Searle awarded Julia Herzl Prize
The honour was in recognition of her decades of service to the Jewish community.
Former Zionist Federation of Australia CEO Ginette Searle was awarded the inaugural Julia Herzl Prize at Central Shule in Caulfield on Sunday evening.
The honour was in recognition of her decades of service to the Jewish community.
In her acceptance speech, Searle reflected on her lifelong commitment to Zionist activism, which began in her teenage years.
“I’ve been involved either as a volunteer or professional in the Jewish-Zionist community since I was 16,” she shared.
Searle noted the crucial role of women in Jewish leadership and said the ZFA has “a newly elected board which is both younger and more female than ever”.
Speaking about the challenges facing the community since October 7, Searle praised the community’s response.
“What we saw first, of course, was devastation and shock and anxiety, but very quickly, that was transformed to an incredible surge of activity and activism,” she told the audience.
Searle credits her success to strong family support, particularly from her husband John, whom she described as “my biggest fan, my most constructive critic, my sounding board and adviser”.
Throughout her career, Searle said she was guided by the principle: “It’s all about relationships, and nothing gets done without teamwork.”
She emphasised that the recognition belongs to her colleagues.
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