12/15/2020
Accepting Nominations: Charles Eisenman Award
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The Charles Eisenman Award is the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s highest civic honor, recognizing individuals or organizations for exceptional civic contributions.
Criteria:
The recipient can be a person or not-for-profit organization that demonstrates outstanding contributions to the community. The following factors may be considered:
- Impact on the quality of life for residents of Greater Cleveland
- Impact on the work of non-profit social service and educational organizations
- Effectiveness in creating coalitions and/or inspiring others to action
- Level of volunteer and/or philanthropic commitment
In its early years, the award was given “… annually to any Cleveland person or persons who, in the judgment of the award committee, shall have, during the previous year, projected or achieved some piece of work of significant value or merit to the city’s civic or philanthropic development; or shall present a noteworthy suggestion or plan of constructive value for the social or civic betterment of Cleveland.” More broadly, though, it has come to recognize an individual’s or group’s overall and ongoing impact and contributions, as opposed to a single contribution.
Generally only one individual or organization receives the award each year, but it can be awarded to couples (four times since 1923), families (twice) or multiple recipients (eight double-awards plus one triple-recipient year). To mark the Federation’s Centennial Anniversary, the 2003 award was given to the 17 founding or current beneficiary agencies of the Federation.
It has been awarded relatively equally to Jewish and general community recipients.
For a list of past recipients, click here.
Nominations:
To submit a nomination, please send in a letter of recommendation, describing why the nominee is deserving of this award. Details should include their impact on the quality of life of residents of Greater Cleveland, the impact on the work of non-profit, social service and educational organizations, the effectiveness in creating coalitions and/or inspiring others to action, and the level of volunteer and philanthropic commitment.
Submit a nomination letter one of the following ways:
- Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Jack Joseph, and Morton Mandel Building
Attn: Sharon Socher
25701 Science Park Drive
Cleveland, OH 44122 Email your nomination letter to Sharon Socher at ssocher@jcfcleve.org
- Submit your nomination online
All nominations should be submitted by Friday, January 22, 2021.
Prize:
The recipient is honored at an invitation-only dinner (for Federation officers and life trustees) preceding the Federation’s annual meeting. The award presented at the annual meeting includes a hand-calligraphied, framed plaque with the citation and a grant from the Federation to a charitable cause of the recipient’s choosing.
Background:
The Charles Eisenman Award, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s highest civic honor, was first awarded in 1924 by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland to recognize individuals or organizations for exceptional civic contributions. It was established in 1923 in memory of Charles Eisenman, the first president of the Federation. Mr. Eisenman served as president until his death in March 1923.
Charles Eisenman was born in 1865 in New York and moved to Cleveland as a young man, where he became a successful clothing manufacturer. A product of the Progressive Era, he brought to his business endeavors the belief in the oneness of business and social action, according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. He retired in 1906 to devote his energies to philanthropy. He was also an organizer and active member of the Cleveland Community Fund Council until his death.
