The Herzl Award is awarded annually by the Department for Zionist Activities of the World Zionist Organization

World Zionist Organization

The World Zionist Organization , or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization , or ZO, in 1897 at the First Zionist Congress, held from August 29 to August 31 in Basel, Switzerland...

 to outstanding young men and women in recognition of their exceptional efforts on behalf of Israel and the Zionist cause. The award was first awarded in 2004, on the centennial anniversary of Theodore Herzl’s death.

Background

Herzl was the father of political Zionism

Zionism

Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...

. Even though he died at the young age of 44, of which only 9 were dedicated to the Zionist cause, he was able to mobilize the forces and create the infrastructure that would revolutionize the Jewish world and bring about the realization of the Jewish people’s age-old dream of returning to Zion.

Award Requirements

According to the site of the WZO candidates are nominated by Zionist Federations around the world for achievement in one or more of several fields:

• encouraging aliyah
• promoting Zionist education (formal or informal)
• fostering the study of Hebrew
• advocating on behalf of Israel
• furthering the development of Israel as an exemplary society
• contributing to the advancement of Zionist thought
• organizing on behalf of the Zionist movement

Nominees must be no older than 44, Herzl’s age at the time of his death.

Receipients

All Herzl Award recipients receive a distinctive certificate and an engraved cast bronze trophy, as well as being inscribed in a special Herzl album in Jerusalem.

Recipients 2004 (Inaugural Award):

United States: Brian Sacks; Elana Yael Heideman; David Borowich

David Borowich

David Borowich is an American financier, philanthropist, community organizer and activist. He is the founder of multiple community organizations, including Dor Chadash, which hosts cultural exchange programs between Israeli and American Jews...

; Dr. Moises Salinas

Moises Salinas

Moises Salinas is a scholar of developmental and social psychology, a multi-cultural educator, a Zionist political activist, and the former director of the Office of Diversity and Equity at Central Connecticut State University.- Early life :...

Australia: Dr. Ron Weiser

South Africa: Errol Anstey

Denmark: Simon Boysen

Hungary: Dr. Attila Novak

India: Raphael (Ralphy) Ezekiel Jhirad

Argentina: Susana Edith Gelber

Mexico: Meny Samra Cohen; Marcos Metta Cohen

Belgium: Francis Weitz
Recipients 2005:

United Kingdom: David Collins

David Collins

-People:* David Collins , 18th-century cricketer associated with Hampshire* David Collins , played for Wellington and Cambridge University...

, Steven Elstein, Jonathan Hantman

Venezuela: Elías Farache

South Africa: Avrom Krengel

Canada: Gabriel Martell

Russia: Evgeny Maryanchik

Denmark: Dalia Melchior

Mexico: Enrique Olsoff

Argentina: Damian Szvalb

Uruguay: Gerardo Stuczynski
Recipients 2006:

South Africa: Owen Kevin Futeran

Denmark: Andrea Uzan

Sweden: Ted Ekeroth

Argentina: Adrian Gluck

Germany: Stanislav Skibinski

Mexico: Moises Mitrani, Nathan Feldman

New Zealand: Phil Koningham

United Kingdom: Stephen Rosenthal
Recipients 2007:

Great Britain: Shanee Fischer, London; Daniel Berke, Manchester

Sweden: Dmitri Vasserman

Venezuela: Alberto Moryusef

Mexico: Jacobo Adat

Chile: Andrés Abramovicz and Marisol Garriga

South Africa: Tamar Lazarus, Cape Town
Recipients 2008:

Denmark: Charlotte Thalmay

Uruguay: Laura Taragan

Mexico: Mauricio Faradji

Argentina: Daniel Lew; Fabio Kornblaum
Recipients 2009:

S Africa: Rabbi Laurence (Doron) Perez

Sweden: Torbjorn Karfunkel

USA: Debbie Isaacs
Recipients 2010:

United Kingdom: Jonathan Sacerdoti

Aryeh Grossman (Mizrachi)
In addition, the Winner of the South African Zionist Federation's "Zionist Quiz" for schools is awarded a Herzl Prize [through 2009].

External links

• "Herzl Award"
• "Herzl Centenary"
• "Jewish Ledger"
• "Jewish Agency"