THANK YOU! I am honored to be a FIVE TIME finalist for the 2024 66th annual Southern California Journalism Awards. I am a finalist for Online Journalist of the Year, Podcast Host and for three of my podcast interviews with Andrew McCarthy, Samantha Brown and Christie Tate.
The Los Angeles Press Club stated that “The work of these journalists represents the best reporting in the region out of more than 2,300 entries submitted this year. The winners will be announced at an awards dinner gala at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, June 23, 2024.”
A5B. ONLINE JOURNALIST, independent
Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, “It Happened in Hollywood: Penelope Spheeris – ‘Wayne’s World’”
Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, “‘Awards Chatter’ Podcast — ‘The Three Amigos’: Alfonso Cuarón (‘Le Pupille’), Guillermo del Toro (‘Pinocchio’) and Alejandro González Iñárritu (‘Bardo’)”
Angelique Jackson, Variety, “Alex Borstein on the Legacy of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ as It Ends: ‘We Launched in Such a Perfect Moment’”
Lyndsey Parker, Totally ’80s, “Rebel Soul: An ‘80s Conversation with Bebe Buell”
Lisa Niver and Andrew McCarthyK6. PERSONALITY PROFILE/INTERVIEW, Non-Entertainment Personalities (Over 10 Minutes)
Alex Cohen, Sara Sadhwani, Crystal Goss, Yazmin Cruz, Nathaniel Leathers, Spectrum News 1, “Inside the Issues: The Podcast ‘Marqueece Harris-Dawson’”
Debra Eckerling, Jewish Journal, “Chef Susan Feniger and Liz Lachman: ‘Forked,’ Food and Spiced Millet Puffs”
Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Benmoche, TheBagelReport, “Unapologetic Bagels feat. Dr. Samantha Pickette”
Robert Scheer, ScheerPost, “Nuclear War Imminent?”
Thank you to the Jewish Journal for 13 years of support for my writing. Congrats to all of the Jewish Journal finalists in the SoCal Journalism Awards. See them all in this article: “Jewish Journal Nominated for 11 SoCal Journalism Awards by LA Press Club”
Lisa Niver has won many awards! From 2017 to 2024, in the Southern California Journalism Awards and National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, she has won six times and been a finalist thirty times for a variety of broadcast, print, podcast and digital categories.
2024 5x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Online Journalist of the Year, Podcast Host and for my podcast interviews with Andrew McCarthy, Samantha Brown and Christie Tate
2023 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Diversity in Entertainment
2023 3x Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards
2023 2x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Travel Reporting and Podcast Interview
Simcha Kits are a beautifully curated line of holiday and Shabbat kits designed to make Jewish rituals more accessible, intentional and visually meaningful for families, children and even newborns.
Just as the flames of the Hannukah candles dance with courage, persistence, and defiance, our spirits desire and deserve the same attention and reigniting.
Eighty one years ago, while America was at war and millions of Jews were being slaughtered, the rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation delivered a Hanukkah message that resonates to this day.
Whatever the future holds, we must remember, especially during Hanukkah, that miracles are part and parcel of our history—and will continue to be. We cannot let our sadness overwhelm us.
Eighty-one years ago, while America was at war and millions of Jews were being slaughtered, the rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation delivered a Hanukkah message that resonates to this day.
Israelis expected the war would end when Hamas is eradicated. They now have to face a different reality. After two years of blood, sweat and many tears, the enemy is still out there, lurking in the dark, waiting to fight another day.
In this selection of essays, op-eds and speeches, the first piece written six months after his son’s murder, Pearl gives us words that are, yes, sometimes heartbreaking, but also funny, profound, scrappy, informative and strikingly prescient.
We can perhaps avoid fear, but we cannot avoid anxiety. However, we don’t need to get rid of it; we need to pass through it. But what’s on the other side?
It’s only through fully recognizing our individualism that we can be unified as a people. And it’s only through nourishing the soul that the bravery, nonconformity, and the true spirit and resilience of the Maccabees can be achieved.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.
5x Southern California Journalism Awards Finalist!
