The World Jewish Congress presented its 2025 Theodor Herzl Award to US Senator John Fetterman and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik at an awards dinner in New York on Monday, recognizing their efforts to combat antisemitism and support Israel.
WJC President Ronald S. Lauder said the pair “have defied the onslaught against us and stood up to the frightening rise of antisemitism and the hatred of Zionism. They have stood up publicly, unapologetically, and unequivocally in defense of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.” He added that when others were silent, the honorees “raised their voices loudly and clearly against the rising storm that has engulfed our nation and the world.”
Fetterman addressed the dinner via video due to an unexpected vote in Washington. “The proudest thing that I’ve done in my entire Senate career is to stand for Israel and with the Jewish community worldwide through this horrible Gaza war after the trauma of October 7,” he said. “My vote and my voice are going to continue to follow Israel.”
Stefanik emphasized accountability for antisemitism, especially on campus. “Being a fighter in the spirit of Herzl requires both courage and vision, the ability to see intuitively where the next battlefield lies and then take up the fight, much like Ambassador Lauder outlined today,” she said.
“We are exposing the truth about how antisemitism has been normalized and institutionalized, and I will not stop until accountability is real, and every Jewish student can walk across campus without fear.”
Award underscores bipartisan response since October 7
The Theodor Herzl Award, named for the founder of modern Zionism, is given annually to individuals whose work reflects Herzl’s ideals.
The ceremony drew leaders from government, diplomacy, philanthropy, and the arts, highlighting bipartisan backing for Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks.