Robert Kraft and 15 former and current New England Patriots players are in Israel for a trip of a lifetime, and those in attendance will watch the team owner receive quite a prestigious award.
After a busy day of riding camels, Kraft was honored in Jerusalem at a ceremony where he was presented the Genesis Prize, which has been termed the “the Jewish Nobel” by Time Magazine. The prize “honors extraordinary individuals for outstanding professional achievement, contribution to humanity, and commitment to Jewish values,” per Patriots.com.
“I am delighted to welcome Robert Kraft to the august family of Genesis Prize Laureates,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “This prestigious award honors Robert’s generous life-long philanthropy, his commitment to the Jewish people, and his love for Israel. It also recognizes his principled stand against anti-Semitism and efforts by our enemies to undermine the State of Israel through BDS and other similar campaigns. Israel does not have a more loyal friend than Robert Kraft.”
The prize is accompanied by $1 million, which Kraft said he will be donating in order to fight anti-semitism.
“The new foundation I am announcing tonight is a platform to galvanize the global fight against anti-Semitism, uniting all people of good conscience around this goal,” Kraft said. “My vision is to work to end the violence against Jewish communities. To counter the normalization of anti-Semitic narratives that question Israel’s right to exist, disguised as part of legitimate debate on campuses and in the media. To educate, to inform, and to heal inter-communal relations. In combating the scourge of anti-Semitism, my solemn ambition is to counter all forms of intolerance in the spirit of the ancient Jewish value of tikkun olam – to heal and repair the world.”
This is the third time Kraft has organized a trip to Israel, and it’s probably safe to say it won’t be the last.
