Pandemic award for NSW JBD vice-president
Richard Glass received an award for his outstanding service during COVID at a ceremony at NSW Parliament.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) vice-president Richard Glass received an award for his outstanding service to the community during COVID at a ceremony at NSW Parliament on Monday night.
Glass, who is also president of Wolper Jewish Hospital, served as medical subcommittee chair of the Jewish Emergency Management Plan (JEMP) after the pandemic began in 2020, ensuring the NSW Jewish community remained vigilant and protected from the virus.
The inaugural award was presented as part of the Parliamentary Special Religious Education (SRE) Celebration Event, which saw state MPs and faith leaders join together to recognise the important role faith education plays in NSW government schools.
For the first time it also acknowledged the role people of faith played beyond SRE in caring for their communities during the pandemic.
“It was a privilege to be a part of a broad-based team effort by our community leaders to keep the Jewish community both safe and supported during a period of such great uncertainty,” Glass told The AJN. “I accept this award on behalf of our community leaders and our community.
“I thank Multicultural NSW, in particular Natalie Ward, Mark Coure and CEO Joseph La Posta, along with Dr Jan Fizzell from NSW Health, for providing a forum in which all faith communities could come together as one in a spirit of cooperation, facing a common enemy, receiving information and exchanging ideas as to how to protect their communities.”
JBD president David Ossip said, “Richard played an integral role in one of the most unprecedented and challenging times our community has faced.
“Richard went above and beyond to ensure the community had all the resources required to respond during COVID, and our community is incredibly grateful for his dedication, expertise and advice.”
The event was emceed by JBD CEO Darren Bark and attended by Education Minister Sarah Mitchell, Shadow Education Minister and Deputy Opposition Leader Prue Car, Multicultural Minister Mark Coure and Shadow Multicultural Minister Steve Kamper.
Addressing the recent rise in antisemitic bullying across NSW schools, Mitchell and Car warned it will not be tolerated.
“NSW public schools will continue to maintain a strong stance against religious prejudice, vilification or bullying. It’s not acceptable and we will always work with our faith leaders to ensure that all students feel safe and supported in their faith practice within their school community,” Mitchell said.
Bark added, “Both MPs firmly and openly voiced their opposition to the recent incidents of faith-based bullying we have seen in our schools. They pledged to work with faith communities to combat this scourge and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies looks forward to our next meeting to address this problem.”
To watch the SRE celebration event
at Parliament House, visit
www.nswjbd.org/SREEvent.
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