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Genesis Prize
Genesis Prize
Genesis Prize
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The Genesis Prize
Awarded forOutstanding professional achievement, contribution to humanity and commitment to Jewish values and/or the State of Israel
Rewards$1 million; directed to philanthropy
First award2014
Most recent recipientGal Gadot
Websitewww.genesisprize.org

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.

History

[edit]

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.[1][2] The prize was established under the administration of the Genesis Prize Foundation, in partnership with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office[3] and the Jewish Agency for Israel.[4] It is commonly referred to as the "Jewish Nobel Prize".[5]

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.[6] In 2019 Robert Kraft's award was also questioned because of his legal troubles.[7]

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.[8]

As of November 2025, all laureates have opted to give the $1 million prize money to philanthropic causes of their choice.[9]

Laureate selection

[edit]

Members of the committee that selects Genesis Prize laureates are chosen based on their leadership and support for Jewish causes.[10][11][12] Current and former committee members include Elie Wiesel, Meir Shamgar, Lawrence Summers, Yuli Edelstein, Jonathan Sacks, Isaac Herzog, and Natan Sharansky.[12]

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.[13] Close to two hundred thousand Jews on six continents participated in the voting.[14] The final selection of the Laureate remains with the two committees.[15]

Laureates

[edit]

Genesis Prize laureates

[edit]
Year Laureate Main occupations Country Rationale Philanthropic theme
2014 Michael R. Bloomberg mayor of New York City, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. United States For his "track record of outstanding public service and his role as one of the world's greatest philanthropists".[1][16]
Bloomberg donated his award to a subsequent competition, the Genesis Generation Challenge, to fund young adults' ideas to solve major problems.[17] Nine projects were selected from submissions: Building Up, eNable 3D Printed Prosthetics, Friends of the Arava Institute, LAVAN, Prize4Life, Sanergy, Sesame, Spark, and the Vera Fellowship Program.[18]
 Social entrepreneurship based on Jewish values[19]
2015 Michael Douglas actor, film producer United States For "his body of work as an actor and producer; his passionate advocacy as a UN Messenger of Peace, focusing on human rights, gun violence prevention, and nuclear anti-proliferation work; and for his passion for his Jewish heritage".[20][21][22]
Douglas' award led to a program called "Avenues to Jewish Engagement for Intermarried Couples and their families," which dispersed $3.3 million in grants to organizations promoting the engagement of intermarried families in Jewish life.[20] A second set of grants was disbursed in 2016.[23]
 Welcoming intermarried families in Jewish life[24]
2016 Itzhak Perlman violinist Israel /
United States 		For his "story of overcoming extraordinary personal challenges to excel as one of the world's great musicians and humanitarians".
The prize was doubled by a donation from Roman Abramovich to $2 million.[25][26] Perlman re-gifted the funds to fund grant programs to support initiatives for people with disabilities in North America and in Israel, and for arts and culture.[26]
Improving the lives of individuals with special needs[27]
2017 Anish Kapoor sculptor specializing in installation art and conceptual art United Kingdom / India As "one of the most influential and innovative artists of his generation".[28]
Kapoor said he would direct his $1 million award to helping alleviate the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis and focus on expanding the Jewish community's engagement in a global effort to support refugees.[28][29]
 Helping to alleviate the global refugee crisis[30]
2018 Natalie Portman actress Israel /
United States 		"In recognition of her commitment to social causes and deep connection to her Jewish and Israeli roots."[31]
The prize was doubled by a donation from Morris Kahn to $2 million.[32] Portman said she would donate her award funds to philanthropic programs focused on women's equality, education, economic advancement, health, and political participation.[31][33]
 Advancing women's equality[34]
2018[fn 1] Ruth Bader Ginsburg associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States United States For her "contribution to the development of a fair and just society that provides equal opportunity for all."
The Genesis Prize Foundation announced that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Genesis Lifetime Achievement Award. The Award coincides with the fifth anniversary of the Genesis Prize.[36]
 Advancing women's equality[37]
2019 Robert Kraft CEO of the Kraft Group, owner of the New England Patriots United States "In recognition of his philanthropy and commitment to combatting anti-Semitism." Kraft's prize money was donated to initiatives that combat anti-Semitism and prejudice.[38] Combating antisemitism and efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel[39]
2020 Natan Sharansky Soviet dissident, Chairman of the Executive for the Jewish Agency Israel In recognition, as a "legendary advocate for freedom, democracy and human rights."[40][41] His prize money was used to fund innovative solutions and interventions to the COVID-19 pandemic.[42][43] Assisting those affected by the COVID pandemic[44]
2021 Steven Spielberg filmmaker, the most commercially successful director in history[45] United States For "his contribution to cinema, his philanthropic works and his efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust."[46]
His prize money was donated to U.S. non-profits fighting for racial and economic justice.[47]
 Fighting for racial and economic justice[48]
2021[fn 2] Sirjonathansacks (headshot) Rabbi Lord Johnathan Sacks Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth United Kingdom For "his extraordinary role in inspiring the next generation of Jews, and his illustrious life-long work as a teacher of Jewish values and an advocate of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue."[49]
2022 Albert Bourla Albert Bourla veterinarian, CEO of Pfizer Greece /
United States 		For "leadership, determination, and willingness to assume great risk, which resulted in the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine being ready in record time: months instead of years."[50] Preserving the memory of Jewish communities destroyed during the Nazi occupation of Greece[51]
2023 Jewish activists and NGOs supporting Ukraine For "working to uphold Ukraine's independence and alleviate the suffering of the people of Ukraine."[52] Assisting Jewish activists and NGOs working to alleviate the suffering of the people of Ukraine [53]
2024 Israeli organizations supporting hostages and their families For "providing treatment, counseling and support to the released and rescued hostages and their families."[54] Supporting humanitarian assistance, treatment, rehabilitation and counseling for hostages rescued or released from Hamas captivity and their families[55]
10th Anniversary Barbra_Streisand_with_Francis_Collins_and_Anthony_Fauci_(27806589237) Barbra Streisand singer, actor, director United States For "six decades of Streisand's contributions to cinema and music and her commitment to improving the world."[56] Supporting equity in women's health, fighting climate change, combatting disinformation, and aiding the Ukrainian people[57]
2025 Javier_Milei_2024_ Javier Milei President of Argentina Argentina For “his unequivocal support of Israel during one of the most difficult times since the founding of the Jewish State”, in reference to the Gaza war.[58] Fostering diplomatic, economic, and cultural cooperation between Israel and Latin American nations,[59] by envisioning the Isaac Accords.
2026 Gal Gadot Gal Gadot Actor, Producer Israel /
United States 		For “her advocacy for hostages, support of Israel and empathy for all innocent people affected by the war."[60] To help Israelis heal, rebuild, and recover.[61]

