JVN Volunteers' Hall of Fame 2023

The JVN Volunteers’ Hall of Fame, immortalises the achievements of the JVN Celebration of Volunteering Awards Winners. As well as showcasing their accomplishments, the JVN Hall of Fame volunteers’ stories serve as an inspiration to others in generations to come to engage in impactful volunteering and make a difference.. It also reinforces the immense value that our community places upon its volunteers. Winners of the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year, Outstanding Volunteer Team of the Year and Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Volunteering awards get inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The winners below won their Outstanding Awards at the JVN Celebration of Volunteering Event 2022 and were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the JVN Celebration of Volunteering Awards 2022 that were held on Sunday January 15 2023. Previous winners are listed at the bottom of this page.

Latest Hall of Fame Members:

​Kef Kids
Outstanding Volunteer of the Year 2022: Dr David Spitzer

Dr David Spitzer has been volunteering for KEF KIDS since August 2016 as a GP at their residential schemes for children with disabilities as well as supporting KEF throughout the year as a key member of the senior team as a medical advisor, in a voluntary capacity. Since August 2016, Dr Spitzer has been dedicating time out of his busy work schedule and taking leave to volunteer at the residential schemes during both the Winter and Summer holidays and residential weekends throughout the year. 

​Jewish Care
Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award 2022: Rita Newmark z"l

Rita was one of Jewish Care's longest serving volunteers and delivered meals for 50 years since 1973.  Rita was part of a small group of women who ensured the food was cooked, administered and delivered in Stepney for the older, vulnerable members of the Jewish community in the East End, cooking food from Rita’s home and delivering soup and hot meals to people at home. This service continued to grow and became known as 'Meals on Wheels'. Rita sadly passed away in June 2023.

​Royal Free Charity

Outstanding Volunteer Team of the Year Award 2022: Digital Volunteers

This team of volunteers began volunteering during the first lockdown to reach patients who were not showing up to their appointments and assist in reducing digital inequalities in a certain patient population. The volunteers have dedicated significant hours of their time to teach patients how to attend their appointments remotely by using the 'Attend Anywhere' NHS platform. These volunteers have called up to 120-140 patients a week between them for over 2 years. They have answered queries and help direct patients to their appointments correctly saving thousands of hours of NHS staff time and NHS money. The programme was initially a pilot but then continued due to it's success and commitment of this group of volunteers

Maccabi GB

Outstanding Young Adult Volunteer Year Award 2022: Ben Brownson

Ben has been volunteering with Maccabi GB for 13 years. He started volunteering whilst he was a participant on the “Leadership by Streetwise” programme, where, as a part of his qualification he became involved within his local community in Manchester and at Manchester Maccabi.In the last 3 years, Ben set up the Jewish Golf Initiative, a project which emphasises inclusivity in sport, connecting with Jews around the world, and collaboration. This project has successfully brought Jews together to share their passion for the sport. This not only brings Jews from Maccabi GB together but encourages an international unity amongst Jews. Ben is also a figurehead for Maccabi GB in the north of England, he has managed to bridge the gap between communities and has worked hard to aid northern athletes in Maccabi GB programmes, 

Celebration of Volunteering Awards 2021

​UJIA
Outstanding Volunteer of the Year 2021: Ruth Green 

Ruth has served UJIA with the highest distinction as a Trustee. Ruth puts enormous amounts of time, as well as seemingly-limitless energy, into UJIA. Ruth’s formal role has been as Trustee for the UK Programme but she has been so much more than that – a constant source of advice, pushing us to innovate, supporting our professional staff, going way “above and beyond” to make time for whatever challenges we have faced

​Jewish Women's Aid 
Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award winner 2021: Elaine Grazin

Elaine Grazin was one of the founder members of Jewish Women’s Aid in Leeds in the 1980s, and has been a committed volunteer since then, supporting the Helpline, as well as raising awareness and holding roles as a trustee, sub-committee member, advisor and Honorary Vice President of Jewish Women’s Aid. Over the years, she has spoken about JWA at communal events including Limmud, at synagogues, panel events and at Women’s Aid national conference.

​United Synagogue 
Outstanding Team of the Year 2021: United Synagogue Chevra Kadisha

Chevra Kadisha, which literally means holy or sacred society, is a group of people that carry out the most holy work by preparing a deceased person for burial. This is seen as one of the most important Mizvot (good deeds) as the deceased person cannot thank you nor can they repay you for the help you gave. 2020 was one of our busiest years. All the volunteers receive training. They come to the cemetery as a team of four, either during the day or at night, dependent on requirements. We never know from each day when these volunteers will be called.

​Bushey Synagogue 
Innovation in Volunteering During Covid 2021: Bushey Covid Coordinators

Bushey United Synagogue asked people to step forward as volunteers to assist members requesting help with shopping, picking up prescriptions etc. They had responses from over 60 people who were all set up on an ‘Errands Request’ WhatsApp group to help members with their needs.

​Jewish Blind & Disabled
Innovation in Volunteering During Covid 2021: Virtual connecting during the pandemic

Within a few weeks of the first lockdown, thanks to the power of social media and word of mouth, JBD had recruited over 60 new volunteers, people of all ages, to befriend and support their tenants who were scared of the Covid 19 pandemic. A huge number of these volunteers 10, months later have continued to make calls and run Zoom activities supporting their tenants throughout the pandemic.

​JLGB
Innovation in Volunteering During Covid 2021: JLGB Virtual

Virtual was their response to ensuring that children and young people can continue to have fun, learn new skills, make a difference and complete their volunteering awards during lockdown. Teenagers hosting the shows, interviewing influential leaders and celebrities and making the show run behind the scenes. They also often challenge their viewers to take part in acts of kindness such as upcycling plastics, learning sign language and first aid, doing good deeds for others such as create art, cook meals, share their favourite books and songs etc.

​Kef Kids
Innovation in Volunteering During Covid 2021: Remote Respite and Support Services

The KEF Centre’s doors may have been physically closed due to COVID-19 but the organisation continued to provide vital support and specialist services remotely. Some of the key remote innovative services done by volunteers included creating and delivering support packages, Zoom group sessions and celebrating milestones.

Previous Hall of Fame Members:

Ruth Barnett, Rivka Bick, Samantha Brunner, Jonathan Clingman, Eliezer Gilbert, Marsha Gladstone, Harry Heber, Chaya Hoff, Alan Lazarus, Lilian Levy, Stella Lucas MBE, Joseph Malinsky, Hannah Manson, Marilyn Podro, Dimitri Raziev, Leora Robinson, Sarah Rose, Noah Rubin, Helen Sarkany, Adam Shelley, The JWA Helpline Team and Robin Woolf.