About the Award
The Jewish Community Federation of Richmond is accepting nominations for the Neil November Distinguished Community Service Award. The award, named in honor of Neil November, recognizes those volunteer(s) in our community who have and continue to exhibit a lifetime of outstanding service, leadership, and achievement in our community. Nominees should be those who have made a tangible and lasting impact on Jewish life and affairs. This includes work with our Federation partner agencies, the Jewish Federation, synagogues and congregations, Federation-affiliated activities, and national and overseas agencies, with additional emphasis on activity in the general community and involvement in business or professional associations.
Each year, the Federation considers candidates for the Jewish community’s highest honor, the Neil November Distinguished Community Service Award. This award is given at the Federation’s Annual Meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at the Virginia Holocaust Museum.
Please submit your nominations no later than Friday, April 12, 2024. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Davis at SDavis@JewishRichmond.org.
To maintain the integrity of the process, please keep the name(s) of your nominee(s) confidential. Those being considered should not be informed that you are placing their names in nomination.
Award Selection Criteria
The main emphasis in determining the recipient of the Neil November Distinguished Community Service Award (NNDCSA) will be leadership participation in Jewish affairs, including work in social agencies, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond’s Annual Campaign, synagogues and congregations, Federation affiliated activities, national and overseas agencies, with additional emphasis on activity in the general community and involvement in business or professional associations. The recipient should be someone who has done outstanding work over a period of years and is currently active or has shown a sustained interest in community affairs.
Previous Neil November Distinguished Community Service Award Winners
1952 Minna Thalhimer Heller
1953 Samuel Z. Troy
1954 Wm. B. Thalhimer, Jr.
1955 Morton G. Thalhimer, Sr.
1956 Morton G. Wallerstein
1957 Israel November
1958 Samuel Binswanger
1959 Adrian L. Bendheim, Sr.
1960 Irving May
1961 Reuben Goldman
1962 W. H. Schwarzschild
1963 Keeve Marks
1964 William B. Thalhimer, Jr.
1965 Jacob M. Viener
1966 Lewis C. Markel
1967 Bertha Meyer
1968 Judge Max O. Laster
1969 Saul Viener
1970 David Arenstein
1971 Richard Schwarzschild
1972 Helen Markel
1973 Samuel S. Wurtzel
1974 Nathan J. Forb
1975 Neilson J. November
1976 Hortense B. Wolf
1977 Irwin A. Schapiro
1978 Amy M. Krumbein
1979 Jacob Brown
1980 Jack Paul Fine
1981 Anne Fischer
1982 Jacob Y. Plotkin (posthumously)
1983 Israel Ipson
1984 Rita G. Straus
1985 Edward S. Hirschler
1986 Dr. Harry Lyons
1987 Jay M. Weinberg
1988 Dr. Harold & Helen P. Horwitz
1989 Beatrice R. Fine
1990 Julius Mintzer
1991 George Rochkind
1992 Malcolm Kalman
1993 S. Sidney Meyers
1994 Harold Straus
1995 Robert Reinhard
1996 Jerome Gumenick
1997 Stewart M. Kasen
1998 Catherine S. Plotkin
1999 Stuart C. Siegel
2000 Mark B. Sisisky
2001 Judith Koziol
2002 Richard November
2003 Jay Ipson
2004 Jeff Levin
2005 Tommy Baer
2006 Richard A. Arenstein
2007 Deane Dubansky
2008 Neil Kessler
2009 Irving Blank
2010 Rick Gary
2011 No recipient
2012 Susan & Steve Meyers
2013 No recipient
2014 Rhona Arenstein
2015 Dan Siegel
2016 Nathan Shor
2017 Earl Ferguson
2018 Jim Weinberg
2019 Franklin Wolf
2020 No recipient
2021 Miriam Davidow
2022 Richmond Jewish Community Agencies, Boards & Staff
2023 Nannette Shor