Ellen and Dan Blalock Distinguished Service Award Honorees, 2023 Gala
Together, for decades, Ellen and Dan have provided leadership in the Jewish community, particularly at Temple Rodef Shalom and in honoring and supporting Holocaust survivors. They have also invested enormous effort supporting the national security and organ/tissue transplant communities.
Ellen is a JCRC Board Member and the Virginia co-chair of our Holocaust Commission, a vital contributor to our annual Yom HaShoah program. She is also heavily involved with our year-round Holocaust education and commemoration efforts, working with Sara Winkelman, to develop presentations by survivors in Virginia and personally escorting them to events. For eight years, she coordinated the Holocaust Survivor Program for JSSA ensuring that the basic needs of those survivors requiring assistance with daily living were met. Ellen was director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Office of Survivor Affairs, where she facilitated the role of survivors at the Museum and vastly expanded the Survivor Speakers Bureau throughout the United States.
Ellen was president of Temple Rodef Shalom, Virginia’s largest synagogue, serving on their board for more than 20 years. She was trained by the Union for Reform Judaism/Central Conference of American Rabbis/Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion as a Sh'liach K'hilah (Synagogue Associate) in 2005. For 15 years, she has led monthly Shabbat services and annual Chanukah parties at Goodwin House Baileys Crossroads, a Continuing Care community, as well as creating virtual Purim, Passover, and Chanukah celebrations during the COVID lockdown. She served on the national board of the Union for Reform Judaism, and the National Worship Commission, which helped to develop the new Siddur for the Reform movement.
Ellen was Virginia Vice President for the American Association of University Women, and Chair of AAUW's "Peace and National Security" study initiative. She traveled across the Commonwealth to educate and empower women on national security issues. She also represented the organization at a conference of the International Federation of University Women in New Zealand. Ellen created a Women’s Program at the Committee for National Security and traveled to Russia and Georgia with U.S. women state legislators to meet with Russian women leaders. Furthermore, Ellen was involved in PeaceLinks, a nuclear disarmament group, and was the only non-congressional spouse making public presentations across the U.S. for the organization.
Ellen has co-chaired the JCRC Annual Gala for the past two years and has done an outstanding job mobilizing her network to support the fundraising efforts of the JCRC.
Dan Blalock has had a distinguished military and legal career. After completing five years of active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps and more than two decades on Reserve duty (specializing in Civil Affairs and International Law and commanding the reserve unit supporting the Office of Counsel for the Commandant of the Marine Corps), he retired at the rank of Colonel. During his service in the Reserves, he was one of the Navy’s top civilian lawyers, including as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel providing support to the National Intelligence Community, and served as lead counsel for the Navy's Cruise Missile Program. He also was Associate Counsel for the Naval Comptroller and Lead Counsel for the Acquisition Integrity Office.
Prior to converting to Judaism, Dan was co-chair of the Outreach Committee at Temple Rodef Shalom, ensuring that interfaith couples were engaged in synagogue life.
Ellen and Dan suffered a personal tragedy in 1993 when their 16-year-old daughter, Jennifer, who was leading a Jewish social justice project in DC helping the homeless, was killed as the result of injuries she sustained in a car accident. Five of her organs were donated for medical research.
Ellen and Dan were determined to not let Jennifer’s passing define them, but rather inspire them to celebrate life and to do good. Dan served as president of the Washington Regional Transplant Community from 2006 - 2007. WRTC (now called Infinite Legacy after merging with the Baltimore's organ procurement organization) is responsible for recovering and distributing organs and tissues used in lifesaving transplants as well as far-reaching medical research and therapy. Ellen and Dan still serve on the Donor Family Council.
Dan converted to Judaism in 1995, a decision that was inspired by his surviving daughter Katie and the warmth and care of the congregation. He chaired Rodef Shalom’s Social Action Committee to engage in acts of congregational and community service as a tribute to both of his daughters.