Stan Polovets hosts event for 2023 Genesis Prize honorees who are providing humanitarian aid for Ukraine, and reaffirming Jewish activism.
On Feb. 24, 2025, in a solemn gathering in Israel at Tel Aviv’s Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation, commemorated three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by bringing together representatives from 21 humanitarian organizations that have been instrumental in providing aid to Ukrainians throughout the ongoing conflict.
“For over 1,000 days, Ukraine has been in an existential fight against an enemy threatening its sovereignty,” Polovets stated during the event. “From the outset of the war, Jewish activists and non-governmental organizations, many from Israel, immediately sprang into action, providing assistance to those in dire need.”
Natan Sharansky, co-founder of the Prize and renowned human rights advocate, co-hosted the event. Sharansky, who was born in Donetsk — a Ukrainian city annexed by Russia — has been a vocal advocate for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Sharansky stated, “International support is critical to making sure Ukraine prevails in this fight. And it is also critical for Jews to continue contributing to this effort so that we remain true to our foundational values of standing up for freedom, human dignity, and justice.”
The gathering highlighted the 2023 Genesis Prize honorees — Jewish activists and NGOs who have worked tirelessly to alleviate suffering in Ukraine. More than 40 representatives – 30 in-person and 10 via video from around the world — shared insights from their three years of humanitarian work and discussed the evolving needs as the war continues.
Notable participants included actor and Jewish activist Liev Schreiber, who joined virtually from New York City. Schreiber co-founded BlueCheck Ukraine, an organization dedicated to vetting and funding Ukrainian aid initiatives. Other participating organizations included United Hatzalah, The Jewish Agency for Israel, NATAL, HIAS Israel, Hillel CASE, and the JCC Association of North America.
Eli Beer, founder and president of United Hatzalah, expressed gratitude for The Genesis Prize Foundation’s support at the event. He stated, “With their generous funding, we are able to focus our attention on delivering aid to those who need it most.”
How One Award Creates Ripples of Impact
The Genesis Prize is a prestigious and unique award. The annual $1 million prize honors extraordinary individuals and organizations for their outstanding professional achievements, contributions to humanity, and commitment to Jewish values and Israel.
Stan Polovets explained, “It is the only organization awarding an annual $1 million to individuals who do not take the money but turn around and invest it back into the community, often doubling or tripling the contribution through matching donations. This approach has been one of innovation, inclusivity, and agility in allowing the Genesis Prize and its honorees the opportunity to find timely issues in need of philanthropic contribution and global attention.”
The foundation’s philanthropic support has saved and enhanced the lives of thousands worldwide. The rigorous laureate selection process for the Genesis Prize identifies individuals who demonstrate extraordinary professional achievements and embody core Jewish values in their work and personal lives so that each laureate inspires the Jewish community and the broader world.
In 2014, former New York City mayor, business and philanthropic leader Michael Bloomberg was selected as the inaugural laureate. He chose to forgo the financial award and directed the funds to create the Genesis Generation Challenge to inspire young social entrepreneurs to propose projects to better the world. In 2015, Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas directed his prize funds to initiatives advocating for the inclusivity of intermarried families in Jewish life. The following year, virtuoso violinist Itzhak Perlman allocated his 2016 award money to organizations improving the lives of individuals with special needs.
The tradition of impactful philanthropy continued in 2017 when sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor directed his monetary award toward addressing the global refugee crisis. In 2018, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for her trailblazing work in civil liberties and women’s rights. Her prize funds were directed to initiatives focused on women’s empowerment.
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots NFL team, was honored in 2019 and asked that the funds go toward combating antisemitism. Additionally, Kraft announced the creation of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism with a $20 million personal donation. In 2020, Sharansky directed the $1 million prize funds to organizations supporting the most vulnerable facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, filmmaker Steven Spielberg allocated the financial award to organizations promoting racial and economic justice in the United States, and matched them with an additional $1 million personal donation. That same year, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for his inspirational work as a teacher and advocate for interreligious dialogue.
Stan Polovets Advances Holocaust Education Through Genesis Prize Vision
The 2022 prize honored Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, who requested that the financial award go toward establishing a Holocaust museum in his hometown of Thessaloniki, Greece. The museum project, scheduled for completion in 2026, honors the proud history and tragic fate of Thessaloniki’s Jewish population, once the largest Sephardic community in the world.
Beyond preserving the history of the Holocaust, the Holocaust Museum of Greece will celebrate the cultural legacy of Greek Jews and their contributions to Thessaloniki’s development, emphasizing respect for diversity, human rights, and freedom.
At the museum’s groundbreaking ceremony, Stan Polovets said, “Democracy and respect for others are values that can never be taken for granted, and each of us has a responsibility to stand up against all forms of hatred.”
In 2023, The Genesis Prize Foundation recognized activists and NGOs supporting the Ukrainian people as honorees.
Also in 2023, Barbra Streisand was named the 10th anniversary Genesis Prize laureate. She directed the prize funds to causes addressing women’s health, climate change, truth in the public sphere, and aid for Ukrainians affected by the war.
In 2024, the foundation honored Israeli organizations providing care and support to the families of hostages abducted by Hamas.
The most recent laureate, Argentine President Javier Milei, is the first head of state to receive the Prize and is being recognized in 2025 for his unequivocal support of Israel during its most sorrowful time since the founding of the Jewish state.
“President Milei is a true hero of the Jewish people,” Stan Polovets stated. “Unlike leaders of many other countries around the world who either remained quiet, pressured, and — in some cases — sanctioned Israel, President Milei has unequivocally supported the Jewish people and their state. This award reflects Israel’s heartfelt appreciation for the president and the people of Argentina. A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
