The Genesis Prize Selection Committee is departing from its usual custom of awarding the prize to a single Jewish individual. Instead, the committee has announced a collective award to Jewish activists and non-government organizations that were inspired by the citizens of Ukraine and their president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and “chose to act on their Jewish values by standing up for freedom, human dignity and justice,” the committee said.

The Genesis Prize is a $1 million annual prize awarded to Jewish people who have achieved significant professional success, in recognition of their accomplishments, contributions to humanity, and commitment to Jewish values.

In announcing its selection, the committee said, “The past 11 months have been unlike any previous period in the 10-year history of the Genesis Prize. We have witnessed war, destruction, and human suffering on a scale unseen since WWII. Tens of thousands of people have lost their lives; millions have abandoned their homes, jobs, schools and families. As countries neighboring Ukraine became inundated with refugees and faced disruptions to their energy supply, the economic fallout from the war has been felt throughout the world.

“But we have also witnessed human kindness, compassion, and activism on an unprecedented scale. Across the world, thousands of individuals and organizations were moved to action — making a moral choice to volunteer, donate money, shelter refugees, and engage in political advocacy.”

In making its 2023 selection, the committee calls Jews and non-Jews “to get involved in the effort to aid Ukraine’s struggle for independence and help overcome the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from the war.”