Controversies

[edit]

2018 award

[edit]

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."[62]

On November 7, 2017, the Foundation announced Portman as the 2018 laureate, and her decision to donate the $1 million in prize money to philanthropic programs focused on women's equality, education, economic advancement, health, and political participation.[31][33] A month later, Israeli philanthropist Morris Kahn pledged another $1 million in Portman's honor, bringing the total gift to $2 million.[32] The prize ceremony was canceled in April 2018 after Portman's representatives told the press that "recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel." Portman later claimed that she was not boycotting Israel, but that she didn't want to "appear as endorsing" Netanyahu, who was set to give a speech at the ceremony.[63][32][64]

In January 2020, partly as a result of the Portman controversy, the Genesis Prize Foundation and the PMO terminated their agreement, ending the Prime Minister's participation in the ceremony.[65][66]

In 2019, Prize Laureate Robert Kraft was named as one of more than 200 people involved in a Florida solicitation sting operation.[67] Genesis Prize Foundation Chairman Stan Polovets said that the Prize to Kraft would not be rescinded, noting that in democratic countries "everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence."[68] All charges against Kraft were later dropped.[69]

Jonathan Tobin questioned whether giving an award to a famous recipient was a distraction from reinvigorating Jewish institutions.[70]

Laureates per country

[edit]

Below is a chart of all laureates per country (updated to 2026 laureates). Some laureates are counted more than once if have multiple citizenship.

