The Genesis Prize Foundation announced Monday that it will bestow its annual award on Hollywood actress and singer Barbra Streisand, the 10th Anniversary Genesis Prize Laureate. The prize will be awarded to the Jewish actress and singer at a ceremony to be held in Los Angeles in October, exactly ten years after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was announced as the first Genesis Prize laureate.
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"Since the launch of the prize in 2013, Streisand has received tens of thousands of nominations and votes for the Genesis Prize. Recognizing the overwhelming display of support and admiration by global Jewry over the past decade, the judges of the selection and prize committees unanimously endorsed Streisand as the 10th Anniversary Genesis Prize Laureate," according to the foundation.
Streisand said in a statement: “I am delighted to be honored by the special 10th Anniversary Genesis Prize and to work with The Genesis Prize Foundation to support organizations that seek to better society and our shared humanity. I am very proud of my Jewish heritage, and have always been moved by the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam, to repair the world. I hope to join and inspire others in their own commitment to build a better world.”
The Genesis Prize is an annual $1 million prize that has been called the "Jewish Nobel Prize" by Time magazine. The purpose of the award is to highlight and honor the achievements of extraordinary Jewish personalities who act upon their values, make a significant contribution to humanity as a whole and inspire the next generation of the Jewish people.
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Shimon Peres and Barbra Streisand from "Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres"
(Screenshot, courtesy of Netflix)
Streisand asked the foundation to direct the prize to non-profit organizations working in four areas: humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, protection of the environment, promotion of women's health, and the fight against disinformation in the media.
“It is a great honor for our foundation to celebrate Barbra Streisand – one of the world’s most beloved and admired performers,” said Stan Polovets, founder and chairman of the Genesis Prize Foundation. "In addition to delighting audiences all over the world for the past six decades with her amazing talents, Barbra has dedicated her time, resources and passion to numerous important causes, speaking out whenever and wherever she saw injustice. Her sense of responsibility to heal the world grows out of her Jewish values and her Jewish identity, which Barbra has displayed proudly since the very beginning of her extraordinary career. Barbra’s innovative philanthropy has had significant impact in so many areas, including health, environment and gender equality. We look forward to working closely with Barbra and her foundation to expand that impact going forward.”
The wife of Israel's president, Michal Herzog, said of the decision to award the prize to Streisand: "Barbra Streisand is not only an object of my personal admiration, and a wonderful singer and actress, but also a trailblazer in the entertainment and film industry – an inspiration to women around the world. A true friend of Israel, an exemplary leader on the Jewish and human rights level – she is the definition of a brave woman!"