Greg Sher Award honours young leaders

CSG Victoria has presented its fourth annual Greg Sher Memorial Award to 34 Year 5 and Year 11 students who demonstrate leadership through action.

The award honours the memory of Private Greg Sher who was killed serving with the 1st Commando Regiment in Afghanistan in 2009.

The awards ceremony on Wednesday, November 12, recognised students from across Melbourne’s Jewish schools and public schools for their empathy, community spirit and commitment to making a difference.

Guest speaker Rabbi Dov Gutnick, East Melbourne Synagogue Rabbi and Army Jewish Chaplain, revealed he joined the Defence Force as a chaplain directly as a result of Private Sher’s passing.

“When he passed away, there was a lot more awareness of the Jewish contribution in defence,” Rabbi Gutnick said.

“Defence investigated with the Rabbinical Council at the time about getting a Jewish chaplain, and I was the one, because my father had served, and because my grandfather had served.”

Rabbi Gutnick shared a moving story from January when he encountered Private Sher’s commando friends gathered at his grave at Lyndhurst cemetery for the 16th anniversary of his death.

One former colleague who runs a military supplies shop produced 1000 camouflage-pattern army yarmulkes free of charge in Private Sher’s honour, with labels reading “Greg’s Bush hat” sewn inside.

Rabbi Gutnick noted that previously he had too many heads and not enough yarmulkes, but he now has “too many yarmulkes and not enough heads” to wear them.

“Even though it’s been 16 years since Greg’s passing, the fact that he had such a good camaraderie with the people he served with, and he was such a mensch, means his impact on the community is still rippling onwards,” Rabbi Gutnick told the gathering.

CSG Victoria CEO Justin Kagan said the award was more than recognition.

“It’s a tribute to courage, commitment, and community. Greg’s legacy reminds us that service and sacrifice are the foundation of security and resilience,” Kagan said.

“The Greg Sher Memorial Award celebrates the courage and kindness that Greg showed every day. It reminds our young people—whether in primary or high school—that leadership starts with caring for others and standing up for what’s right.”