That sparked the creation of the Sara Vered Best Student Project Award. The award both celebrates outstanding student achievement and commemorates the late Sara Vered for her lasting contributions to education and cultural life in Ottawa.
A May 28 ceremony marked the award’s inauguration and first presentation.
Honouring excellence and legacy
The award also reflects the values that shaped Vered’s lifelong commitment to education, culture and community. Known for her intellectual curiosity and belief in lifelong learning, Vered strongly valued the role of knowledge across generations. As her son Gilad Vered says, she believed the past, present and future were deeply interconnected. This is reflected in this award, which recognizes students whose work contributes meaningfully today while helping shape the future.
Vered, who passed away this February at 96, supported numerous academic and artistic initiatives, including a major endowment that helped establish the Jewish Canadian Studies program at uOttawa.
“If I’m having an award to give to my best students, that award should be named after her,” Vesselova said. “Giving an award to an exceptional student and commemorating Sara Vered as a person is the right thing to do.”
Recognizing impact beyond the classroom
The award recognizes not only academic achievement, but also commitment to community engagement and positive impact, values Vered championed throughout her life.
That vision is reflected in her family’s wishes. As Gilad says, “She would hope the recipient of the award would continue to be a positive influence in her community.”
By bringing together commemoration, recognition and new initiatives, the award highlights both legacy and purpose.
A full celebration of Jewish heritage
The award ceremony also served as a platform for announcing the Canadian Jewish Women of Valour Annual Award and Lecture Series, inspired by the late Sara Vered and Gertruda Rosenberg – two distinguished members of the University of Ottawa community, and was accompanied by the Canadian Jewish Experience exhibit, a museum-grade display that celebrates and highlights Jewish contributions to Canada’s development.
Together, the ceremony’s awards and announcements reflected a broader effort to celebrate Jewish heritage and community leadership at the University of Ottawa.