Using what we have for others

The Lubner Family Foundation is proud to sponsor the Bertie Lubner Humanitarian Award in honour of Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris. This award recognises an individual or organisation whose sustained commitment to uplifting others has achieved lasting impact. It celebrates service rooted in compassion, guided by purpose and demonstrated through action. 

At the heart of all our family charities is responsible kindness. This core value brings compassion together with thoughtful action, respect for human dignity, and accountability. It asks us to listen carefully, use resources wisely, and consider the lasting consequences of our giving. Across our family’s charitable work, it guides how we care, serve, and create opportunities. 

Our theme, “Giving with Purpose – Impactful philanthropy with purposeful outcomes”, resonates with Jewish values. Tzedakah connects giving with justice and responsibility. It reminds us that helping others is an obligation grounded in our shared humanity, and that every person deserves dignity, care, and the opportunity to flourish. 

The Jewish aspiration of tikkun olam, repairing the world, gives this responsibility direction. We each contribute by responding to suffering, widening opportunity, and strengthening our communities. Purposeful philanthropy translates this aspiration into thoughtful, sustained work that responds to real needs and supports lasting change. 

For our family, this award carries personal meaning. It honours our late father, Bertie Lubner, and recognises Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris through a celebration of humanitarian commitment. Their names invite reflection on a question central to Jewish ethical life: how can we use what we have, and who we are, in the service of others? 

The teaching in Pirkei Avot that we are not required to complete the work, yet are not free to abandon it, speaks powerfully to this award. Humanitarian service demands perseverance. Challenges are complex and results may take years to emerge. 

Nevertheless, we remain responsible for doing our part with courage, consistency, and care. 

We also draw inspiration from the Jewish emphasis on helping people towards greater independence. Responsible kindness means respecting individual aspirations and creating opportunities for people to shape their own futures. Meaningful impact requires clear intentions, thoughtful stewardship, and a willingness to learn from those whose lives we seek to uplift. 

Our family’s core community initiatives, including Afrika Tikkun, Smile Foundation, Sabrina Love Foundation, and Field Band Foundation, express these values across different areas of need. Their work reflects our belief that care, education, inclusion, and development can open pathways towards greater dignity and belonging. 

To every nominee, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. Your sustained efforts embody compassion, integrity, service, inclusion, and accountability. Your contribution is reflected in the lives you have helped uplift and the possibilities your work has created. Jewish tradition teaches the preciousness of every human life, calling us to extend our concern across communities, backgrounds, and beliefs. 

May this award celebrate achievement and inspire renewed commitment. Together, we affirm a legacy expressed through action: accepting responsibility, pursuing justice, and helping others flourish. This is responsible kindness in practice, and the enduring spirit of giving with purpose we are proud to celebrate. 

Marc Lubner, Chairman of the Lubner Family Foundation