Price Chopper’s Jane and Neil Golub Honored by ADL
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has presented the ADL Americanism Award to Jane and Neil Golub. The executive chairman of the board of Schenectady, N.Y.-based Golub Corp., which runs Northeastern grocery chain Price Chopper Supermarkets, and his wife, an elementary school teacher by profession, have demonstrated a firm commitment to anti-bias education. The Golubs (left center, flanked by ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman and National Chair Robert G. Sugarman) received the award in a ceremony before more than 500 leaders from across the country at the ADL’s Nov. 15 annual meeting in Chicago.
“The Golubs are making the world a more respectful place in which to live, work and play, and because of their commitment, they have been able to touch the lives of half a million students, teachers and administrators, equipping them to take these issues into the classroom,” said Foxman. “The Golubs believed they could make a difference in their community, and brought together a powerful community coalition of religious, racial and ethnic leaders, developed school curriculum, and engaged a local TV station for two years to launch ‘A World of Difference’ in upstate New York.”
In 1986, Neil persuaded Jane to take a sabbatical after 23 years in the classroom and lead an effort to develop an anti-bias educational program with the ADL. Jane’s influence ultimately brought A World of Difference from an initiative focusing on high schoolers to a K-12 continuing educational experience. While Jane headed a curriculum development team of local teachers and administrators, and obtained NYS Education Department approvals, Neil organized the community effort. Backed by underwriting support from the Golubs, ADL has maintained a full-time educational office in upstate New York’s Capital Region for 26 years, and been able to offer its programs at minimal cost to area schools. A World of Difference has since spread nationally and internationally, with exposure starting in pre-K, extending through college and even extending to the business community.
In July 2011, Neil and Jane joined forces with CBS6 in Albany/Schenectady to use the program to address the issues of bullying and cyberbullying in schools, The result was the “Be An Ally” campaign, which this year received a NYS broadcast award for the quality of its message.
The New York-based ADL, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization devoted to fighting discrimination and anti-Semitism through various programs and services.