Awards & Recipients
CJHS recognizes members of the Society and the community for their outstanding contributions to our mission of collecting, preserving, and educating about the history of the central Ohio Jewish community. Awards are presented at the CJHS Annual Awards event.
The Leon Schottenstein memorial Award
The Leon Schottenstein Memorial Award is our oldest award and was established by Leon’s wife Jean and their children in his memory in 1994. Leon Schottenstein (1917-1971) was the oldest son of Ephraim and Anna Schottenstein. He spent much of his early years working in the family store with his brothers Alvin, Saul, and Jerome. The business grew and developed into Schottenstein Stores. The Leon Schottenstein Memorial Award has been given out since 1994 to honor individuals who have generously contributed their time and effort to the preservation and sharing of Jewish History.
Past winners of this award are listed here.
The Harold and Regene Schottenstein Volunteer of the Year Award
The Harold and Regene Schottenstein Volunteer of the Year Award was established by the family of Harold Schottenstein in his memory. Harold Schottenstein was a founding member of CJHS and was active in numerous community activities. The Harold and Regene Schottenstein Volunteer of the Year Award is given annually in recognition of a CJHS volunteer who has given many hours of his or her time during the past year or over a period of years. To learn more about Harold Schottenstein click here.
Past winners of this award are listed here.
The Ben Balshone Oral History Award
The Ben Balshone Oral History Award was created by Ben’s family to honor the memory and also the work of Ben Balshone. Ben, an owner of several pharmacies, was a lover of history. His interest in history, people and the Jewish way of life lead him to interview Jewish community members and record their valuable stories for future generations. His work inspired the creation of the CJHS Oral History program and a collection of oral histories that currently numbers more than 350. Each year since 2000, the Ben Balshone Oral History Award has been given to an individual who has given significant time and effort to increase and improve the CJHS oral history collection.
Past winners of this award are listed here.
The Ben Mandelkorn Outstanding Achievement Award
The Ben Mandelkorn Outstanding Achievement Award was established by Ben’s wife Rose Mandelkorn, Judy and Bud Levin, and Robert Mandelkorn to honor his memory. Ben Mandelkorn was an outstanding achiever himself. He came to Columbus after World War II, and for many years he was the visionary of Jewish Community Development and the driving force of community giving. Ben’s great vision also included the establishment of the Columbus Jewish Historical Society. The Ben Mandelkorn Outstanding Achievement Award has been given annually since 2000 to honor a person who has demonstrated concern for the Jewish community and who has dedicated considerable time and energy to make our community a better place in which to live and raise a family. It is awarded to an individual who has been especially concerned with and supportive of the Columbus Jewish Historical Society and its vision and mission. Also, the recipient will be someone who understands the importance of connecting the past, present, and the future. To learn more about Ben Mandelkorn, click here.
Past winners of this award are listed here.
The Organization of the Year
The Organization of the Year is given in special recognition of organizations or businesses that have worked closely with CJHS in furthering our mission. This award is not given regularly.
Past winners of this award are listed here.
The Presidential Award of Merit
The Presidential Award of Merit is an honor given when an individual goes to extraordinary lengths to develop a program that preserves, protects, and promotes the history of the community. This award is not given regularly.
Past winners of this award are listed here.