Howard Jacobson has been helping people in the Jewish community since he was a child; his parents were role models for this giving behavior and it stuck with him.
“I always wanted to reach out and help other people — it came naturally,” said Jacobson, the former president of both the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and the Jewish Community Center. “My family always felt they had a tradition of giving back to the community.”
Now, a husband, father and grandfather, Jacobson is being honored for his many years of unselfish service as the recipient of the Earl Tranin Distinguished Leader Award, an honor bestowed by the Jewish Federation.
“I am very humbled and honored,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson will receive the award during the Jewish Federation’s 79th Annual Meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5. The meeting, including a Vaad-supervised dessert reception, will be held in the Multi-activity Room (near the theatre entrance) of the Jewish Community Campus. The community is invited to attend the meeting, which is free.
Jacobson is the first person in five years to win the Earl Tranin award — which is only given out when someone has demonstrated exemplary leadership in the Jewish community. With years of dedicated work and leadership in the Jewish community on his resume, Jacobson has served in numerous capacities as a volunteer for just about every Jewish organization in Kansas City, as well as a wide variety of other civic and non-profit organizations in Kansas City. Among his many projects and activities within the Jewish community, Jacobson has served as an officer of the Jewish Community Foundation and Kehilath Israel Synagogue. He established what is now called the Learning for Life Daniel L. Brenner Young Leadership Intern Program, through CAJE/Jewish Federation. Now in its twelfth year, the internship program places — and pays for — college-age students to work in Jewish communal institutions over the summer.
Outside of the Jewish community, Jacobson’s involvement as a board member has included such organizations as Starlight Theatre, the Kansas City Friends of the Zoo, the Arts Council of Greater Kansas City and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Jacobson has some advice for the young people he’s met through the internship program and beyond.
“I tell them to get active because it’s going to make you feel better,” he said. “I’ve always felt that the people who give of their time get as much or more out of it than the people they are helping.”
At the meeting, a number of additional awards will be presented:
Jeremy Applebaum, the Dan Fingersh Young Leadership Award
Edna Meltzer and Aaron Nielsenshultz, Jewish Educators of the Year
Congregation Beth Torah’s Music Program, and Jewish Vocational Services/Jewish Family Services for Jewish Employment Services, Community Programs of the Year
Although the meeting is free, reservations are required. Reservations may be made online, by Aug. 31, at www.jewishkc.org.