Amy Braier, director of the London-based Pears Foundation, has been awarded the 2018 JJ Greenberg Memorial Award for extraordinary leadership in Jewish philanthropy.

Ms Braier received the award presented by the Jewish Funders Network in a ceremony on Thursday at the JFN international conference in Tel Aviv.

She is the first recipient based in the UK to win the award, which honours foundation professionals aged 40 and under.

She said: "I’m both thrilled and humbled to have been chosen to receive this award."

She said she had been inspired by working with Sir Trevor Pears, the foundation’s executive chair.  

"Sir Trevor’s vision for a confident, outward-looking Jewish community, defining itself rather than being defined by others, and making a positive contribution to the world has been my inspiration for more than a decade and from the moment I met him I knew I wanted to be a part of making it a reality.

"It has been a joy and privilege to help him and his brothers build Pears Foundation and both work with, and learn from, the best colleagues and grantees that the voluntary sector has to offer."

Sir Trevor praised Ms Braier's leadership skills and commitment to the charity.

He said: “When Amy Braier started at Pears Foundation over 10 years ago, we were still in the early years of developing a strategy and structure.

“Amy built the professional infrastructure and identified some of the key areas that we would ultimately pursue in terms of our grantmaking priorities.

“Her contribution is immeasurable. I am so glad it has been recognised in this way, as her quiet and humble manner means she rarely receives the accolades that she very much deserves.”

Ms Braier joined Pears Foundation in 2007 as its deputy director, and was promoted to director in 2012.

As well as overseeing the foundation’s grant-making and operations, she leads on its Holocaust education and higher education work.

Sally Berkovic, CEO of Rothschild Foundation Europe, said: “I have seen her challenge ‘accepted wisdoms’ and provoke discussion in a constructive way that demonstrates that Amy  is not subject to peer pressure.

“What I admire about Amy is her ability to do this in the most unassuming and modest way, which suggests a strong inner sense of self and a quiet confidence.”

The JJ Greenberg Memorial Award was created as a memorial for Jonathan Joseph Greenberg following his death in a traffic accident in 2002, when he was just 36.