Momentum has won the Jerusalem Unity Prize!

From left: Deputy Minister of Finance Michal Woldiger; Minister of Education Yoav Kisch, Momentum CEO Ben Pery; Momentum Founding Director Lori Palatnik; President of Israel Isaac Herzog, Ofir Shaer, and Bat-Galim Shaer

Since 2014, this prestigious honor has been awarded to individuals and organizations working tirelessly to unite Israel and the global Jewish people.

Nine years ago, on June 12, 2014, while Momentum trips were taking place in Israel, three Israeli boys were kidnapped in Gush Etzion. For 18 days, extensive searches for them were conducted while the Jewish people stood unified in hopes and prayer for their recovery.

During those 18 days of searches, the figures of the three mothers stood out in the media, both in Israel and abroad, conveying a message of resilience and trust in the security forces. They were invited to speak at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, and the people of Israel and the Diaspora rallied around them. On June 30, the bodies of the three boys were found. A group of Momentum participants, led by Lori went to pay a Shiva call, and a strong bond was formed between the three families and Momentum.

Together, the families of the boys founded “Unity Day,” in which they address the issue of Jewish unity both in Israeli society and throughout the Diaspora. The culmination of the day is the ceremony where the Jerusalem Prize for the Unity of Israel is awarded to individuals, organizations, or initiatives that have had an influence in this field.

We are grateful to prize co-founders Rachelle Fraenkel and Bat-Galim Shaer, two beloved members of our Momentum community. Rachelle, a renowned Torah scholar and public speaker, sits on Momentum’s Israel Public Council.  We are honored to call her a friend and leader.  Bat-Galim, the founder of the SonShine Organization, is also a deeply dedicated supporter of our work.

During a special ceremony held at the President’s Home on June 6, President of Israel Isaac Herzog presented the Jerusalem Unity Prize in the “International Unity” category to Momentum Founding Director Lori Palatnik and CEO Ben Pery.

For more than a decade, due to your dedication to and belief in Momentum’s mission, we have been able to inspire tens of thousands of Jewish mothers and fathers around the world to live meaningful Jewish lives, make an impact on their communities, and celebrate one of our core founding values – unity without uniformity – the central value for which this honor is being bestowed.  This recognition is the opening of a new chapter in Momentum’s history and we wouldn’t be here without you!  We look forward to continuing to execute on our mission and expand our reach to even more deserving women and men like you to inspire their families and communities.

This award is yours to share and with which to take immense pride.  Thank you for being part of our incredible movement and may we be blessed to do even more together!

About the Jerusalem Unity Prize

The Jerusalem Unity Prize is an initiative led by Israeli Minister of Economy Nir Barkat and the families of Gilad Shaer, Eyal Yifrach, and Naftali Fraenkel – three teenage boys who were kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in the summer of 2014. The faith and resilience of the three teenagers’ families brought together Israelis of all backgrounds, creating unity across Israel and the Jewish world at such a challenging time.

The winners are selected by a dedicated public committee, which includes Economy Minister Nir Barkat, former Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron, Chairman of the Lautman Foundation Noam Lautman, Brigadier General (Ret.) Amal Asad, Israel Goldschmidt, Zahar Chairman Rabbi David Stav, Deputy Director of the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women Oshra Friedman, President of the Israel Association for Advanced Industries Karin Meir Rubinstein, Rabbi Hacham David Menachem HaCohen, and the families of the three boys.

This year, the award was presented to Momentum, Makom, Kaleidoscope, Leadership Forum, and the Science and Judaism Education Center.