Earl Raab Award

Earl Raab, z”l, is one of the Jewish community’s most widely recognized and respected community leaders and intellectuals. He was a preeminent sociologist, civil rights activist, public intellectual and a leading voice for American Jewish advocacy. Mr. Raab was also a prolific commentator and author on American political culture and the Jewish experience in America. He directed the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) from 1951-1987 and, after retiring, served as the founding director of the Perlmutter Institute for Jewish Advocacy at Brandeis University.
While at the JCRC, he recognized the importance of having a strong, unified voice in Sacramento to better the lives of those in our community, and helped to found JPAC.
Earl Raab’s Writings
Read Rabbi Doug Kahn’s March 26, 2009 editorial about Earl Raab in The J. – The Jewish News of Northern California.
The Earl Raab Award is awarded annually to a community activist who best exemplifies Mr. Raab’s high standard of communal activism and advocacy for residents of our state.
Past Award Recipients
2023: Allison Gingold (video)
2022: Lynn Bunim (video)
2019: Cece Feiler
2018: Jerilyn Gelt
2017: Harvey Schloss
2016: Rabbi Doug Kahn
2015: Jon Levinson
2014: Floyd Glen-Lambert
2013: Michael Sweet
2012: Felice Zencius
2011: Michael Futterman
2010: David O. Levine
2009: Nancy Goldberg
2008: Stanley Kandel
2007: Norma Satten
2006: Jackie Berman/Susan Mogul
2005: No award given
2004: Barbara Yaroslavsky
2003: Carol Velarde
2002: David A. Lehrer
2001: Natalie Berg
2000: Howard Welinsky
1999: Earl Raab