Rockville Resident to be Honored with International Women’s Empowerment Award
Jan Guttman is one of 12 awardees selected for social justice honor
ROCKVILLE — Rockville resident Jan Guttman will be honored with Women of Reform Judaism’s (WRJ), 2025 Women’s Empowerment Award.
WRJ, the feminist affiliate of the largest and most diverse Jewish denomination in North America, selected 12 individuals to be honored with this prestigious award that highlights those who embody social justice.
This award was established in 2019 to honor women, nonbinary, and genderfluid individuals who strengthen the voices of others, with a focus on empowering women and girls, and who promote progressive Jewish values.
“In line with Women of Reform Judaism’s legacy of strengthening the voices of women worldwide, the individuals selected for this prestigious honor work toward a more just, inclusive, and compassionate world in all that they do for their communities,” said WRJ President Karen Sim.
Guttman is a member of B’nai Shalom of Olney in Olney, MD. As a proud ally, her work advocating for LGBTQ+ youth includes having served on the Montgomery County Pride Center Board of Directors, where she served as a press representative regarding LGBTQ+ policies in public schools, helped revitalize the annual Pride Prom, and created ReGenerations, a multi-generational gathering spot for LGBTQ+ people. She has also raised over $50,000 of funds for the early detection, prevention, education, and treatment of breast cancer through her 18 years of walking the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer and the Brem Foundation events. She is a four-year breast cancer “previvor.”
WRJ will acknowledge and celebrate Guttman and her fellow awardees Sunday, April 6, 2025, as part of WRJ’s Social Justice Conference (SJC). This four-day conference is designed to train attendees on the biggest social justice issues of our time. Attendance includes education from policy experts, advocacy training, access to the Women’s Empowerment Awards dinner, ending with a day of lobbying at the US Capitol.
Attendance options are available for all (age 18+) interested in advocacy through a Jewish feminist lens. Register today.