Join SPS for our Eighth Annual Gala honoring Barbara Zinn Moore & Evan Spelfogel and Judy Agata as the Harriet A. Janover award recipient

Barbara Zinn Moore began attending Sutton Place Synagogue in the late 1970s, joined in the 1980s, and became deeply involved in synagogue leadership in 2013. Evan Spelfogel joined SPS in the late 1990s to say kaddish for his mother. After the loss of their beloved spouses in 2013, Barbara and Evan met at the SPS Annual Meeting in 2014 and soon became devoted partners. Professionally, Barbara is a highly regarded senior retail and beauty industry executive, having served as SVP at Macy’s, DFS, and Lord &Taylor, and currently works as a retail consultant. Evan has spent his legal career representing management as a labor and employment attorney and is currently Senior Counsel at Phillips Nizer LLP, as well as a mediator and arbitrator in federal and state courts. Together, they have given tirelessly to SPS through their leadership and inspirational generosity. Evan has lent his legal expertise to SPS many times since 2004 to help ensure the synagogue’s continued compliance and growth, and he joined the Board of Trustees in 2024. Barbara served as President of the Women’s League from 2018–2022, became Executive Vice President in 2021, and has served as President of SPS since 2023. Under Barbara’s leadership, the synagogue completed the second phase of its capital campaign, and together Barbara and Evan named the Community Room as part of their gift. Sutton Place Synagogue would not be the institution it is today without their dedication, leadership, and care.

Judy Agata, recipient of this year’s Harriet A. Janover Award, and her husband Richard joined SPS in 2004, upon their marriage in our sanctuary, with the goal of finding a welcoming Jewish community. For the last two decades, Judy has used her outgoing personality, her creativity and her dedication to Jewish life, to better SPS and help create that community. After serving as President of the Women’s League for four years, Judy is now serving her third term on the Board of Trustees and was our VP of Community on the Executive Committee from 2016 to 2022. During that time, Judy founded BoCo, (our Boomer’s Community), which has served as a social group to welcome new members, connect old members, and create friendships at SPS amongst those in that demographic. Judy & Rich also welcome new members, including those who have converted to Judaism and don’t have a place to spend holidays, into their home.  Professionally, Judy is a graphic designer, and lends her expertise to designing and editing all of our bulletins, program guides, high holiday brochures and more. We are so thankful to have Judy as a leader and member of SPS!

For more information on how to participate in this year’s gala,

please reach out to Abby Johnson-Guez at ajohnson@spsnyc.org or 212-593-3300.