World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder presented the Theodore Herzl Prize to Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, and Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, in recognition of their dedication to combating antisemitism and their unwavering commitment to strengthening the unique bond between Israel and the United States.
The World Jewish Congress’s Theodore Herzl Prize, named after the founder of modern Zionism, is awarded annually to distinguished individuals whose work reflects Herzl’s ideals and his belief in safeguarding the Jewish people and ensuring their future. This year’s recipients were recognized for their principled leadership and bipartisan resolve following the October 7 Hamas terror attack.
In his speech, Lauder emphasized the importance of honoring the two members of Congress. “Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York are national leaders who dared to stand up to the assault against us and remained firm in the face of the frightening rise in antisemitism and hatred of Zionism,” he said. “They stood publicly, unapologetically and unequivocally, in defense of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Lauder added, “When others stayed silent, or worse, when some members of Congress sided with the terrorist organizations that murdered Jewish men, women and children, Sen. Fetterman and Rep. Stefanik raised their voices, loud and clear, against the storm that engulfed our nation and the world.”
Fetterman addressed the audience via video because of an unexpected Senate vote in Washington. He reaffirmed his commitment to fighting antisemitism and standing with Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. “The thing I’m most proud of in my time in the Senate is standing up for Israel and for the Jewish community around the world during the terrible war in Gaza, after the trauma of October 7,” he said. “My voice and my vote will continue to support Israel.”
Rep. Stefanik also stressed the importance of confronting hatred and strengthening the U.S.-Israel alliance. “To be a fighter in Herzl’s spirit requires courage and vision, the ability to sense where the next battlefield will be and to take on that fight, just as Ambassador Lauder described today,” she said. “We are exposing the truth about how antisemitism has become institutionalized and normalized, and I will not stop until there is real accountability and every Jewish student can walk across a campus without fear.”
The award ceremony in New York brought together leaders from government, philanthropy, the arts and various nations, reflecting the World Jewish Congress’s broad coalition committed to defending democratic values and combating antisemitism in all its forms.