Jewish Achiever Awards a springboard for action

When the Jewish National Fund South Africa (JNF SA) was announced as the winner of the Mann Made Community Service Award at last year’s Jewish Achiever Awards, I felt a surge of pride. It wasn’t just pride in a personal accomplishment, but in what the award represented: recognition of the commitment of our team, our donors, our partners, and in fact our whole community to stand with Israel during one of the most difficult periods in recent memory.

For JNF SA, the award came at a critical juncture. In the wake of 7 October 2023, we had to confront the question of how South African Jewry, geographically distant yet emotionally bound to Israel, could respond in a way that was meaningful. We mobilised quickly, relocating traumatised children from southern Israel to our field centre in the South African Forest in the Galilee; organising solidarity missions to Israel; and, in a remarkable partnership with The Base community, bringing those most affected by the horrors of 7 October to South Africa for respite and healing. These efforts allowed us to transform paralysing despair into collective action. I’ll never forget the tears of returned hostage Sapir Cohen as she drove from OR Tambo International Airport into Glenhazel past hundreds of yellow ribbons tied to trees by our community, a small gesture that told her she and the remaining hostages weren’t alone.

The real power of receiving this award became clear in the months that followed. Winning the award provided more than validation for this work. It became a springboard for expanded impact. The recognition opened doors, created visibility, and gave the JNF the momentum to do more. Since then, we have been able to raise funds to upgrade numerous public bomb shelters in Israel during the recent war with Iran; host additional trips for former hostages as part of the JNF/Base Hostage Healing Programme; and launch our young adults JNFutures division with its first volunteering mission currently in Israel. Each of these initiatives was motivated, in part, by the confidence and support that the award generated.

The Jewish Achiever Awards plays a vital role in the life of our community. It celebrates excellence, and shines a spotlight on Jewish contributions across business, the professions, the arts, and community service. At a time when negativity dominates the headlines, these awards remind us that Jewish life in South Africa is vibrant, creative, and engaged.

The awards also inspire. For the next generation especially, the awards offer role models who demonstrate that Jewish values and professional success aren’t just compatible, but mutually reinforcing.

And most importantly, at this moment, they unify. Sitting in that room with more than a thousand members of our community, I felt a profound sense of belonging. We may differ in age, religious observance, and professional backgrounds, but we are bound by a shared heritage and a common responsibility to contribute to Jewish and South African society.

The Jewish Achiever Awards reminds us that even in our darkest hours, the South African Jewish community’s capacity for innovation, renewal, and impact remains unstoppable, and that recognition can itself be a catalyst for even greater action.

• Michael Kransdorff is the chairperson of JNF South Africa.