Jack Terpins Receives Silver Salver from São Paulo City Council
Tribute proposed by Councilwoman Cris Monteiro recognized decades of dedication by Jack Terpins to the Jewish community, dialogue, and the development of new leadership.
On Wednesday evening (August 6), Jack Terpins was awarded the Silver Salver by the São Paulo City Council, in a ceremony initiated by Councilwoman Cris Monteiro. The event brought together community leaders, friends, and representatives of various institutions to celebrate a life marked by commitment to the collective good, the defense of dialogue, and the ability to unite people.
Visibly moved, Jack listened to tributes that highlighted not only his institutional work but, above all, his community spirit, his willingness to serve, and his skill in building bridges even in challenging circumstances. In his remarks, he expressed gratitude to Councilwoman Cris Monteiro and her chief of staff, Gerson Pires, also a candidate alongside her.
His daughter, Ticiana Terpins Strozenberg, recalled that she, her brothers Rodrigo and Michel, and their mother Denise—Jack’s lifelong partner—grew up in a household where family life naturally intertwined with community work. She emphasized that her father has always been a source of pride and inspiration for his children and ten grandchildren.
Cris Monteiro (Councilwoman) explained that the honor represents recognition of a life dedicated to service and relationship-building.
We are not simply presenting one of the most important honors of the São Paulo City Council, but celebrating a life devoted to serving, building bridges, and bringing people together, she said.
Addressing the current rise in antisemitism, she stressed Jack’s role in defending coexistence and respect among peoples. “His voice remains firm in defending these values and peaceful coexistence,” she added. For her, the true meaning of the tribute lies in the legacy he has built: “True leadership is not measured by the position we hold, but by the trust we earn, the respect we inspire, and the legacy we leave.”
Celia Parnes, president of the Jewish Federation of São Paulo (Fisesp), noted that Jack’s list of achievements is “as long as the City Council itself,” but what matters most cannot be captured in any résumé: his humanity.
On behalf of Fisesp, we know this Silver Salver is only a symbol of all that Jack represents. For all of us, he is and always will be irreplaceable.
Claudio Lottenberg, president of the Brazilian Jewish Confederation (Conib), remarked that Jack’s story is inseparable from that of the organized Jewish community in Brazil.
To speak of Jack Terpins is to speak of a trajectory that merges with the history of the Jewish community in Brazil, he said.
Lottenberg emphasized Jack’s lifelong commitment to strengthening institutions, fostering new leadership, bringing people together, and building consensus. The tribute, he added, honors a Brazilian who devoted much of his life to serving the collective, guided by respect, dialogue, and universal human values.
Avi Gelberg, director of the Latin American Jewish Congress, highlighted that Jack transformed leadership into a form of service.
Jack made leadership a commitment, service a mission, and community a lifelong cause, he stated.
He recalled that Jack’s public life began in sports at Hebraica São Paulo, later leading him to represent the Jewish community in meetings with major political and religious leaders worldwide. “Few community leaders can say they have crossed so many eras of interreligious and political diplomacy with such consistency and respect,” he observed.
Over the decades, Jack Terpins expanded his work beyond institutional boundaries. In Brazil, across Latin America, and in international forums, he participated in initiatives to strengthen the Jewish community, defend Israel, combat antisemitism, and promote dialogue across different sectors of society. His dedication also extended to education, sports, and the training of young leaders, helping prepare new generations committed to strengthening institutions.
More than the positions he has held, the ceremony underscored a defining trait of his journey: the ability to bring people together around common goals. Whether in institutional meetings, international missions, or decisive moments for the community, his work has been marked by firm principles, openness to dialogue, and good humor. The Silver Salver thus symbolizes recognition of a life devoted to service, community, and the building of a collective legacy. For those present, the tribute reaffirmed that true leadership lies in the ability to serve, to listen, and to open paths for future generations to continue this story.
Source: Silvia Perlov
