24
Apr 2017
Distinguished Service Award Given to Larry Moses
Pictured: Larry Moses, Senior Philanthropic Advisor and President Emeritus of The Wexner Foundation, was honored by the Jewish Communal Service Association at the Jewish Federations of North America’s 2013 General Assembly in Jerusalem.
Larry Moses was honored with the Mandelkorn Distinguished Service Award, which annually recognizes significant and sustained contributions by professional leaders in the Jewish Community to Jewish community organizational life. The award is named for Ben Mandelkorn, founding President and first Executive Director of the Association of Jewish Community Organization Personnel (AJCOP) and the first Executive Director of the Columbus Jewish Federation, which established this award to honor Mandelkorn’s more than 43 years of leadership and dedication.
In announcing the award, Brenda Gevertz, Executive Director of Jewish Communal Service Association of North America, said of the award and Mr. Moses:
The Mandelkorn Distinguished Service Award is the highest and most prestigious award in Jewish community service. It is bestowed by colleagues on a peer for his or her career of exemplary practice and leadership. JCSA is particularly pleased to recognize Larry Moses this year for his many contributions to our profession and the leadership he has provided through his articles, teaching, and direction. It is especially meaningful that Larry knew Ben Mandelkorn and has made his home in Columbus, a community to which Ben was so devoted. Our field is inspired by Larry and we are so very fortunate and proud of his accomplishments.
Larry has served The Wexner Foundation for 26 years, as Founding Director of its Graduate Fellowship Program and 13 years as President. Now the Foundation’s Senior Philanthropic Advisor, he guides the Wexner family’s philanthropy, sits on numerous international, national, and regional boards, and writes and speaks about the challenges of leadership in modern Jewish life.
* * * * * * *
Below are the introductory remarks given by Rabbi Elka Abrahamson:
This past Monday, about one hundred colleagues gathered at our annual
reception of professional leaders in the Columbus Jewish community for
the presentation of the second annual Larry S. Moses Young Professional
Award to a promising young Columbus leader. Less than a week later we
gather to honor him with the JCSA Mandelkorn Distinguished Service
Award, named for Ben Mandelkorn, of blessed memory, who was the
Executive Director of the Columbus Jewish Federation in 1987 when Larry
began his work at The Wexner Foundation. Ben mentored the talented and
promising young leader. The word “dor” (generation), can be traced back
to the Aramaic root “dahr”, which means “order” or “circle”, and in
presenting the Mandelkorn Distinguished Service Award to Larry Moses,
there is a measure of this award truly coming full circle. “L’dor vador”
– generations overlapping, influencing, and entrusting.
Larry
is a highly regarded professional in our field, as is today’s other
Mandelkorn Awardee, Barry Shrage, to whom we happily give a Wexner
shout-out. Dozens of you could stand here today and describe the time
you called upon Larry for guidance and wisdom, for his opinion and
insights, knowing his counsel would always be caring, deliberate, and
challenging. In the tradition of our finest instructors, Larry, though
an exceptional problem-solver, tends not to do the work for you, instead
guides you to find your own answers guided by his masterful
observations and questions. He has influenced thousands of emerging and
now maturing leaders; professionals and volunteers in North America, as
well as Israel’s public leaders, who look to him as mentor, as teacher,
as friend. He is distinguished among his colleagues, an impressive
cohort of senior professionals across the globe who regularly seek his
guidance, invite him to teach and speak, and pick his laser sharp mind.
I share a few words from Jacob Solomon, President and CEO of Greater Miami Jewish Federation:
“Larry
is – and has always been – a champion of our field, not just as an
exemplar of personal excellence, but as a thoughtful leader who has been
evangelical about raising up both the professional and the profession.
And he has done this for more than 40 years! Larry is a role model. In
his professional practice, his personal demeanor, and in all aspects of
his life, Larry matches deed with word, living a congruent, ethical
life in service to his organization, his community, his people, and the
world at large. Pirkei Avot records the words of Yehoshua ben Prachya,
who says: “Make for yourself a teacher and acquire for yourself a friend
. . .”
Like so many in this room and beyond, I have grown personally
and professionally from having Larry as a cherished teacher. And – with
deep appreciation for the blessing it represents – I feel privileged to
have him as my friend as well. Mazel tov, Larry, and may you go from
strength to strength!
And Les and Abigail Wexner write:
“While not
with you in person today, we are present in spirit and join in the
chorus of colleagues celebrating your many accomplishments over the
course of a stellar career. We consider ourselves most fortunate to be
among those who are guided and counseled by you…”
Upon leaving the
Columbus Federation, Ben stated, “I leave the community in as good, if
not better shape than I found it.” He was being modest. Ben, like you,
was a highly-regarded leader who has left a significant imprint upon
our community. On this day when you are recognized for your outstanding
leadership, we thank you, personally, for all you do to make the
Columbus community and the Jewish community, nationally and globally,
stronger.
You have surely earned this award and so much more,
Larry. Our community, broadly defined, is visibly stronger owing to
your leadership. Overlapping circles of friends, students, peers,
including your precious inner circle, Susan, Alana & Eddie, and
Danielle, express a heartfelt and joyful “todah rabbah.” Thank you.
