May 8, 2023

By Nancy B. Greer
President & CEO

Jewish life is thriving in our region, and an important reason why is that our community welcomes leadership from people who bring to the table a diversity of inspiring talents and admirable strengths.

I look forward to our annual meeting each year because we publicly honor and celebrate individuals who have done so much to help our community meet challenges, seize opportunities, and secure brighter tomorrows. I invite you to save the date for our annual meeting—Thursday, June 22, at the Stroum Jewish Community Center. (Registration link coming soon!)

Join us in recognizing, celebrating, and appreciating our 2023 Community Award recipients for all that they do! This year’s honorees are:

Pamela Waechter z”l Jewish Communal Professional Award
Melissa Rivkin, Director of Day School Strategy for the Samis Foundation

Dr. Charles & Lillian Kaplan Board Chair’s Award for Outstanding Service
Bill Mowat, Board Chair, Jewish Community Relations Council

Jack J. & Charlotte Spitzer Young Leadership Award
Rachel Blum and Jason Okrent

Tikkun Olam Award for Public Service
Jared Nieuwenhuis, Deputy Mayor of Bellevue

Cardozo Society L’Dor V’Dor Award
Judge John Erlick (ret.), King County Superior Court

One of the ironic delights of selecting honorees every year is that it can be difficult to choose just one or two for each award! It’s testament to the abundance of dedicated people who generously give their time and energy to keeping Jewish Puget Sound strong, vibrant, and ready for the future. 

Please join us to honor our award recipients and celebrate everything that we’ve accomplished together in the past 12 months for the community that we all love.

I hope to see you at the J on June 22!