The Jeffrey R. Solomon
Prize
The Award
Birthright Israel’s mission is to provide all Jewish young adults with opportunities for transformative and immersive shared experiences in Israel and a foundation for ongoing Jewish connection. The vision of the organization is to ensure a vibrant Jewish future by strengthening Jewish identity, Jewish communities, and creating lasting connections with Israel.
Each year, Birthright Israel will honor an exceptional Jewish professional with the Jeffrey R. Solomon Prize. Designed to recognize those who have made an outsized impact while serving in the role of madrich(a) on Classic 10-Day Birthright Israel trips, and whose professional work has similarly influenced the Jewish journeys of young adults, the award carries a prize of $5,000 for the recipient with an additional $1,800 available to support their pursuit of ongoing professional development opportunities.
Honoring Educational Excellence
We strongly believe that the most effective Jewish educators are those who can inspire others through their deeds and actions. It is these changemakers who we believe are worthy of our recognition and support. The Jeffrey R. Solomon Prize is an expression of our appreciation to those who continue to work towards strengthening Jewish continuity and perpetuating the idea of Jewish Peoplehood.
As we acknowledge their efforts, we also rededicate ourselves to instilling in our Birthright Israel educators that they are not simply tasked with being storytellers, but have the responsibility of inviting their learners to become captains of their own experiences by acting as story-bearers - placing themselves within the unfolding story of the Jewish people, embodying the lessons of that history and tradition, and understanding their own vital role in authoring the next chapter in our continuous and ever-evolving shared narrative.
Jeffrey R. Solomon
Rabbi Shimon is quoted to have said, “There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of the priesthood, and the crown of the king, but the crown of a good name exceeds them all.” (Pirkei Avot 4:13)
It is in this spirit that we pay tribute to Jeffrey R. Solomon who, in the truest sense of the word, is a mensch and has been a positive Jewish role model and force for good within the Jewish community over the course of his storied career and throughout his lifetime. As one of the earliest and most consistent champions in helping to make the dream of Birthright Israel a reality, we owe him a great debt of gratitude for his tireless efforts and sustained support of the organization during its first 25 years of operation. It is therefore our honor to inaugurate this award in his name recognizing his contributions to Jewish life, leadership, and Birthright Israel.
During his career as a Jewish professional, he has consistently sought roles and projects that have benefited the Jewish community both inside and outside of Israel. He has done this at different times and in various positions by providing steady leadership and guidance, mentoring employees, colleagues, and friends, and being counsel to those seeking the benefit of his wisdom and vast experience, while always acting in a fashion that modeled for others the right path forward. Throughout it all, he has embodied the spirit of the ancient Jewish ethos: “Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh”, translated as: “All of Israel and the Jewish people are responsible, one for the other.” (Shevuot 39a)
Dr. Jeffrey R. Solomon is Senior Advisor to Chasbro Investments, the family office of Charles Bronfman. He also sits on the Board of the Charles Bronfman Family Foundation. For two decades, he was the President of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, a group of foundations operating in Canada, Israel, and the United States. Amongst the foundations' innovative launches were Birthright Israel and Reboot, two initiatives aimed at connecting young, assimilated Jews to their tradition. He currently sits on the Boards of the KIND and Lubetzky Family Foundations in New York and serves as Co-Chair of the Peaceworks Foundation. Previously, he served as Vice Chair and Secretary at the Jim Joseph Foundation; was the Chair of Leading Edge, an organization aimed at talent acquisition and retention in the Jewish community; and was on the Executive Committee of the Council on Foundations where he chaired the Committee on Ethics and Practice. His books (co-authored with Charles Bronfman), The Art of Giving and The Art of Doing Good, have won awards and recognition throughout the philanthropic world. He is also the author of over 120 publications in professional journals and outlets such as The Financial Times and Wall Street Journal. Dr. Solomon was an adjunct associate professor in the master’s and doctorate programs of New York University's School of Social Work. Before that, he served the Jewish community as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UJA-Federation of New York. Other past positions include executive positions at Altro Health & Rehabilitation Services in New York, Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged, and Jewish Family and Children's Services in Miami, FL. He also served with City, State, and Federal Governments beginning his career as Special Assistant to the Commissioner of NYC's Department of Social Services, then acting as Confidential Consultant on welfare reform at the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in Washington, DC.