WORLD ZIONIST ORGANIZATION
DEPARTMENT OF IRGOON AND CONNECTION
WITH ISRAELIS IN THE DIASPORA
ABOUT THE AWARD
“The Jerusalem Award is an old tradition in the World Zionist Organization, which selects men and women who dedicate their time to support the idea of Zionism, the State of Israel, its Capital Jerusalem and the Jewish People, in many and varied ways. They are people who chose to make and make their voice heard clearly and differently in a sea of voices that condemn the State of Israel and that call for its social, physical and cultural disappearance.
Gusti Yehoshua Braverman
Those who are chosen to receive the Jerusalem Award, express with their work their commitment to the existence of the State of Israel and to the realization of the vision of the founder of the Zionist movement Theodor Herzl; vision of building a State for the Jewish People and vision of aspiring to create here, an exemplary society. The delivery of this award is a humble way of valuing and recognizing the enormous work carried out by our friends and partners faithful to our task”.
What is the Jerusalem Award?
The Jerusalem Award is an award to friends of the State of Israel, the Jewish People and local Jewish communities around the world, who have made an outstanding contribution to strengthening the Jewish community in their country, relations with the State of Israel and its capital Jerusalem, among others.
Jerusalem is a symbol of coexistence, peace between peoples, growth and development that the Founder of the Zionist Movement Theodor Herzl dreamed of for the State Capital, Jerusalem. And from there, the name of this award arises. As he wrote in his book Altneuland imagining Jerusalem, 20 years after he first saw it: "It was still the holy city for all mankind. Everywhere the eye turned, the domes of the temples of all faiths rose skyward. But something new had been added to the landscape, cheerful and vigorous: there was life everywhere."
This award was instituted in 1990 by the Mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek and then President of the World Zionist Organization Arieh Dultzin as a way of expressing the recognition of the Jewish people for people have stood out for their friendship, solidarity and identification with the Jewish people or with the Zionist cause, that they are activists in favor of Human Rights and the cause of peace, harmony and brotherhood among peoples, or that they have contributed to the strengthening of the deep bonds of friendship between Israel and the different countries. Presidents, National Representatives of different governments, businessmen, spiritual leaders, media personalities from different countries have received this award.
Today, the Department of Irgoon and Connection with Israelis in the Diaspora, chaired by Mrs. Gusti Yehoshua Braverman, continues this tradition, wishing that the winners, through our 36 Zionist federations, will continue the work for our beloved State of Israel.
THE AWARD
The award given is about the representation of a shofar; This is a instrument made with the horn of an animal (goat, gazelle or other) that is used in the high holidays of the Jewish calendar, and symbolizes the highest and most distinguished values of the Jewish People, as it is a call for unifing and brotherhood among peoples.