Country Number of laureates
United States 10
Israel 4
United Kingdom 2
Argentina 1
India 1
Greece 1

Notes

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Genesis Prize

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from Grokipedia
The Genesis Prize (פרס בראשית) is an annual $1 million award honoring living individuals of Jewish origin or those who have advanced the State of through exceptional achievements in any professional field, coupled with a demonstrated commitment to Jewish values such as (repairing the world); the Genesis Prize Foundation also awards occasional Genesis Lifetime Achievement Awards for lifetime contributions to Jewish life and/or the State of Israel. Funded by a $100 million endowment established in 2013 by Russian Jewish philanthropists including , the prize was created to celebrate Jewish talent, foster global , and underscore contributions to humanity amid perceptions of rising anti-Semitism and assimilation challenges. Initially co-awarded with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, the partnership ended in 2020 following disputes over political involvement, allowing the Genesis Prize Foundation—registered as a non-profit in —to operate independently. Laureates are selected by a committee of international Jewish leaders and have included dissident for advocacy, filmmaker for cultural preservation, jurist for legal advancements, and Pfizer CEO for vaccine development during the . The award has amplified philanthropic impact, leveraging prizes into over $50 million in grants for initiatives addressing anti-Semitism, , and . Notable controversies include actress Natalie Portman's 2018 refusal to attend her ceremony, citing unease with Israeli government policies under , which the foundation framed as unrelated to prize criteria but prompted scrutiny of its apolitical stance. Similarly, philanthropist received the 2019 prize despite contemporaneous charges of soliciting prostitution in a probe, with a board member resigning in protest over perceived insufficient vetting. These incidents highlight tensions between the prize's emphasis on moral exemplars and real-world complexities of honoree conduct.

History

Founding and Early Years

The Genesis Prize was established in 2013 through the Genesis Prize Foundation, initiated by Stan Polovets in partnership with Russian Jewish philanthropists , , , and via the Genesis Philanthropy Group, which supplied the initial endowment exceeding $100 million. This effort built on the Group's prior work since to bolster among Russian-speaking communities, extending it globally to counter assimilation trends evidenced by high intermarriage rates—58% for U.S. married since 2005—and low institutional affiliation, with only 22% of those under 30 identifying religiously. The prize sought to spotlight exemplary figures as role models, awakening latent Jewish pride by portraying heritage not as incidental but as a source of strength and ethical innovation, amid causal factors like cultural dilution and disengagement from traditions. Named after the to evoke themes of creation, perseverance, and human agency—mirroring biblical narratives of overcoming adversity—the award carried a $1 million intended for philanthropic redirection by recipients. Initial collaboration included the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and selection input from figures like as committee chair, emphasizing alignment with Jewish values of (world repair) and communal resilience. On October 21, 2013, Michael R. Bloomberg, then former mayor, was named the inaugural laureate for his leadership exemplifying integrity, public service, and philanthropy rooted in Jewish ethical principles. The ceremony on May 22, 2014, marked the prize's launch, with Bloomberg redirecting the funds to the Genesis Generation Challenge, seeding grants for youth-led Jewish innovation projects to sustain engagement. This debut underscored the foundation's focus on tangible impact over ceremonial acclaim, setting a precedent for laureates to amplify causes addressing identity erosion.

Subsequent Developments and Adaptations

Following the inaugural award in , the Genesis Prize maintained its annual $1 million format while expanding its scope to address contemporaneous threats to Jewish communities and values. Ceremonies continued to feature high-profile events, often in or major cities, with laureates directing funds toward aligned with Jewish ethical principles, cumulatively leveraging awards into over $50 million in initiatives by 2024. In response to Russia's full-scale invasion of on February 24, 2022, the 2023 marked a departure from individual recipients by collectively honoring Jewish activists and nongovernmental organizations aiding Ukrainian independence and civilian relief efforts. This group award, announced on January 11, 2023, recognized entities such as Bluecheck Ukraine—co-founded by actor , whose ancestors were Ukrainian —for vetting and expediting , emphasizing Jewish moral imperatives amid geopolitical upheaval rather than singular professional accomplishments. The October 7, 2023, attacks on prompted further adaptation in 2024, with the prize awarded on February 28 to Israeli organizations and activists focused on hostage release and family support, including the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the Jewish Agency Fund for Victims of Terror, Lev Echad, Natal Israel Trauma Center, and One Family Fund. These groups received funds for trauma counseling, rehabilitation, and to heighten global awareness of over 250 abductees, prioritizing communal resilience in the face of over traditional career-based criteria. The 2025 award, announced January 14, extended the prize to non-Jewish recipients for the first time, bestowing it upon Argentine President as the inaugural , citing his pro-Israel policies, reducing Argentina's from over 200% annually, and commitment to for the 1994 victims. Presented in on June 12, 2025, at the , Milei pledged the funds to initiate the "Isaac Accords," aimed at forging Latin American-Israeli alliances to counter isolation amid rising .

