Joseph Ottenstein Award
In 1959 the Board of Directors of the Jewish Social Service Agency approved the recommendation of a Committee established by the Honorable David L. Bazelon, then president, that the many great community services of Joseph Ottenstein, who had been president of JSSA in 1951, be recognized by the creation of an award bearing his name. The selection is based on outstanding community leadership in the field of “Social Service – Human Service,” a slogan that Mr. Ottenstein coined.
The award is a sculpture commissioned by JSSA from Stephen Cohen, an artist close to Jewish issues. The first recipient was Richard K. Lyon who had been a Board member and who was then active on a broad front of civic matters, both Jewish and non-sectarian. The following are the Ottenstein Award honorees for the last 51 years:
Joseph Ottenstein Award Honorees
1960 Richard K. Lyon*
1961 Bernard I. Nordlinger*
1962 Miriam K. Bazelon Knox
1963 Charles E. Smith*
1964 Dr. Seymour Alpert*
1965 Vivian Rabineau*
1966 Norman Bernstein
1967 Harry M. Linowes
1968 The Hon. John W. Hechinger*
1969 Bernard S. White*
1970 Robert H. Smith*
1971 Richard England
1972 Herschel W. Blumberg
1973 Donald E. Wolpe
1974 Jac J. Lehrman*
1975 The Hon. David L. Bazelon*
1976 The Hon. Sheldon S. Cohen
1977 Joel Breslau
1978 Julius Sankin*
1979 Saul I. Stern*
1980 Leon and Rosalie Gerber*
1981 Aaron Goldman*
1982 Jerome J. Dick*
1983 Jack Kay
1984 Maurice R. Dunie
1985 Charlotte F. Lehrman*
1986 Phyllis and Philip Margolius
1987 Paul S. Berger
1988 Joy and S. Robert Cohen
1989 Ryna Cohen and Melvin Cohen*
1990 Arlene and Robert Kogod
1991 The Hon. Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn
1992 Abe Pollin*
1993 Martin Kamerow
1994 Seymour S. Abensohn
1995 Geraldine Pollinger and Howard Polinger*
1996 Estelle Gelman*
1997 Brenda and Sanford Guritzky, Barbara and Allan Hurwitz
1998 Irene and Edward Kaplan
1999 Lois H. England
2000 Sondra and Howard Bender
2001 Deena and Jerry Kaplan
2002 Vivian Pollock
2003 Michael C. Gelman
2004 Harold Evans
2005 Stuart and Fran Eizenstat
2006 Unawarded
2007 Martha and Stuart Bindeman
2008 Marcia E. Weinberg
2009 Allen G. Siegel,* posthumously
2010 Joan de Pontet
2011 Barry Forman
2012 David Bruce Smith
* of blessed memory
Jac J. Lehrman-George M. Pikser Award
Executive Director George Pikser celebrated 25 years at the helm of JSSA in 1973 and at a testimonial dinner in his honor, the George M. Pikser Award was created to honor a deserving social service or volunteer worker. Five years later, Charlotte Lehrman endowed the award in her husband's memory, and it was renamed the Jac J. Lehrman-George M. Pikser Award.
Jac J. Lehrman-George M. Pikser Award Honorees
1974 Saul I. Bendit and John Theban
1975 Erika Engelmann
1976 Mr. and Mrs. Louis Perlman
1977 Mr. and Mrs. Martin Strauss and Enid Coombs
1978 Dr. Milton Goldman and Mrs. Ezekiel Stoddard
1979 Dr. David Korn and Stacey Brooks
1980 Irvin and Frances Footer and Dr. David L. Weinstein
1981 Reverend John Steinbruck and Thelma Shellenberg
1982 Theodore Rosenberg
1983 Fannye Berman and Lorraine Dreyfuss
1984 Bernice Elwyn
1985 Dr. Morris Cohen and Robert St. John
1986 Hannah I. Schweizer
1987 Delano E. Lewis
1988 Rabbi Matthew Simon
1989 Suzanne and Solomon Levy
1990 Elaine Snider
1991 Margaret Rafner
1992 Charles Short and Ilene Leventhal
1993 Shari Gelman
1994 Dr. Richard Hollander
1995 Owen Ritter
1996 Allen G. Siegel
1997 Bobbie Gottschalk and Dr. Ben Williamowsky
1998 Reverend Lincoln "Lon" Dring
1999 Fred Taylor
2000 Norman Goldstein
2001 Shelley Kramm
2002 Rabbi Sidney Schwarz
2003 Susie Kay
2004 Reverend Gordon Cosby
2005 Eric Adler and Rajiv Vinnakota
2006 No Recipient
2007 No Recipient
2008 Cantor Michael Shochet
2009 Rebecca Wagner
2010 Fred Buch
2011 Agnes Leshner
JSSA Award Honorees 
