addition to her work with the Federation, Porth has proudly served on boards of the Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando and Congregation Ohev Shalom, as well as the University of Central Florida Judaic Studies Advisory Board. She is a lifetime member of Hadassah and ORT. She has been a member of the UJA Young Leadership Cabinet and had been extremely active in the Soviet Jewry movement.

Porth said in a 2015 interview that even though her family came from Russia, it was not until she attended her first rally in college that she became fully aware of the plight of Soviet Jews and life in Russia.

She became increasingly active in the Soviet Jewry movement throughout the 1980s, and in 1988 she was one of 70 people from Orlando who participated in a rally for Soviet Jewry in Washington, D.C. As a Congregation Ohev Shalom volunteer, Porth helped settle Soviet Jews who came to Orlando.

"In every single endeavor in which she's been involved, Ina brings passion, creativity and a natural ability to inspire others," Yorish said. "All of us at Federation are deeply honored to call her our friend."