Mission and Criteria

Core Objectives and Jewish Values

The Genesis Prize aims to honor living individuals, primarily of Jewish descent or those who have shown profound commitment to Jewish causes, for their extraordinary professional accomplishments coupled with demonstrable adherence to Jewish ethical principles, such as —the tradition-derived mandate to actively repair and better the world through justice, innovation, and communal solidarity. Established in 2013, the prize explicitly links field-specific excellence in areas like , , , or to broader humanistic advancements informed by these values, positioning Jewish contributions as exemplars of how particular cultural ethics can drive universal progress and refute claims of ethnic insularity. This framework underscores a commitment to preserving amid pressures of secular assimilation, by selecting figures whose life work embodies resilience and creative renewal—motifs drawn from the , symbolizing origins, exile, and redemption—and thereby strengthens bonds between the and . The prize's foundational goals include inspiring Jewish pride and motivating younger generations to integrate heritage with global impact, fostering empirical recognition of causal connections between ethical adherence and societal flourishing, as articulated in its mission to counteract dilution of particularism through visible, value-aligned achievements. In contrast to the Nobel Prizes, which emphasize technical or intellectual breakthroughs without requisite ties to specific moral traditions, the Genesis Prize prioritizes verifiable alignment with Jewish values as moral compasses, favoring exemplars whose actions reflect Torah-rooted imperatives of (tzedek) and collective welfare over isolated invention. This approach addresses critiques of universalist paradigms that risk eroding distinct identities, instead affirming that provide a robust basis for innovation and leadership benefiting humanity at large.

Standards for Laureate Selection

The Genesis Prize selects laureates based on their attainment of outstanding professional excellence and international renown in fields such as , , , or , coupled with demonstrable contributions that advance Jewish values, including (repairing the world), support for , or efforts to combat . These contributions are evaluated for tangible impacts, such as policy reforms, philanthropic initiatives delivering measurable aid, or advocacy leading to verifiable outcomes like strengthened diplomatic ties or economic advancements benefiting Jewish communities. For instance, laureates must exhibit actions that empirically enhance the global standing of the Jewish people, prioritizing causal effects over symbolic gestures, as seen in awards recognizing specific achievements like economic restructuring that defies prevailing orthodoxies while bolstering alliances with . Eligibility extends primarily to living individuals of Jewish heritage, but exceptionally includes non-Jews whose extraordinary support for Jewish causes or outweighs traditional parameters, provided their professional accomplishments are globally acclaimed and their pro-Jewish actions yield concrete results. The 2025 award to Argentine President , the first to a sitting head of state and non-Jew, exemplifies this: his economic reforms dismantling statist policies, alongside vocal backing for —including commitments to justice for the 1994 AMIA terrorist attack victims—were cited as pivotal, fostering Latin American-Israeli partnerships like the proposed Isaac Accords. Such selections underscore a preference for recipients whose influence counters forces eroding Jewish , with historical data indicating that robust Israel advocacy correlates with lower rates of Jewish in communities. Standards explicitly exclude figures whose records include activism against Israel's legitimacy or actions undermining Jewish interests, as these conflict with the prize's foundational emphasis on positive, outcome-oriented contributions to Jewish vitality and security. This rigor ensures selections remain anchored in empirical merit rather than ideological alignment, avoiding laureates whose stances, per organizational commentary, deprive global Jewry of unifying role models.

Governance and Selection

Leadership and Committees

Stan Polovets has served as co-founder, chairman, and CEO of the Genesis Prize Foundation since its establishment in 2013, directing the organization's strategic oversight, operations, and commitment to recognizing exceptional Jewish contributions while fostering global . , a Soviet , , and former chairman of the , co-founded the prize alongside Polovets, providing foundational guidance rooted in advocacy for Jewish rights and . The foundation's board and advisory structure draws from Jewish communal leaders and philanthropists, including origins tied to Genesis Philanthropy Group supporters like , prioritizing independence and alignment with core Jewish values over external influences. The foundation operates through distinct committees to ensure rigorous, merit-based evaluation. The Selection Committee, comprising prominent Jewish leaders such as philanthropist David Hatchwell Altaras as recent chairman and figures like the late Jonathan Sacks as a founding member, shortlists nominees from public submissions, emphasizing candidates' demonstrated impact on Jewish life and broader society. The Prize Committee, including pro-Israel advocates and experts like former Israeli President and economist , conducts final deliberations and voting, selected for their leadership in Jewish causes to mitigate ideological biases in the process. These bodies maintain a focus on substantive achievements rather than political affiliations. In a key governance shift, the foundation severed formal ties with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office in January 2020, ending a prior partnership that had included administrative involvement in award ceremonies, to counter accusations of politicization amid Israeli domestic controversies. This move reinforced the foundation's operational autonomy as an Israeli-registered non-profit public benefit company controlled by its staff, prioritizing merit-driven selections insulated from state-level pressures.

Nomination and Decision Process

The nomination process for the Genesis Prize is open annually to the public, allowing any individual with a connection to the Jewish world to submit candidates via the foundation's website, , or email. This inclusive approach, introduced in 2020, replaced an earlier internal system relying on nominations from over 1,000 global Jewish leaders, aiming to broaden participation and reflect community priorities. Nominations are evaluated against established criteria, including the candidate's international renown, pride in Jewish heritage, demonstrated care for the Jewish people and , and ability to inspire younger generations. The Selection Committee, comprising leaders from Jewish organizations, reviews submissions to create a shortlist of finalists, typically announced in the fall, such as September for the 2021 cycle. Public voting then occurs on this shortlist, with over 200,000 votes cast in the 2020-2021 process across six continents, providing empirical input to guide committee deliberations. The committee ranks candidates based on alignment with prize standards, forwarding recommendations to the Prize Committee for final approval through review and vote. This two-tiered structure ensures decisions prioritize verifiable achievements and adherence to Jewish values, excluding those whose records demonstrate opposition to core principles like support for . In exceptional cases, the process incorporates thematic focuses to address urgent communal needs, as seen in when the prize was awarded collectively to Israeli organizations aiding hostages held by and their families, rather than an individual, to amplify awareness and support efforts post-October 7, 2023. Final announcements occur annually, often in late winter, decoupling from fixed ceremonial locations like pre-2018 Jerusalem events to enhance flexibility. This workflow balances broad empirical consensus from public engagement with rigorous committee oversight, fostering transparency while grounding selections in substantive evidence over anecdotal narratives.

Laureates

Chronological List of Recipients

The Genesis Prize, valued at $1 million, has been awarded annually since its inception to individuals or groups exemplifying outstanding contributions aligned with Jewish values such as leadership, innovation, and philanthropy. The following table enumerates the laureates chronologically, with brief indications of the recognized achievements.
YearLaureate(s)Recognized for
2014Philanthropy in public health, education, and environmental causes as former mayor and business leader.
2015Contributions to as an actor and advocacy for environmental and health initiatives.
2016Excellence in music as a violinist and efforts to advance opportunities for people with disabilities.
2017Artistic innovation as a sculptor and commitment to and .
2018Achievements in as an actress and activism in and social causes; declined attendance at ceremony citing political concerns.
2019Philanthropy focused on Jewish causes, education, and community welfare as owner of the .
2020Lifelong advocacy for , democracy, and Soviet Jewry as a former and Israeli .
2021Filmmaking that preserves Jewish history and promotes tolerance through cinema.
2022Leadership in developing the as CEO of , advancing global health.
2023Jewish activists and NGOs supporting Efforts to uphold Ukrainian independence and provide amid the Russian invasion.
2023 (10th Anniversary)Lifelong commitment to , , and environmental advocacy as an entertainer and philanthropist.
2024Israeli organizations and hostage familiesResilience and advocacy in response to the , 2023, attacks and hostage crisis.
2025Pro-Israel foreign policy and leadership as , including support during conflicts.
Ceremonies for individual laureates were typically held in , though adaptations occurred, such as virtual elements or alternative locations in response to geopolitical events or recipient preferences. In cases of collective awards, the prize funds were distributed among recipients to support their initiatives.

