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The closing date for nominations is June 26. All nominations can be mailed to nominations@SAJewishReport.co.za

The annual fundraiser culminates with a gala banquet which is, without question, the highlight of the Jewish Johannesburg social calendar. The glittering dinner honours members of South African Jewry who have excelled in business and the humanities.

Nominations are open to the public and all nominations should be sent via e-mail to nominations@SAJewishReport.co.za – see more on www.sajr.co.za/achievers – and anyone can nominate anyone for any of the awards.

The judging, especially in the audited business categories, has been described by many top financial people in the know, as the most rigorous and credible business awards process in the country.

NOMINATIONS SHOULD INCLUDE:

• The nominee’s name, telephone number and e-mail address
• The award for which the nominee is nominated
• A short motivation for the nomination

The Absa Business and Entrepreneurial awards are judged by a panel of independent business people, financial journalists, stockbrokers and Absa representatives, who interview all of the candidates. The results are all audited by PKF accountants.

The three Absa Jewish Business Awards are:

• The Absa Listed Company Award, going to a Jewish person in a senior leadership position within a listed company and who has achieved great success worthy of recognition; and
• The Absa Unlisted Company Award, going to a Jewish person who is in a senior leadership position in an unlisted company and who has achieved significant success worthy of recognition; and
• The Absa Entrepreneur Award, going to a Jewish person who has shown enormous entrepreneurial flair and business innovation.

The Jewish Report humanities awards are:

• The Lifetime Achievement Award in honour of Helen Suzman, awarded to a Jewish person who has contributed in an extraordinary manner, in their specific field, over a lengthy period of time;
• The Community Service Award, going to a Jewish person who has served the Jewish community with remarkable distinction;
• The Arts, Science, Sports & Culture Award, going to a Jewish person who has excelled in any of these spheres; and
• The Chivas Humanitarian Award in honour of Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris, awarded to either a Jewish or non-Jewish person who has contributed substantially to the betterment of the lives of the people of South Africa.

In 2014, 2013 winners, Creative Counsel, sponsored a new award: The Creative Counsel Young Jewish Entrepreneur Award, which recognises entrepreneurship in young Jews aged 30 or younger. The Creative Council Young Entrepreneurs award winner in 2014 was awarded to Nadav Ossendryver.

Highlight of SA Jewish calendar

The black-tie awards evening is replete with music, comedy and a sparkling array of the whose-who of South African Jewry. There is no other event in the social calendar which attracts as many high profile individuals as the Absa Jewish Achiever Awards.

2014 winners of the Jewish Report humanities awards:

• Lifetime Achievement Award in honour of Helen Suzman went to Meyer Kahn;
• Chivas Humanitarian Award in honour of Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris went to Professor Jonathan Jansen;
• The Art, Sport, Science & Culture Award went to Professor Valerie Mizrachi; and
• The KIA Community Service Award went to Rabbi Dovid Hazdan.

The 2014 Absa awards went to:

• The Absa Listed Company Award went to Steven Braudo deputy CEO of Liberty Life;
• The Absa Unlisted Company Award category Ivor Ichikowitz of the Paramount Group;
• The Absa Entrepreneur Award went to Popimedia, Daniel Levy, Ryan Silberman and Gil Sperling.

Past winners read like a who’s-who and include the likes of: Brian Joffe (Bidvest), Adrian Gore (Discovery), Raymond Ackerman (Pick n Pay), Asher Bohbot (EOH), Alec Wapnick (Octodec), Gill Marcus (Reserve Bank), Brett Levy (Blue Label), Steven Joffe (Gold Reef City), Philip Krawitz (Cape Union Mart), William Kirsh (Primedia), Herschel Mayers (Discovery Life), Sean Melnick (Peregrine), Abe and Solly Krok (Krok Brothers), John Copelyn (HCI), Arthur Gillis (Protea Hotels), Jeff Zidel (Resilient Properties), William Kentridge (Artist), Danny K & Kabelo (Shout Campaign), Phillip Tobias (Paleoanthropologist), Ina Perlman (Operation Hunger), Johnny Clegg (Musician) Dr Ali Bacher (Cricket Administrator) and Pieter-Dirk Uys (Comedian and Satirist).

In the past the awards have also honoured both President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for their contribution to South Africa.

The poster for the launch of the 2015 Awards