Investec Jewish Achiever Awards Celebrate Diverse Group of Winners

The 2026 Investec Jewish Achiever Awards, held on November 1, honored a diverse group of winners at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa. The event, themed "Le Festival des Juifs – A Tapestry of Jewish Culture," featured musical performances, food from around the world, and a celebration of Jewish pride. With over 800 attendees, the awards evening was a spectacular event that showcased the multicultural heritage of Judaism. The Sandton Convention Centre ballroom was designed to provide an international sensory experience, welcoming guests with a food festival curated by Food By Flavours.

The event's food festival featured stations offering authentically delicious dishes from Eastern Europe, Spain, Ethiopia, China, and India. Plated "in-flight" dining included a Middle Eastern smorgasbord of breads and dips, a Moroccan main meal featuring lamb couscous, and a Western European dessert of Sachertorte, raspberry macaroons, and berries. The diverse culinary options reflected the evening's theme, providing a taste of the rich cultural heritage of the Jewish community. The event highlighted contributions from all facets of the South African Jewish community, with more female winners than ever and winners hailing from Cape Town, Joburg, and Durban.

The 2026 Investec Jewish Achiever Awards generated a total of 861 nominations, with five panels of esteemed judges interviewing 104 finalists. More than 11,000 people voted online for their favorites, ultimately selecting 10 worthy winners. The dynamic group of honourees included the Berman brothers, who have built a groundbreaking property development company, and Dawn Nathan-Jones, the first female winner of the Business Icon award. These inspirational stories embodied the power of a Jewish community rooted in self-belief, determination, and a genuine desire to give back to both the Jewish people and the country that raised them.

Howard Sackstein, chairperson of the Jewish Achiever Awards organising committee and of the SA Jewish Report, spoke of the origins of South Africa's Jewish community. Founded in 1841 in the shadows of Table Mountain, the community is part of the soul of this special country, he said. "Our fingerprints and our DNA are all over this land, in its soil, in its buildings, and most importantly, etched into its history," Sackstein said. This remarkable land that we call home has allowed us to flourish and contribute to building this nation, he added.

Marc Romberg, chief executive designate of Investec Wealth and Investments, the event's title sponsor, explained how the night's winners exuded Investec's core philosophy of being "out of the ordinary". "A community exists because people choose every day to walk through it and to show up for one another," Romberg said. "I often marvel at the success of our Jewish community in South Africa. Small in number, it makes an extraordinary contribution to the country that is far out of proportion to its size."

The event featured spectacular musical performances by Craig Urbani, currently starring in The Rocky Horror Picture Show in Johannesburg, and Moshe Lichtenstein, renowned frontman of The Chupa Band. Urbani, who also served as MC for the evening, praised the Jewish community's support of the arts. He and Lichtenstein performed a rousing rendition of Israeli second-place Eurovision entry Michelle. The young musicians from the Penny Whistle and String Quartet from the Morris Isaacson Centre for Music also performed, adding to the memorable evening.

The Investec Jewish Achiever Awards continue to recognize the achievements of the Jewish community in South Africa. The event's success is a testament to the community's contributions to the country. As the community continues to flourish and give back, events like the Investec Jewish Achiever Awards will remain an important celebration of their heritage and achievements.

Key points

• The 2026 Investec Jewish Achiever Awards honored a diverse group of winners, including the Berman brothers and Dawn Nathan-Jones.
• The event featured a food festival with dishes from around the world and musical performances by Craig Urbani and Moshe Lichtenstein.
• The awards evening generated a total of 861 nominations and selected 10 worthy winners from a pool of 104 finalists.