The first-ever Dorot Legacy Reception brought “generations” together and celebrated community leadership, filling the room with the energy of connection, learning, and giving. Hosted last month by the Jewish Federation of Ottawa and the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation, the evening honoured decades of philanthropy while inspiring new leadership across Jewish Ottawa.

Dorot, which means generations in Hebrew, highlighted the growing strength of Ottawa’s Jewish community through programs like J-Fellows, a premier leadership program, and Capital J, a young adult donor society. Thanks to this initiative, more young adults than ever are actively shaping the future of Jewish Ottawa.

One of the highlights of the event was awarding the inaugural Meyasedet HaDorot (Generational Founder) award. Given to people who have made some of the most impactful contributions to the community, this award is designed to say “thank you” for years of dedication, support, and guidance.

This year’s recipient was none other than Sara Vered.

“Sara’s impact can be felt in nearly every corner of our community — from Jewish education and the arts to culture and interfaith dialogue,” said Gary Viner during the event. “Her passion has helped build programs, inspire learning, and empower generations.”

Along with her husband Ze’ev, she founded the Vered Israel Cultural and Educational Program at the Soloway JCC, as well as the Vered Jewish Canadian Studies Program at the University of Ottawa.

“There have been many Israeli ambassadors to Canada over the decades,” said Evelyn Greenberg in a tribute video that played at the event, “but Sara and Ze’ev have been the best.”

As a builder of legacy and an inspiration for generations to come, Vered receiving the first Meyasedet HaDorot award sets a high bar. 

As Vered accepted her award, she spoke of the importance of building legacies, and how the evening made her reflect upon her own. She also spoke to the importance of am Yisrael, the people of Israel, supporting one another for years to come.

As the evening transitioned from honouring the older generation to showcasing the emerging generation, participants from J-Fellows, a premier leadership program for young professionals in Jewish Ottawa, presented their projects.

The three groups, introduced by J-Fellows alumni Michelle Jenicek Zilbergerts and Thierry Lafontaine Chicha, presented their ideas followed by a question-and-answer period. Attendees then voted on which idea to fund.

The groups were Open Arms Shabbat, an initiative to connect people to have Shabbat dinners together, NEXT: Jewish Youth Leadership, which seeks to empower and engage young leaders, and Project JOIN (Jewish Ottawa Introduction for Newcomers), a project about centralizing resources to help new Jewish residents get connected.

It was NEXT: Jewish Youth Leadership that was the winning group. Through the combined efforts of Aaron Clarke, Joel Scully, and Hannah Silver, NEXT hopes to collaborate with other Jewish organizations in the community to equip the emerging generation with the tools they need to thrive.

"What I’m most proud of is seeing the different generations celebrating one another,” said Federation and Foundation Director of Development Michael Reznick, who organized and spearheaded the event. “There was such genuine connection in the room — you could feel it. And the J-Fellows teams were outstanding; they presented their ideas with so much creativity and heart. Watching our guests smile, engage, and leave feeling inspired — that’s what this event is all about." 

The evening clearly shows that the future of Jewish Ottawa is bright. With many young leaders and donors now participating actively in Jewish life in the city, there is a deep interest in investing time and resources into the next generation. 

View gallery of photos from the event here