Environmentalist receives International Women’s Day Award

A communal leader who has dedicated her career to raising awareness of the need to protect the planet has received a prestigious award for her endeavours.

Naomi Verber, executive director of environmental education charity EcoJudaism and the former head of environmental policy at the United Synagogue, received Barnet Council's International Women's Day 2025 Award for Environment and Sustainability.

The Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Tony Vourou, presented Naomi with her award at a ceremony at Hendon Town Hall.

The award recognised Naomi’s achievements in creating Dorot, an environmental programme launched by the Chief Rabbi and the United Synagogue in 2022.

Her work included a reforestation project where US members donated more than 1,500 trees, enabling more than 30 US communities to go plastic-free, and re-wilding 15 acres of unused cemetery land to support biodiversity and wildlife.

Naomi said afterwards: “I'm delighted and honoured to have won Barnet Council's International Women's Day award for Environment and Sustainability. It's fantastic that Jewish environmental action is leading the way in Barnet and is being recognised by the wider community. We're rapidly moving to a place where Jewish environmental responsibility is the celebrated norm.”

Jo Grose, chief executive of the United Synagogue, said: “We are thrilled that Naomi’s pioneering work for the United Synagogue has been recognised this way and wish her a huge mazal tov.

"The Dorot programme has inspired communities to take action, which both lessen the charity’s environmental footprint and lowers costs at synagogues.”

Grose said that the organisation was now looking at how solar panels on some of its buildings could both help the planet and save the charity critical funds.

Barnet Council’s video featuring Naomi’s work can be viewed here