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Genesis Prize
The Genesis Prize (Hebrew: פרס בראשית) is a $1 million annual prize awarded to people who have achieved significant professional success, in recognition of their accomplishments, contributions to humanity, and commitment to Jewish values. Genesis Lifetime Achievement Awards have also been awarded.
The prize was founded in 2012 with a $100 million endowment from five Russian businessmen: Mikhail Fridman, Pyotr Aven, German Khan, Stan Polovets, and Alexander Knaster. The prize was established under the administration of the Genesis Prize Foundation, in partnership with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the Jewish Agency for Israel. It is commonly referred to as the "Jewish Nobel Prize".
In 2018, prize winner Natalie Portman declined to attend the prize ceremony because Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was set to give a speech at the ceremony. In 2019 Robert Kraft's award was also questioned because of his legal troubles.
In 2021, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks was awarded a posthumous Genesis Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to his widow by the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog.
As of November 2025[update], all laureates have opted to give the $1 million prize money to philanthropic causes of their choice.
Members of the committee that selects Genesis Prize laureates are chosen based on their leadership and support for Jewish causes. Current and former committee members include Elie Wiesel, Meir Shamgar, Lawrence Summers, Yuli Edelstein, Jonathan Sacks, Isaac Herzog, and Natan Sharansky.
In 2020, the Foundation opened the selection process to online voting and invited the public to nominate and vote for the 2021 Genesis Prize Laureate. Close to two hundred thousand Jews on six continents participated in the voting. The final selection of the Laureate remains with the two committees.
According to Haaretz, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was to be the only 2018 recipient. According to a committee source, actress Natalie Portman was added as a recipient after the Israeli Prime Minister's Office (PMO) learned that Netanyahu would have to publicly give the award to a critic of U.S. President Donald Trump. As consolation, Ginsburg was given a separate "Lifetime Achievement Award."
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Genesis Prize
The Genesis Prize (Hebrew: פרס בראשית) is a $1 million annual prize awarded to people who have achieved significant professional success, in recognition of their accomplishments, contributions to humanity, and commitment to Jewish values. Genesis Lifetime Achievement Awards have also been awarded.
The prize was founded in 2012 with a $100 million endowment from five Russian businessmen: Mikhail Fridman, Pyotr Aven, German Khan, Stan Polovets, and Alexander Knaster. The prize was established under the administration of the Genesis Prize Foundation, in partnership with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the Jewish Agency for Israel. It is commonly referred to as the "Jewish Nobel Prize".
In 2018, prize winner Natalie Portman declined to attend the prize ceremony because Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was set to give a speech at the ceremony. In 2019 Robert Kraft's award was also questioned because of his legal troubles.
In 2021, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks was awarded a posthumous Genesis Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to his widow by the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog.
As of November 2025[update], all laureates have opted to give the $1 million prize money to philanthropic causes of their choice.
Members of the committee that selects Genesis Prize laureates are chosen based on their leadership and support for Jewish causes. Current and former committee members include Elie Wiesel, Meir Shamgar, Lawrence Summers, Yuli Edelstein, Jonathan Sacks, Isaac Herzog, and Natan Sharansky.
In 2020, the Foundation opened the selection process to online voting and invited the public to nominate and vote for the 2021 Genesis Prize Laureate. Close to two hundred thousand Jews on six continents participated in the voting. The final selection of the Laureate remains with the two committees.
According to Haaretz, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was to be the only 2018 recipient. According to a committee source, actress Natalie Portman was added as a recipient after the Israeli Prime Minister's Office (PMO) learned that Netanyahu would have to publicly give the award to a critic of U.S. President Donald Trump. As consolation, Ginsburg was given a separate "Lifetime Achievement Award."