Profiles and Contributions

Natan , the 2020 Genesis Prize laureate, exemplifies dissident activism aligned with Jewish values of moral courage and communal solidarity. As a Soviet , Sharansky's nine-year imprisonment from 1977 to 1986 highlighted his refusal to abandon Jewish emigration demands, contributing to the eventual release of over one million Soviet Jews and exerting pressure on the USSR's record. His post-release roles, including chairing the Jewish Agency, advanced Jewish continuity and advocacy against authoritarianism, reflecting through defense. Albert , awarded in 2022 as Pfizer's CEO, demonstrated leadership in scientific innovation by overseeing the rapid development and global distribution of the first widely effective , authorized by December 2020 and credited with preventing millions of deaths through accelerated recovery efforts. This achievement underscores Jewish overrepresentation in biomedical advancements, with laureates often embodying empirical progress in fields where have disproportionately contributed—such as comprising about 20% of Nobel laureates in sciences despite being 0.2% of . Javier Milei, the 2025 laureate and Argentina's president, represents non-traditional selection prioritizing philo-Semitic alignment over ethnic exclusivity, recognized for implementing free-market reforms that reduced annual inflation from over 200% in 2023 to approximately 4% monthly by mid-2025, fostering economic akin to Jewish emphasis on individual agency. His staunch support for , including post-October 7, 2023, solidarity and pursuit of justice for the 1994 victims, highlights patterns of resilience and ethical leadership in the prize's honorees. These profiles reveal recurring themes of in sciences, , and , tying laureates' verifiable impacts to core Jewish principles without confining recognition to Jewish recipients alone.

Philanthropy and Initiatives

Use of Award Funds

Laureates of the Genesis Prize have consistently donated the $1 million award to philanthropic causes, often prioritizing initiatives aligned with Jewish values such as , support for , and humanitarian relief for Jewish communities. This practice underscores the prize's emphasis on reinvestment into societal betterment rather than personal gain, with funds directed toward organizations combating , aiding vulnerable populations, and preserving Jewish heritage. Robert Kraft, the 2019 laureate, forwent the personal monetary award to allocate funds toward establishing a foundation fighting , BDS delegitimization of , and related threats, resulting in grants to 26 organizations including Act-IL and others promoting narrative globally. Similarly, , awarded in 2019 and honored in 2020 ceremonies, directed his prize to alleviate suffering through Jewish and non-Jewish groups, including a competition where winners redistributed portions to selected charities, thereby scaling relief efforts amid the . In cases emphasizing , 2018 laureate committed the funds—doubled to $2 million by philanthropist —to U.S.- initiatives supporting women, though she opted against direct ties to Israeli government-linked causes, focusing instead on organizations. The Genesis Prize Foundation has facilitated such allocations by matching contributions or guiding distributions, as seen with Steven Spielberg's 2021 donation to U.S. nonprofits addressing racial and economic justice, augmented by an additional $1 million from the laureate and his spouse. Recent collective awards have channeled funds directly into crisis response with measurable humanitarian impact. The 2023 prize, bestowed on activists and NGOs aiding , supported evacuations and relief for Ukrainian , including through groups like Bluecheck , which vetted and expedited financial aid to refugees. In 2024, the award went to five Israeli organizations and activists assisting hostages and families post-October 7, with the full $1 million earmarked exclusively for efforts, psychological support, and material aid, demonstrating targeted efficacy in ongoing emergencies. These dispositions counter perceptions of the prize as mere recognition by linking funds to verifiable aid, though outcomes like exact lives assisted remain tracked primarily through recipient reports rather than independent audits.

