1) What qualities make the nominee deserving of the Z3 Bridge Builder Award?

Malka Shaw, LCSW, is uniquely deserving of the Z3 Bridge Builder Award for her pioneering leadership at the intersection of trauma, Jewish identity, and resilience. In response to the psychological and communal fractures exposed after October 7, she founded Kesher Shalom Projects—an initiative rooted in clinical wisdom and Jewish values, designed to help individuals and communities rebuild trust, strengthen connection, and counter divisiveness.

She has developed signature tools such as the GUARD system for coping with prolonged stress and the BRIDGE protocol for engaging across ideological lines. These tools are not theoretical. They are practical frameworks used in workshops, therapeutic settings, and professional trainings to guide participants toward clarity, empathy, and cultural competence. Malka’s approach doesn’t gloss over difference. Instead, she teaches how to navigate it with courage and compassion.

Through her work, she bridges religious, generational, and political divides within the Jewish community—and creates inclusive space for non-Jewish allies to engage meaningfully with Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism.

2) In what ways has the nominee demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to their work in bridging divides?

Malka Shaw has demonstrated extraordinary leadership not by operating within existing structures, but by building new ones in response to urgent and unmet needs. As the founder of Kesher Shalom Projects and Educational Coordinator at Gesher Campus Care, she has been a driving force behind efforts to support Jewish communities in crisis and to create trauma-informed, psychologically grounded frameworks for Jewish education, identity repair, and community resilience.

Her work is not backed by a budget or institutional infrastructure. It is powered by clarity of vision and deep commitment. In the aftermath of October 7, when many were still trying to find language for what had happened, Malka began developing and facilitating workshops, trainings, and protocols to help communities cope, connect, and rebuild. She has partnered with a wide range of organizations—Jewish and non-Jewish, across denominations and disciplines—crafting programming that is both culturally sensitive and emotionally attuned.

Her leadership style is collaborative and courageous. She consistently brings together professionals from across the spectrum of Jewish observance and political ideology, refusing to allow fragmentation to define the community’s response to trauma. Whether working with therapists, campus professionals, educators, or lawyers, Malka models how to hold space for difference while staying rooted in Jewish values and psychological insight.

She is not just creating resources. She is shifting how we think about what healing, education, and allyship can look like in this moment. Her leadership is not performative. It is transformative.

3) How has the nominee's work impacted the Jewish community and beyond?

Malka’s work has created safe, informed, and resilient spaces for Jewish communities in a time of heightened fear, confusion, and isolation. She has brought culturally competent, psychologically informed education into settings where it is often absent, helping Jewish individuals feel more seen, supported, and protected.

Her trainings have reached over 3,500 professionals, many of whom are non-Jewish. This impact extends far beyond the Jewish world. By helping others understand Jewish values, identity, and the emotional nature of antisemitism, she is laying the groundwork for true allyship, not just awareness.

Through articles, workshops, curriculum development, and direct community work, Malka is influencing how Jewish mental health, education, and cultural dialogue are approached across the United States. Her work doesn’t just react to antisemitism—it strengthens the internal fabric of the Jewish people and invites others into shared responsibility for justice and human dignity.