Volunteer Awards honour community’s achievers

The 12th annual Caulfield Volunteer Awards have celebrated outstanding local volunteers, with a Hatzolah Melbourne founder and a Chabad Youth leader taking out the top honours.

Yumi Friedman received the Outstanding Achievement Award for her 50 years of dedicated volunteer work with Hatzolah Melbourne, while Brian Berger was named Outstanding Youth Award recipient for his volunteer work with Chabad Youth, including his leadership of the Young Jewish Professional Network.

Both major award winners receive $3000 for the community organisation of their choice.

Member for Caulfield David Southwick, who hosted the ceremony in partnership with Community Bank Caulfield Park, said the awards had become a cornerstone of local recognition.

“For twelve years, these awards have honoured the volunteers who make Caulfield the strong and caring community that it is. The recipients are quiet achievers and the people who step in when others need support,” he said.

“Every year, we discover even more inspiring local heroes. Caulfield is fortunate to have an extraordinary volunteer base and we will continue to celebrate their work.”

Nominees represented schools, synagogues, welfare organisations, cultural groups, emergency support services and neighbourhood associations from across the Jewish and broader Caulfield community.

The Community Award was jointly awarded to Jodi Webb, who has raised more than $20,000 supporting women with metastatic breast cancer, and Alex Kats, co-chair of the Council of Christians and Jews, where he has volunteered for eight years.

Joanne Loewy Irons received the Food Relief Award for her six years of service with Mazon Australia, which has grown to six street pantries under her leadership.

Other award recipients included Gary Lasky for Sport, recognising more than 20 years of volunteer work with Maccabi including nine years as president of Lawn Bowls; Marianne Peisl for Health and Welfare, for her pet therapy visits to Jubilee House residents; and Dr Harry Kamien for Spiritual Engagement, for eight years as a custodian speaker with Courage to Care, sharing his mother’s Holocaust story.