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4 MAY 2023
Streisand receives $1m Genesis Prize after Michael R. Bloomberg, 108th Mayor of New York City was the inaugural Barbra Streisand is the recipient of the Genesis Prize laureate. 10th anniversary $1 million Genesis Bloomberg said that Streisand was an Prize. “incredibly deserving” recipient of the Genesis Prize. The Academy Award winning icon of “From her groundbreaking leaderstage and screen will be honoured at a ship on women’s health, to longstandceremony in Los Angeles in October. The Genesis Prize Foundation awards ing support for stronger gun safety laws its prestigious accolade, dubbed the and invaluable partnership revitalising ‘Jewish Nobel’ by TIME Magazine, to Lower Manhattan through the soonindividuals for outstanding achieveto-open Performing Arts Center at the ments, contributions to humanity and World Trade Center, Barbra has made commitment to Jewish values. an enormous impact on her native New York and far beyond,” he noted. “She has Since the launch of the prize in 2013, Streisand has received tens of thousands used her voice, on and off the stage and of nominations for the Genesis Prize. screen, to inspire generations.” Recognising her display of support for Streisand follows Dr. Albert Bourla, global Jewry, judges unanimously enChairman and CEO of Pfizer, who was dorsed Streisand as the 10th laureate. honoured for his leadership in delivShe has asked the Foundation to diering the COVID-19 vaccine in record rect her prize funds to non-profit ortime, in receiving the accolade. ganisations to protect the environment, “Barbra is the embodiment of Jewish women’s health, combating disinformatalent who has touched the hearts of tion in the media and aiding people of millions,” he said. “Her passionate activism and philanthropy has made the Ukraine. She said: “I am delighted to work world a better place.” with Foundation to support organisaFirst Lady of Israel Michal Herzog tions that seek to better society and our added: “Barbra is not only my idol but shared humanity. I am very proud of Barbra Streisand PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK an inspiration for women around the my Jewish heritage, and have always world. She is a true friend of Israel, an been moved by the Jewish tradition of tikkun numerous important causes, speaking out exemplary leader in the Jewish and human olam, to repair the world. I hope to inspire whenever and wherever she saw injustice.” rights spheres, the definition of a woman others in their own commitment to build a He added: “Her sense of responsibility to of valour!” As an activist and philanthropist, Streheal the world grows out of her Jewish valbetter world.” Genesis Founder and Chairman Stan ues and her Jewish identity, which Barbra isand has donated and raised millions of Polovets noted: “Streisand is one of the has displayed proudly since the very begin- dollars to address pressing issues in the US world’s most beloved and admired per- ning of her extraordinary career. Barbra’s and around the world. Streisand and her formers. In addition to delighting audiences innovative philanthropy has had significant Foundation have provided extensive fundall over the world for the past six decades impact in so many areas, including health, ing to over 2,000 non-profit organisations with her amazing talents, Barbra has ded- environment, and gender equality.” and causes over the past 37 years. icated her time, resources and passion to Most recently, she assumed the role of The ceremony will take place a decade BY DAVID SAFFER
CENTCOM Israel visit
EJC welcomes Swiss Holocaust site BY HARRY SIMONS
BY ADAM MOSES
Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant met with CENTCOM Commander General Michael E. Kurilla at MOD headquarters in Tel Aviv last week. The parties discussed developing regional challenges, with a focus on Iran’s activities in the Middle East region. This includes Iranian aggression in the maritime arena and delivery of weapons to terror organisations and proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and wider region. During the discussion, Gallant expressed concerns regarding Iran’s progress in its nuclear program and nuclear military capabilities. Gallant and Kurilla expressed a shared commitment to deepen intelligence-sharing between respective militaries and defense establishments. They also stressed the importance of widening military cooperation with regional partners under CENTCOM leadership. Gallant concluded by expressing his commitment of the US to the security of the
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and General Michael E. Kurilla
PHOTO: IMOD
State of Israel, and for Kurilla’s contribution to the ties between the countries. The meeting was attended by the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Head of the IDF’s Strategic Directorate, Israel’s Defense Attache to the US, and Director of the Policy and POL-MIL Bureau in the MoD.
Ambassador for United 24, an organisation that provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The Genesis Prize contributed to United 24 in Streisand’s honour this year and other Jewish activists and NGO’s working to alleviate suffering of the Ukrainian people. Streisand was born in Brooklyn and attended an Orthodox girls’ yeshiva. She built on her Jewish upbringing by introducing and portraying Jewish characters in many of her movies. Known for her generosity to Jewish causes and support of Israel, Streisand is an outspoken critic of antisemitism. An icon in entertainment, she has achieved unprecedented success as a recording artist, actor, director, producer, screenwriter, author and songwriter. One of 23 people, including eight women, to have achieved an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award, Streisand has also received the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Kennedy Center Honour, National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton, Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barak Obama and France’s Légion d’Honneur. She is the first woman to direct, produce, write and star in a major motion picture, the first woman composer to receive an Academy Award, the only recording artist who has achieved Number 1 albums in six consecutive decades, and first woman to receive a Golden Globe Award for Best Director. Previous Genesis Prize laureates include Michael Douglas, Itzhak Perlman, Sir Anish Kapoor, Natalie Portman, Robert Kraft, Natan Sharansky and Steven Spielberg. Since inception, The Genesis Prize has leveraged the annual award into philanthropic initiatives totalling over $50 million with grants going over 220 non-profit programs in 31 countries.
European Jewish Congress has welcomed Switzerland’s executive body financially backing the country’s first national Holocaust memorial in Bern. The site at an unspecified central location in the capital will honour the six million Jews and victims of Nazi persecution. The Federal Council approved 2.5m Swiss francs for the proposed memorial. The initiative comes as Holocaust survivors dwindle and antisemitism across Europe rises according to global reports. Federal and local officials have not confirmed when the memorial will be completed. EJC wrote on social media: “Switzerland's first national memorial honouring Nazi victims is a testament to the power of collective memory and the importance of preserving history. The move has been warmly welcomed by the Swiss Jewish community.” “The Federal Council considers it of great importance to keep alive the memory of the consequences of National Socialism, namely the Holocaust and the fate of the
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six million Jews and all other victims of the National Socialist regime,” a government statement said. Switzerland and its capital were “creating a strong symbol against genocide, antisemitism and racism, and for democracy, the rule of law, freedom and basic individual rights,” it added. The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities and federal officials said Switzerland had some 60 private sites remembering the Holocaust and other crimes of the Nazis. “There is, however, no official or national memorial for the numerous Swiss victims of persecution, for the thousands of refugees repelled at the borders or deported, but also for the many courageous helpers in this country,” the federation observed. The memorial created will “honour them al”. The group noted recent studies have shown a “sizable number” of Swiss citizens were victims of the Nazi regime, “persecuted because they were, for example, Jews, socialists, Sinti or Roma.” Sinti and Roma are peoples who live predominantly in eastern Europe.