UPJ Awards: Ner Tamid, Vatik and Ner Atid
2025 UPJ AWARD WINNERS
Ner Tamid Award 2025 Winners
1. Edward Baral (North Shore Temple Emanuel)
2. Rafael Lehrer (ACT Jewish Community)
3. Gillian Openstein (Temple Sinai, Wellington)
4. Samuel Segal (Temple Sinai, Wellington)
5. Andrew Steiner OAM (Beit Shalom, Adelaide)
Vatik Award 2025 Winners
1. Dr Robert Sward AM (Temple Beth Israel)
Ner Atid Award 2025 Winners
1. Louis Gillespie (Beit Shalom, Adelaide)
2. Maya Marek (Leo Baeck Centre for Progressive Judaism)
3. Natalie Mylonas (North Shore Temple Emanuel)
4. Sacha Sampson (Beth Shalom, Auckland)
The online nomination form is at the bottom of this page.
Nominations for Ner Atid Awards for 2026 are open. Deadline is August 26, 2026.
Since 1993, it has been the custom for the Union for Progressive Judaism to recognise the “Unsung Heroes” in our congregations and affiliated bodies with a Ner Tamid Award. The “Unsung Heroes” are defined as those members of congregations and affiliate organisations around the region who perform exceptional service for our congregations, for the community, both Progressive and Jewish, and within the wider community.
The award is open to everyone except Presidents or Past Presidents. If you have such a worthy candidate, please submit a nomination outlining the detailed reasons for giving such an award to a past president. Once completed, you can forward it to the UPJ office and where it will be assessed by the 2026 Awards Committee, which is comprised of three regional representatives selected by the President of the UPJ. All nominations are confidential, and submissions should not be discussed with the nominees.
The following criteria should be considered when selecting a person for nomination:
- The nominee has not held the position of President.
- The nominee has participated in congregational activities over many years
- The nominee has been the “backbone” of the Congregation/organisation and has not been formally recognised for his/her work “behind the scenes, and above and beyond the call of duty” or involvement.
- The nominee has provided assistance to Progressive Jewish Communities.
- The nominee has demonstrated outstanding communal involvement within the Jewish Community.
- The nominee has shown outstanding achievement in the sphere of social action. These activities need not be confined to the Jewish sphere.
The online nomination form is at the bottom of this page.
Nominations for Ner Atid Awards for 2026 are open. Deadline is August 26, 2026.
The Vatik Award was created at the Annual Conference of the Union for Progressive Judaism held in November 2002.
This award was created solely for past presidents of congregations, and affiliate organisations who have continued to give excellent service and make a valuable contribution to their community and the wider community. We want to recognise these worthy individuals through their continued commitment to the community and their furthering the Progressive Jewish ethos in our region.
If you have such a worthy candidate, please submit a nomination outlining the detailed reasons for giving such an award to a past president. Once completed, you can forward it to the UPJ office and where it will be assessed by the 2026 Awards Committee, which is comprised of three regional representatives selected by the President of the UPJ. All nominations are confidential, and submissions should not be discussed with the nominees.
The criteria are as follows:
- The nominee must have shown continued service to his/her community (or any other in the Union) for at least five years after standing down as president.
- They must not be a paid employee of that congregation / organisation.
- They are eligible after receiving a Ner Tamid award after fulfilling the other requirements.
- They must have shown outstanding commitment to Judaism outside of their own congregation/affiliate organisation.
The online nomination form is at the bottom of this page.
Nominations for Ner Atid Awards for 2026 are open. Deadline is August 26, 2026.
The UPJ would like to recognise worthy individuals in the next generation whose leadership ensures Progressive Jewish values continue into the future for our communities. The Ner Atid (Future Light) Leadership Award was created in 2026 to recognise leaders between the ages of 21 and 35, who are members of a Progressive Jewish community and have shown leadership and made a considerable impact for the Jewish Community, Australian Society, and/or Israel. They have the personal characteristics to continue to have an impact after receiving this award. The nominees may have previously held positions in Netzer and be currently involved with AUJS and/or Tamar, but this is not a requirement. The nominee can be serving the Jewish or wider community in other ways, such as in board positions, committees, teaching, mentoring others, project leadership, or in religious activities.
If you have such a worthy candidate, please submit a nomination outlining the detailed reasons for giving such an award. Once completed, you can forward it to the UPJ Executive Manager. It will be assessed by the 2025 Awards Committee, which is comprised of three regional representatives selected by the President of the UPJ. All nominations are confidential, and submissions should not be discussed with the nominees.
The criteria are as follows:
- The nominee must be between the ages of 21 and 35 when the nomination is submitted.
- The nominee must be a Progressive Jew
- They must have shown leadership in the community by serving as a project coordinator, teacher, religious leader, mentor, member of a recognised board of management or show leadership in another way.
- The nominee should have the characteristics to continue to serve in various capacities in the future.The nominee may be a paid employee of the nominating congregation / organisation, but their leadership must be in another capacity outside their paid employment.
THE NER TAMID AWARD FORM
THE VATIK AWARD FORM
THE NER ATID LEADERSHIP AWARD
