The Jewish Communal Professional Leadership Award

This award is presented every second year in even-numbered years. Nominations are now being accepted for 2026.

Description:
The Jewish Communal Professional Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding professional working for a Jewish organization in Ottawa who is dedicated to advancing an exceptional quality of Jewish life in Ottawa.

Mazel Tov to the 2024 recipient, Andrea Gardner

The Jewish Communal Professional Leadership Award: Michael Reznick

Michael’s work across Jewish Ottawa reflects a steady commitment to service, leadership development, stewardship, and intergenerational connection. Since joining the Jewish Federation of Ottawa in 2022, he has helped advance initiatives such as Dorot, J-Fellows, Silver Circle, Capital-J and donor stewardship efforts that strengthen relationships across the community. He created the Dorot Legacy Reception, which celebrates philanthropy, legacy, and emerging leadership within Jewish Ottawa. Michael also serves as principal of Ottawa Modern Jewish School, where he launched TeenShemet, a unique young leadership program for teens.

All nominees must have a minimum of three years of full-time paid professional service for an organization that serves the Ottawa Jewish community, though not necessarily for the same organization. Nominees must have a deep commitment to Jewish life in Ottawa, though they need not be Jewish themselves. To be eligible, nominees are:

• Jewish agency professionals who show initiative and approach their roles with integrity and creativity;

• Role models, whether to a small group of community members they serve or to the community at large;

• Exemplary leaders and mentors;

• Entrepreneurial and inspirational;

• Active in the Jewish or general community in addition to their professional role;

• Proven achiever in strengthening people and/or organizations; and

• Not only exceptional in their professional role, but someone who makes a significant impact in strengthening Jewish Ottawa.

Nominate Someone Here

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Deadline is April 30, 2026.

Past Recipients
2022 - Sarah Beutel
2024 - Andrea Gardner

Nominees may be at any level of an organization; however, only organizations with 5 or fewer FTEs may nominate their senior executive. Pulpit clergy are not eligible for nomination.

All nominations are confidential and must be submitted by a manager/colleague in the nominee’s organization and endorsed by the senior executive or lay leader.

A minimum of 2 additional letters of support must be included with the nomination.

The nomination form and letters of support must specifically address the above criteria.

Nominations:

Nominations for the award shall be solicited in confidence every second year. Nominations will open in March, and those received by the deadline shall be considered. The award will be presented at Federation’s Annual General Meeting held in June.

Nominations will be considered for the year in which they are received and will be carried over once if the nominee remains eligible.

Nature of the Award:

The award recipient(s) will receive a professional development stipend of $500 and a gift of Judaica, and will be recognized at the Annual General Meeting of the community and in an E-Bulletin article.

Questions? Please contact us by email at [email protected]