Broader Grantmaking Efforts

The Genesis Prize Foundation has pursued grantmaking initiatives independent of direct fund allocations to cultivate young Jewish leadership and aligned with Jewish ethical principles. A prominent example is the Genesis Generation Challenge, launched in 2015, which invited proposals from Jewish adults aged 20 to 36 for innovative projects addressing global humanitarian issues through a Jewish values lens, such as (repairing the world). The program evaluated submissions and awarded $100,000 grants to nine winning teams, each paired with mentors from the business and nonprofit sectors to execute their initiatives, fostering early-stage ventures in areas like refugee aid and community empowerment. In response to the , 2023, terrorist attack on , the Foundation established a dedicated grant program to address immediate civilian needs, including support for displaced families, trauma recovery, and community stabilization efforts, thereby bolstering Israeli societal resilience amid ongoing conflict. This initiative reflects a strategic emphasis on data-informed that reinforces Jewish communal bonds and counters existential threats through targeted resource distribution to vetted organizations. These efforts complement the Foundation's overarching grantmaking, which has amplified the Prize's $1 million annual endowment into broader programmatic funding, prioritizing measurable impacts on Jewish vitality such as leadership development and innovation ecosystems tied to biblical and ethical frameworks, while navigating challenges like secular cultural pressures on identity preservation.

Controversies

Key Disputes and Incidents

In April 2018, Natalie Portman, selected as the Genesis Prize laureate for her work in human rights and advocacy against sexual violence, declined to attend the planned Jerusalem ceremony, citing distress over recent events in Israel—including violence during the Gaza border protests—and her unwillingness to appear to endorse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was scheduled to deliver remarks. This stance, which Portman clarified was not a boycott of Israel but a personal decision to avoid political endorsement, prompted the foundation to cancel the June 28 event amid fears it would politicize the award; she ultimately received the $1 million prize privately and redirected the funds to initiatives supporting women's rights and free expression in Israel. Left-leaning commentators framed the prize as an implicit endorsement of the Israeli government, amplifying Portman's concerns about its alignment with Netanyahu's policies, while right-leaning voices criticized her action as signaling anti-Zionist sympathies amid heightened tensions from the March 2018 Gaza clashes, which resulted in over 60 Palestinian deaths according to UN reports. The 2019 selection of as laureate drew scrutiny due to his February charges in for soliciting at a linked to a probe, involving video evidence of multiple visits; despite Kraft's not guilty plea and a member's resignation in over the award's timing, the prize proceeded with a June ceremony where Kraft pledged the $1 million—plus an additional $20 million from his foundation—to combat . Critics from various perspectives questioned the foundation's judgment in honoring a figure embroiled in such allegations, viewing it as a potential dilution of the prize's , though supporters emphasized Kraft's longstanding toward Jewish causes as outweighing the personal controversy. In January 2020, the Genesis Prize Foundation and Israel's Prime Minister's Office mutually ended their formal partnership, which had involved the PMO in selection processes since the prize's inception, following perceptions—exacerbated by the Portman incident and Kraft award—that the collaboration infused political favoritism toward Netanyahu's administration; the split aimed to insulate the prize from such interpretations amid Netanyahu's ongoing trials and election cycles. Proponents of the change argued it preserved the award's nonpartisan focus on Jewish values and global contributions, while detractors contended it severed a key tie to Israeli state legitimacy, potentially weakening the prize's symbolic weight in affirming .

