The Breslau Goldman Award is named for JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Council) founders Rabbi Isadore Breslau and Hymen Goldman; two early presidents of the JCRC whose combined vision, energy and boldness contributed to the welfare of both the Washington community and the Jewish people. It is awarded to a person(s) of courage and conviction who has dedicated a lifetime of service to the Greater Washington community (and often beyond) and who has made a significant contribution to one or more of the goals of the Jewish Community Relations Council: social justice, inter-group understanding and the security and welfare of the Jewish people here and abroad.
1982: Governor Harry Hughes 1985: Joe Rauh, Jr. 1986: Rev. John Steinbruck 1987: Saul I. Stern 1988: Aaron Goldman 1990: Hyman Bookbinder 1993: Congressman Steny Hoyer 1994: Senator Barbara Mikulski 1995: Governor Parris Glendening 1996: Prince George's County Exec. Wayne Curry 1997: Congresswoman Constance Morella 1998: Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan 1999: Judge Peter B. Krauser 2000: Bernard S. White 2001: Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend 2002: Senator George Allen |
2005: A Tribute to S. Robert and Joy W. Cohen 2008: David Butler and Andy Stern 2009: Governor Martin O'Malley 2010: Senator Ben Cardin 2011: Denis Berman and the Kramer Family 2012: Leslie and Sam Kaplan 2013: Carol and Gary Berman 2014: Paul Berger 2015: Ronald Glancz 2016: Michael Flyer 2017: Stuart Lessans 2018: Johanna Chanin and Randy Levitt 2019: Erwin Groner 2020: Liza Levy 2021: Helene and Richard Goldstein 2022: Mimi Brodsky Kress and Michael Kress 2023: Jen and Dan Mendelson 2024: Phil Margolius |
The Community Leadership Award is provided to an individual(s) that has demonstrated exemplary leadership in the Jewish community (and often beyond) and in areas of JCRC concern: Government Relations, Israel Advocacy, Social Justice and/or Inter-Group Relations. This award was renamed as the Sara and Samuel Lessans Community Leadership Award in 2020.
2006: Robert M. Johnson 2007: Stuart Kurlander and Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt 2008: Dr. Shulamith Reich Elster 2009: Jocelyn & Danny Krifcher 2010: Toni and Ron Paul 2011: Esther Newman 2012: Alan Kronstadt 2013: Cindy and Rick Zitelman 2014: Yvonne Schlafstein Distenfeld and Jeffrey Distenfeld 2015: Bobbi and Larry Shulman |
2016: Susan Turnbull 2017: Sheldon Grosberg 2018: Harvey Reiter 2019: Wendi and Daniel Abramowitz 2020: Susan and Brad Stillman 2021: Stacey and David Topol 2022: Shelly and Jeff Kupfer 2023: Janis and Phil Schiff 2024: Erika Dickstein and Todd Rosenberg |
Some years, the JCRC has also conferred a Distinguished Service Award for a very worthy and special member(s) of the community who has provided superb leadership and unparalleled service in the Jewish community.
2006: Joan and Don Sacarob 2007: Cookie Hymer Blitz and Nelson Blitz 2012: Vivian Bass 2013: Judy Gross for Alan Gross 2014: William Daroff 2015: Rabbi Jack Luxemburg 2016: Warren Slavin 2017: Rabbi William Rudolph |
2018: Meredith Polsky 2019: Tal and Steve Widdes 2020: Chris McCannell 2021: Rabbi Amy Schwartzman 2022: Al Munzer and Joel Wind 2023: Ellen and Dan Blalock 2024: Jane and Scott Brown |