Barbara Yaroslavsky Award
Barbara Yaroslavsky, z”l, never stopped fighting for what she believed in. She was a model of what it meant to practice Jewish values in public life. She was an unwavering champion for children and families, leading the special projects group for the Zimmer Children’s Museum and serving as the president of the Los Angeles Commission on Communities and Family Services. Her civic leadership led Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to refer to her as a “founding mother of the city.” She regularly merged her civic activism with Jewish leadership, sitting on various Jewish community boards, including with the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and the Jewish Community Relations Council, and serving as a mentor to countless young people.
Ms. Yaroslavsky was immensely proud to serve as JPAC’s inaugural Board Chair from 2001-2002, and remained involved in JPAC for the remainder of her life as an advisor and mentor to many of JPAC’s Board members.
Read about Barbara Yaroslavsky’s legacy published in the Jewish Journal after her passing.
The Barbara Yaroslavsky Award will be awarded to a distinguished Jewish woman who embodies Barbara’s spirit of compassion and ability to translate her Jewish values into improving California communities through civic engagement and activism at both the State and local levels.
Past Award Recipients
2022: Nancy Kirshner-Rodriguez (video)
2019: Janice Kamenir-Reznik