Lisa Ellen Niver
- Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map Podcast
- Ana Garcia, True Crime Daily The Podcast
- Lyndsey Parker, Totally ‘80s Podcast
- Michael Schneider, Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Jenelle Riley, Emily Longeretta, Variety
- Susan Valot, Quanta Magazine Science Podcast
K4. LIFESTYLE FEATURE- Lisa Niver, We Said Go Travel, “Journey into the World of Wanderlust: Samantha Brown, Travel Goddess”
- Alex Cohen, Sara Sadhwani, Crystal Goss, Yazmin Cruz, Nathaniel Leathers, Spectrum News 1, “Inside the Issues: The Podcast ‘Marqueece Harris-Dawson’”
- Debra Eckerling, Jewish Journal, “Chef Susan Feniger and Liz Lachman: ‘Forked,’ Food and Spiced Millet Puffs”
- Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Benmoche, TheBagelReport, “Unapologetic Bagels feat. Dr. Samantha Pickette”
- Robert Scheer, ScheerPost, “Nuclear War Imminent?”
Thank you to the Jewish Journal for 13 years of support for my writing. Congrats to all of the Jewish Journal finalists in the SoCal Journalism Awards. See them all in this article: “Jewish Journal Nominated for 11 SoCal Journalism Awards by LA Press Club”- 2019 Winner: NAEJ Award for KTLA TV segment
- 2019 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in three categories
- Category H2a. Soft News: Ms. Magazine: Polar Bears Can’t Vote So You Have To
- Category F6a. Soft News Feature – Under 5 Minutes—Film/TV: KTLA TV Oscars Countdown to Gold with Lisa Niver
- Category C1b. Business, Music/Tech/Art: My Wharton Magazine article: Four Female Founders Share Their Origin Stories
- 2019 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Broadcast Television Lifestyle Segment: Ogden Ski Getaway
- 2018 Finalist for three categories of Southern California Journalism Awards:
- SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY REPORTING: Smithsonian
- TRAVEL REPORTING: Popsugar Fitness
- PERSONALITY PROFILE: Saturday Evening Post
- 2017 2nd place winner for Southern California Journalism Award Print Column “A journey to freedom over three Passovers” and finalist for Travel Reporting.
More about Lisa Niver: https://lisaniver.com/awards/Did you enjoy this article?
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Print Issue: A 1944 Hanukkah Message to America | December 12, 2025
Eighty one years ago, while America was at war and millions of Jews were being slaughtered, the rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation delivered a Hanukkah message that resonates to this day.
Are We Dying of a Broken Heart?
Whatever the future holds, we must remember, especially during Hanukkah, that miracles are part and parcel of our history—and will continue to be. We cannot let our sadness overwhelm us.
Of Doughnuts and Dreidels
This week Rachel and I are thrilled to share our column with our friend Rinat to tell us about a unique Hanukkah tradition involving women.
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A 1944 Hanukkah Message to America
Eighty-one years ago, while America was at war and millions of Jews were being slaughtered, the rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation delivered a Hanukkah message that resonates to this day.
Rosner’s Domain | The Psychology of Accepting Reality
Israelis expected the war would end when Hamas is eradicated. They now have to face a different reality. After two years of blood, sweat and many tears, the enemy is still out there, lurking in the dark, waiting to fight another day.
A Prophet among the Rhinos
In this selection of essays, op-eds and speeches, the first piece written six months after his son’s murder, Pearl gives us words that are, yes, sometimes heartbreaking, but also funny, profound, scrappy, informative and strikingly prescient.
As We Wrestle
My hope is that we, too, embrace the kind of wrestling that leads to blessing.
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This is unmistakably a Jewish story: the mother is no preacher of martyrdom.
The Ethics of Fearlessness in an Age of Jewish Erasure
We can perhaps avoid fear, but we cannot avoid anxiety. However, we don’t need to get rid of it; we need to pass through it. But what’s on the other side?
Hanukkah 5786: Liberation
This Hanukkah, may all of us find liberation.
The Freedom to Be Different: Rekindling our Eternal Hanukkah Light
It’s only through fully recognizing our individualism that we can be unified as a people. And it’s only through nourishing the soul that the bravery, nonconformity, and the true spirit and resilience of the Maccabees can be achieved.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.