Genesis Prize Foundation
Foundation that awards the Genesis Prize and funded pro-Israel advocacy grants with the Israeli government
| The Genesis Prize Foundation
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|---|---|
| Logo | 
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| Type | Foundation |
| Services | Annual Genesis Prize; grant programmes |
| Key people | Stan Polovets (co-founder and chairman) |
| Website | genesisprize.org |
The Genesis Prize Foundation (GPF) awards the annual Genesis Prize, which it describes as honouring individuals for "outstanding professional achievement, contribution to humanity, and commitment to Jewish values". The prize was launched in 2013 and is financed by a $100 million endowment set up by the foundation.[1] In 2020 GPF ran the "Speak Out for Israel" grant competition. The Seventh Eye reported that Kela Shlomo and Israel's Ministry of Strategic Affairs put NIS 5.7 million into its pool, "a creative manoeuvre that let them support organisations without paying them directly".[2]
Speak Out for Israel (2019–2020)
On 15 June 2020 GPF announced grants to 26 organisations under "Speak Out for Israel", in honour of the 2019 laureate Robert Kraft. It described the campaign as "a global campaign to promote a true narrative of Israel and counteract efforts to delegitimize the Jewish State".[1] The release said: "Kraft and GPF were joined by Concert-Together for Israel Ltd. ... Concert, which made a major donation to the grant pool, is a partnership between the State of Israel and pro-Israel groups around the world. It is funded by a group of various independent philanthropists from around the world and matched by the Government of Israel."[1] (See Concert - Together for Israel.) The competition opened in November 2019 and was administered by Matan-United Way Israel.[1]
The Seventh Eye reported that Kela Shlomo and the ministry put 5.7 million shekels into the "competition", "תמרון יצירתי שאִפשר להם לתמוך בארגונים בלי לשלם להם ישירות" ("a creative manoeuvre that let them support organisations without paying them directly").[2] In August 2020 it reported that StandWithUs chief executive Roz Rothstein had told the Forward that the organisation had not known the grants were funded by the Israeli government, and that it might prefer to give up the money.[3]
| Organisation | Described purpose (GPF) |
|---|---|
| ADL Israel, American Jewish Committee, ELNET, United with Israel | Engaging "diplomats, policymakers, legislators and high-level influencers" |
| StandWithUs | Fellowship programme training "brand ambassadors for Israel" |
| Jerusalem Press Club; HonestReporting (Media Central) | Work with foreign reporters and media outlets |
| Heroes for Life; Innovation Africa | Israeli volunteers abroad |
| Creative Community for Peace; Music Port | Culture and the entertainment industry, in the face of BDS |
| Startup Nation Central; Taglit's Center for Israeli Innovation | Israeli high tech |
Source: [1]
People
| Name | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Stan Polovets | Co-founder and Chairman | named 2020 |
Source: [1]
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The Genesis Prize Foundation, 26 Israeli and International Non-profit Organizations to Receive Genesis Prize Grants to "Speak Out for Israel" The Genesis Prize, 15 June 2020, accessed 22 October 2026. GPF-side.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Seventh Eye, פרויקט הדגל של המשרד לנושאים אסטרטגיים נכשל; ארגון התעמולה "קלע שלמה" לא הצליח לגייס כספים ("The Ministry of Strategic Affairs' flagship project failed; the propaganda organisation 'Kela Shlomo' did not manage to raise funds") The Seventh Eye, 29 July 2020 (Hebrew), accessed 22 October 2026 (Wayback Machine capture). Critical.
- ↑ The Seventh Eye, תחקיר ה"פורוורד": ארגוני הסברה בארה"ב הסתירו קבלת מימון מממשלת ישראל ("Forward investigation: hasbara organisations in the US concealed receiving funding from the Israeli government") The Seventh Eye, 31 August 2020 (Hebrew), accessed 22 October 2026 (Wayback Machine capture). Critical.