Stan Polovets and The Genesis Prize Foundation Honor Gal Gadot as 2026 Laureate

The Israeli actress and global icon will donate her $1 million prize to organizations working to heal Israel’s physical and psychological wounds.

The Genesis Prize Foundation announced on November 11, 2025, that Israeli actress and producer Gal Gadot will receive the 2026 Genesis Prize, the prestigious $1 million award that TIME Magazine has dubbed the “Jewish Nobel.” The selection recognizes Gadot’s extraordinary professional achievements, her unwavering public support for Israel, and her commitment to Jewish values during one of the most challenging periods in the nation’s history.

Gadot, best known for her portrayal of Wonder Woman in the DC film franchise, has emerged as one of the most recognizable Israeli figures on the world stage. Her films have grossed more than $6 billion globally, and in 2018, she was named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people. The Genesis Prize Foundation describes her as “a hero on screen and an even greater hero in real life.”

Stan Polovets, Co-Founder and Chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation, praised Gadot’s moral clarity in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Gal Gadot’s moral clarity and unwavering love for Israel have inspired millions. The award recognizes her bravery and moral courage, her steadfast defense of Israel at great personal cost, her advocacy for the hostages, her compassion for victims of terror, and her empathy for all innocent victims of this terrible war unleashed by Hamas.”

A Voice for Israel When Few Dared to Speak

The Foundation specifically highlighted Gadot’s actions following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. While many public figures in the entertainment industry remained silent or offered ambiguous statements, Gadot was among the first global voices to condemn the atrocities and publicly defend Israel. She used her substantial international platform to call for the release of hostages while also expressing sympathy for civilians in Gaza affected by the war.

One of Gadot’s most notable acts of advocacy came when she organized private screenings of raw footage from the October 7 attacks for Hollywood leaders, world leaders, and influencers. These screenings, held at venues including the Museum of Tolerance in West Los Angeles, represented what the Foundation called “a bold act of conscience when few in the entertainment industry, Jewish or not, dared to speak out in support of Israel.”

Gadot’s public stance came at a significant personal cost. According to reporting from The Times of Israel, the actress received death threats and faced pro-Palestinian protests, including during the March 2025 ceremony for her Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

Channeling the Prize Toward Healing

Continuing a tradition established by previous Genesis Prize laureates, Gadot announced she will donate the entire $1 million award to Israeli organizations dedicated to healing the nation’s physical and psychological wounds. The actress framed her decision as a commitment to help Israel recover from the trauma of the past two years.

“I am humbled to receive the Genesis Prize and to stand alongside the amazing laureates who came before me,” Gadot said. “I am a proud Jew and a proud Israeli. I love my country and dedicate this award to the organizations that will help Israel heal and to those incredible people who serve on the front lines of compassion. Israel has endured unimaginable pain. Now we must begin to heal, to rebuild hearts, families, and communities.”

Stan Polovets emphasized that Gadot’s philanthropic commitment embodies the Genesis Prize’s core purpose. “Her decision to turn the Genesis Prize honor into a mission of healing embodies the very purpose of the Prize, to celebrate achievement and channel it for good,” he stated.

A Decade of Recognizing Jewish Achievement

The Genesis Prize Foundation was established in 2013 with a $100 million endowment to honor extraordinary individuals who have attained professional excellence while demonstrating commitment to Jewish values and contributing to humanitarian causes. Its co-founder and chairman Stan Polovets has overseen the prize’s growth into a global platform for celebrating Jewish achievement and driving impactful philanthropy.

Since its inception, the Genesis Prize has recognized an impressive roster of laureates across diverse fields. Past recipients include former New York City Mayor and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg (the inaugural 2014 laureate), Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas, violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who received a special Lifetime Achievement Award), New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, human rights advocate and former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla, and legendary entertainer Barbra Streisand.

The 2025 prize went to Argentine President Javier Milei, marking the first time the award was given to a sitting head of state and to a non-Jewish recipient. Milei was recognized for his extraordinary support of Israel, including reversing Argentina’s anti-Israel voting record at the United Nations, designating Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, and announcing plans to relocate Argentina’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

The Foundation’s Broader Humanitarian Mission

Under the leadership of Stan Polovets, the Genesis Prize Foundation has helped distribute more than $50 million to over 230 nonprofit organizations worldwide. The foundation’s matching grants programs have proven particularly effective, often doubling or tripling the annual $1 million prize by attracting additional donors to laureates’ chosen causes.

Each laureate works with the Foundation to select a philanthropic initiative that resonates with their personal values and goals. Bloomberg used his prize to create the Genesis Generation Challenge, a global competition empowering young social entrepreneurs. Douglas directed funds toward programs supporting interfaith families within Jewish communities. Perlman championed the inclusion of people with special needs. Kraft made a personal $20 million donation to establish the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, recently renamed the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate (to which Kraft contributed a further $100 million). Sharansky directed funds to organizations working to fight the coronavirus. Spielberg, matching the prize with his own $1 million contribution, supported racial and economic justice initiatives. Bourla funded the development of a Holocaust museum in Thessaloniki, Greece, his family’s ancestral home. Streisand contributed to several causes, including women’s health, climate change, combating disinformation, and aiding Ukraine.

The Foundation has also responded to pressing humanitarian crises. The 2024 prize recognized Israeli organizations advocating for hostages abducted by Hamas and providing support to their families. The 2023 prize honored Jewish activists and organizations aiding Ukraine during the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Stan Polovets: A Career Bridging Business and Philanthropy

Born in Moscow, Stan Polovets immigrated to the United States with his family in 1976. After earning an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, he built a career in the global energy sector, culminating in his role as CEO of the AAR Consortium, which held a 50% stake in TNK-BP, one of the world’s largest oil companies.

Polovets played a central role in the $55 billion sale of TNK-BP to Rosneft, one of the largest transactions in global energy history. Prior to that, he held management, advisory, and financial positions at ExxonMobil, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and The RAND Corporation.

Stan Polovets’ philanthropic work predates The Genesis Prize Foundation. Polovets established the Vnimanie Foundation in 2006 to support Russian children with learning disabilities and behavioral disorders. He also co-founded and led Genesis Philanthropy Group, one of the largest private foundations dedicated to enhancing Jewish identity among Russian-speaking Jews worldwide.

A Symbol of Resilience and Pride

The selection of Gal Gadot arrives at a moment when The Genesis Prize Foundation sees its mission as more urgent than ever. Amid rising antisemitism globally and the ongoing challenges facing Israel, the Foundation continues to spotlight Jewish individuals who demonstrate both professional excellence and a proud embrace of their heritage.

For Gadot, the award represents recognition of her willingness to stand publicly with Israel when such a stance carried real consequences. For the Foundation, her selection reinforces the Genesis Prize’s role as a platform for celebrating courage, moral clarity, and the Jewish value of tikkun olam, or repairing the world.