Achievers support the Achiever Awards

With nominations for this year’s Investec Jewish Achiever Awards closing on Friday, past winners say receiving the recognition was important to them. 

Together with long-time supporters of the awards, they see the annual celebration as much more than individual achievements. It’s an opportunity to acknowledge resilience, celebrate contribution, and remind the community of its continued accomplishments in an often-difficult environment. 

For past winner and entertainment entrepreneur Hazel Feldman, the awards provide a powerful message at a time when many in the community feel under pressure. “The awards are an affirmation of continued strength, purpose, and excellence. Despite, not because of, the greater negative cloak being thrown over the community,” she says. 

Her comments are echoed by businessman and philanthropist Ivor Ichikowitz, whose family foundation sponsors an award. “The Jewish Achiever Awards have never been more important,” he says. “We live in a country that breeds pessimism, and the global reality right now gives us plenty to worry about. But here’s the thing, the Jewish community in South Africa is truly blessed. 

“We live in a magnificent country, on a continent with enormous potential, and we’re part of a very special community. The problem is that we get so consumed by the challenges that we forget to celebrate who we are and what we’ve built.” 

That, he says, is where the Jewish Achiever Awards play such an important role. “The awards make us stop and look at the remarkable men and women in our community and acknowledge what they’ve achieved. They remind us that this country, with all its problems, still gives Jewish South Africans an incredible environment to excel in, and to take that excellence to the world.” 

For Afrika Tikkun chief executive Marc Lubner, the awards have significance from two perspectives. As a previous winner, he understands what it means to be recognised by his peers. As sponsor of the Bertie Lubner Humanitarian Award in honour of Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris, he also sees them as a way of ensuring the values of generosity and service continue to be celebrated. 

“Jewish Achiever has deep personal meaning for me,” he says. “As a small but powerful and contributing community, our Jewish individuals are integral to South Africa’s history and future. We don’t only honour ourselves but extend our compliments and acknowledgements to other South Africans and international contributors to our society.” 

Receiving the award was a moment he still treasures. “It felt amazing to be recognised by my Jewish ‘extended family’,” he says. That experience inspired his family’s continued support of the awards, in memory of his father. “I determined therefore a few years ago that Bertie, would’ve wanted to know the joy of giving through recognising the Humanitarian Award winners.” 

While each speaks from a different perspective, Feldman, Ichikowitz, and Lubner arrive at much the same conclusion. The Jewish Achiever Awards shine a light on a community that continues to innovate, lead, build businesses, strengthen society, and improve lives. 

They hope more people will take a last chance to nominate those whose contributions might otherwise go unnoticed. In doing so, they say, the awards not only honour today’s achievers but inspire tomorrow’s.