Responses and Defenses

The Genesis Prize Foundation responded to Natalie Portman's refusal to attend the ceremony by issuing a statement on , , clarifying that the award honors individuals for their personal accomplishments and embodiment of Jewish values such as , , and responsibility, rather than serving as an endorsement of any government's actions. The foundation expressed respect for Portman's right to disagree with Israeli policies but emphasized that her decision had inadvertently positioned the prize as a tool for political approval or disapproval, contrary to its non-partisan mission. In January 2020, amid ongoing fallout from the Portman incident, the foundation announced the termination of its formal partnership with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, which had previously co-sponsored the award, to reinforce its independence and commitment to apolitical merit-based selections. This structural change, effective immediately, aimed to insulate the prize from perceptions of governmental influence and ensure decisions reflect broad Jewish values without alignment to specific administrations. Foundation leaders, including Chairman Stan Polovets, have rebutted politicization critiques by citing consistent empirical alignments with Jewish priorities across laureates, such as Javier Milei's 2025 award for reversing Argentina's historical anti-Israel voting record, advancing justice for the 1994 AMIA terrorist attack victims, and implementing deregulation policies that foster —echoing Jewish traditions of and . These defenses highlight measurable outcomes, including Milei's use of the $1 million to fund the " Accords" for enhanced Latin America-Israel ties, as evidence against claims and demonstration of the award's focus on substantive contributions over ideological .

Impact and Legacy

Achievements and Empirical Outcomes

The Genesis Prize has directed over $16 million in award funds to Jewish causes by 2020, supporting initiatives against , community aid, and preservation of Jewish heritage. Laureates' reinvestments have amplified these efforts, with subsequent prizes adding to tangible deliverables such as trauma counseling and rehabilitation for released hostages in 2024, where the $1 million was allocated to five Israeli organizations assisting families amid the conflict. Public nomination and voting processes have engaged hundreds of thousands globally, including 200,000 votes from Jews across six continents for the 2021 selection, reaching over eight million individuals via online campaigns and fostering wider awareness of Jewish contributions. Media coverage, reinforced by its designation as the "Jewish Nobel" by Time magazine, has elevated pro-Jewish narratives, with adaptations like the 2025 award to Argentine President Javier Milei funding his Isaac Accords initiative to strengthen Latin America-Israel diplomatic ties. Awards to figures like CEO in 2022 have spotlighted empirical advancements, such as the accelerated development under his leadership, which contributed to saving millions of lives worldwide during the . This recognition correlates with broader cultural reinforcement of Jewish exemplars, sustaining the prize's relevance through targeted amid evolving global challenges.

Reception Across Perspectives

Supporters of the Genesis Prize, particularly from pro-Israel and Jewish communal perspectives, commend its role in bolstering and resilience during surges in global . Following the October 7, 2023, attacks, antisemitic incidents in the United States reached a record 10,000 in 2024, a 140% increase from 2023, according to the Anti-Defamation League's audit, with over 50% of reporting personal encounters. The prize's emphasis on honoring achievements tied to Jewish values is seen as a counter to such threats, inspiring younger generations to embrace heritage amid delegitimization efforts like BDS. Genesis Prize Chairman Stan Polovets has highlighted its function in recognizing non-Jewish laureates, such as Argentine President in 2025, as pragmatic philo-Semitism that amplifies external advocacy for and Jews, essential in an era of rising hostility. Critics from left-leaning viewpoints have expressed skepticism toward the prize's perceived exclusivity and alignment with Israeli government figures, viewing it as fostering tribalism or politicization. Natalie Portman's decision to decline attendance at the ceremony, citing "distressing" events including Gaza border clashes and Netanyahu's policies, exemplified such concerns, with some interpreting it as resistance to the prize's ties to state institutions that prioritize Jewish . Outlets like argued the award risks becoming a "hollow charade" by prioritizing celebrity endorsement over substantive universalism, potentially alienating progressive who favor broader humanistic critiques of . These perspectives often frame the prize's focus as insular, contrasting with data showing non-Jewish recipients like Milei demonstrate inclusive outreach rather than rigid conformity. Empirically, the prize's net impact favors enhanced Jewish agency, as evidenced by laureates' redirected funds combating —such as Robert Kraft's 2019 establishment of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism—and its recognition of resilience over ideological purity, debunking claims of insularity by integrating diverse supporters. While left-leaning media may amplify politicization narratives, causal analysis reveals the award's structure rewards tangible contributions to Jewish continuity, yielding measurable outcomes like increased advocacy amid 2024's near-70% share of U.S. religion-based hate crimes targeting , per FBI data corroborated by ADL. This data-driven lens underscores the prize's value in building coalitions, outweighing dilutions from occasional disputes.

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