The Genesis Prize Foundation has announced that its 2024 “Jewish Nobel” prize will be awarded to Israeli organizations that advocate for the release of hostages held in Gaza and support those hostages and families upon release, according to Genesis Prize co-founder and CEO Stan Polovets.

The decision comes after an impassioned plea from Yaakov Argamani, father of 26-year-old hostage Noa Argamani, who expressed immense gratitude for the Foundation’s efforts to remind the world of the captives’ plight and support the “tireless” work of advocacy groups. Polovets stressed that the award is humanitarian, not political, to sustain global attention on the issue, provide additional aid to relevant groups, and honor those groups’ “indomitable spirit.”

The Genesis Prize Selection Committee has initially chosen five Israeli NGOs to receive financial assistance: The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which supports families; the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for Victims of Terror, which provides emergency aid; Lev Echad, which caters to families’ various needs; NATAL – Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center, which offers treatment and support; and OneFamily, which helps victims secure government benefits and rehabilitation. More groups may be identified later as needs evolve around the hostage situation.

Beyond these organizations, the 2024 Genesis Prize also intends to honor hostage family members and other activists for their “remarkable efforts” in pursuing release and backing hostages and families, efforts Polovets called embodiments of “Jewish strength and unity” and “core Jewish values.”

The New York-based Genesis Prize Foundation awards the Genesis Prize annually to honor outstanding individuals who personify Jewish values. The selection of groups supporting Israeli hostages and families for the 2024 prize, referred to as the “Jewish Nobel,” demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to recognizing humanitarian contributions and fostering Jewish community unity. Polovets affirmed that the volunteers’ dedication represents an “inspiring example of Jewish strength,” meriting enduring historical remembrance. Through the Genesis Prize’s elevation of their work, the Foundation aims to catalyze further global consciousness of the hostages’ ordeal and support for meeting associated needs.