Councilmember Andrew Friedson to Receive Community Champion Award from Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
From the Office of Councilmember Andrew Friedson
Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson will be receiving The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington’s inaugural Community Champion Award at the organization’s annual meeting on Wednesday, May 21, at Temple Sinai in Washington, D.C. The Community Champion Award honors an individual or individuals who have demonstrated outstanding dedication, leadership, and/or advocacy in support of JCRC’s values and priorities that advances the wellbeing of the local Jewish community.
“Since the day he took office, Councilmember Friedson has been a stalwart supporter of the Jewish community — from delivering much-needed security funding for synagogues and other Jewish community institutions to standing up against antisemitism,” said Bob Budoff, president of the JCRC of Greater Washington Board of Directors. “The Community Champion Award reflects Councilmember Friedson’s commitment to Jewish children and families and making Montgomery County a better place for everybody. We look forward to partnering with him for years to come.”
“I’m deeply humbled and truly grateful for this recognition from an organization like the Jewish Community Relations Council, which is so deeply committed to not only supporting Jewish people, but in lifting up our entire community by advancing Jewish values,” Councilmember Friedson said. “In this challenging and defining moment for our County, country, and for the Jewish community, our collective work to combat hate, build bridges across faiths and cultures, and support our most vulnerable neighbors is more important than ever.”
Amid the rise of antisemitism and attacks against Jews and Jewish organizations, Councilmember Friedson worked with the JCRC of Greater Washington to establish and eventually shepherd nearly $5 million in funding through the Council to provide security grants for religious, cultural and ethnic institutions at risk of experiencing hate crimes so residents can freely and securely learn, live and worship.
Friedson also introduced and successfully passed a resolution to combat and address antisemitism in Montgomery County in 2022 and has continued to be an outspoken leader against anti-Jewish hate and a leading advocate uplifting the Jewish community.
Councilmember Friedson has been instrumental in securing County support and expanding partnerships for numerous Jewish social service organizations. Notably, he was the lead sponsor of a zoning text amendment allowing Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington to construct an industrial kosher kitchen within the Bernard Creeger Cholim House in Bethesda to provide healthy kosher meals for patients and their families.
On the Council, Councilmember Friedson’s focus has been on affordable housing, economic development, good government and fiscal oversight. He spearheaded a $100 million revolving Housing Production Fund and a $50 million Nonprofit (Housing) Preservation Fund, and has sponsored legislation to incentivize smart growth housing near transit and colocation of affordable housing on public land and at places of worship. He successfully introduced the largest individual economic development package in County history, the new Jobs, Opportunities, and Business Support (J.O.B.S.) Initiative, securing $20 million to attract new business investments, promote innovation, and support historically underserved communities and underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Councilmember Friedson also co-authored the County’s largest-ever climate investment with the Montgomery County Green Buildings Now Act and authored multiple measures to help grow the biohealth sector and streamline the County’s regulatory processes to spur innovation and investment. He has been a consistent advocate for transparency in County government and has led efforts to strengthen financial oversight capacity of the Office of the Inspector General and reform Montgomery County’s property tax system. Councilmember Friedson has been a leader for working families, sponsoring the Paid Parental Leave and Right to Nourish bills to make sure Montgomery County continues to attract and retain talent so we can best serve our residents.
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Prior to joining the Council, Friedson was active in a number of prominent Jewish organizations, serving as a national board member of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and on the Maryland Hillel Board. During his tenure at the Council, Friedson has been recognized by a variety of community organizations including the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce as Legislator of the Year, the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s Public Policy Leadership Award, the inaugural Fair Access Committee’s Champion of the Western County Award, the B-CC Rescue Squad’s Hiram Musgrove Memorial Award, the Glen Echo Park Advocacy Award, and as a Jewish Federation of Greater Washington 18 under 40 “Capital Chai” Honoree.
ABOUT JCRC:
The Jewish Community Relations Council serves as the chief public face and voice of the organized Jewish community in the greater Capital area, articulating collective policy priorities and values to government officials, coalition partners, and the media on behalf of over 100 constituent agencies, organizations and synagogues in Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland.
Learn more about Councilmember Friedson here .
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Release ID: 25-179
Media Contact: Cindy Gibson 240-620-8571
Categories: Andrew Friedson
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=47101