Our Aussie of the Year hopefuls
TWO Jewish Australians are state finalists in the 2014 Australian of the Year Awards.
TWO Jewish Australians are state finalists in the 2014 Australian of the Year Awards.
Associate professor and educator Norman Eizenberg is a contender for Australian of the Year in Victoria, and financier and social entrepreneur Jeremy Balkin is a contender for Young Australian of the Year in NSW.
“It was a really nice surprise and took me completely out of the blue,” Eizenberg told The AJN this week.
The 63-year-old, who graduated from Mount Scopus College in Melbourne in 1966, has been one of the world’s most innovative and productive anatomists for more than 40 years.
He has coordinated anatomy teaching programs to medical students and surgical trainees for more than two decades at both the Melbourne and Monash Universities, and is an anatomy examiner for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.
He has also been active within the Jewish community. He played for the AJAX Football Club for 14 years and has been the club doctor for 31 years.
“I have been involved with Jewish sport through athletics, cricket, football and volleyball,” he said.
While Eizenberg can reflect on his long career, 30-year-old Balkin is still building his dream.
Balkin left his career in corporate finance to inspire wealthy Australians to embrace a life of giving. He founded his company, Karma Capital, a financial advisory firm which helps the super-wealthy to embrace philanthropy.
“It is about inspiring people and using the proceeds of wealth to do great things,” Balkin said.
“That could be through investments, non-profits or philanthropy.”
Earlier this year he was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and has given speeches about his vision at the United Nations, Harvard, Columbia and Yale Universities.
“I’m the type of person who is always looking ahead and I think my greatest achievement is still to come.
“This recognition is really an honour to my parents who made big sacrifices for us to live peacefully in Australia and always led by example.”
The Victorian winner will be announced tonight (Thursday) and the NSW winner on November 18.
The winners from each state will be a finalist in the national Australian of The Year Awards that will be announced on Australia Day next year.
JOSHUA LEVI
Jeremy Balkin is a contender for Young Australian of the Year in NSW.
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