Judgement day for Jewish achievers

For the judges of the 2026 Investec Jewish Achiever Awards, judging day was about far more than names, CVs, and lists of accomplishments. It was an opportunity to meet the nominees, hear their stories first-hand, and understand not only what they have achieved, but how they got there. 

Across the different award categories, judges sat down with nominee after nominee, turning what had until then existed largely on paper into conversations about businesses built, careers forged, communities strengthened, and obstacles overcome. 

For Anthony Meltzer, one of the Investec judges for the Professional Excellence and Business Leadership categories, that meant a 13-hour day, beginning at 07:30 and ending at 20:30. He and his fellow judges interviewed 25 nominees across the two categories. 

“It was a long and demanding day,” Meltzer said. “It required sustained focus because it was important that every nominee received the same level of attention, engagement, and respect, regardless of how late in the day they were interviewed.” 

Yet the intensity of the day was matched by what the judges heard. “The outstanding candidates were truly deserving, and hearing about their journeys, achievements, and contributions was incredibly inspiring,” Meltzer said. 

Being asked to assess people who had achieved so much was also daunting. “The hardest part was being a judge of people who are very accomplished and, in many respects, people I look up to. It was challenging and very humbling.” 

Greg Solomon, a judge for the Ichikowitz Family Foundation Rising Star Award, experienced much the same feeling while meeting 31 nominees, describing the experience as “fascinating and deeply humbling”. 

“We had the privilege of meeting extraordinary individuals who have dedicated themselves to building businesses, achieving remarkable milestones, creating opportunities, and making a tangible difference in the lives of others and in their communities,” he said. 

“What stood out most wasn’t simply what these individuals have achieved, but the courage, conviction, resilience, and purpose that have driven them to achieve it. There are exceptional people doing exceptional things within South African Jewry.” 

Their stories, he said, were “a powerful reminder of the depth of talent, ambition, generosity, and leadership that exists within our community”. 

Dawn Nathan-Jones, one of the judges for the Europcar Women in Leadership Award, encountered that talent among the 19 nominees in the category. “The women were incredibly well prepared, professional, and accomplished. Many genuinely blew me away with what they have achieved and the impact they are making.” 

Some of the younger women, in particular, stayed with her. “I was particularly inspired by the young women doing incredible work in the community. Seeing our youth so actively involved in helping others was impressive and incredibly encouraging.” 

The conversations also allowed judges to look beyond the obvious measures of achievement. Liran Assness, a judge for the Eric Ellerine Entrepreneur Award, found meeting people at different stages of their careers particularly interesting. 

“For me, it was really inspirational,” he said. “It’s great to see all different businesses and people, young and old, at different stages of their lives and careers, presenting their businesses.” 

When it comes to entrepreneurship, Assness said the process cannot simply be about comparing balance sheets. “It’s not only about the numbers. You can’t just say, because this business made this amount of profit this year, you’re getting that award. It’s not a prize for the biggest business; it’s a prize for entrepreneurs.” 

For him, entrepreneurial flair needs to sit alongside a successful, sustainable business, showing the judging panel what to consider as the selection process unfolds. 

After 13 hours of listening, questioning, and getting to know the people behind the nominations, Meltzer admitted that the day was considerably longer and more intense than he’d anticipated. “The food kept rolling in throughout, and I’m fairly certain I left about 3kg heavier than when I arrived,” he joked. 

Judging day begins the selection process, but its most important purpose is also its simplest: allowing nominees to move beyond the CV, nomination form, and list of achievements, sit across from the judges, and tell their own stories.