Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s $1 million Genesis Prize has grown into a $3 million initiative to fund trauma and mental health care in Israel, the Genesis Prize Foundation announced on Wednesday.
The funding will support two dozen Israeli nonprofit organizations providing trauma treatment and assistance to frontline mental health professionals as millions of Israelis continue to cope with the psychological consequences of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and the wars that followed.
Gadot, the 2026 Genesis Prize laureate, chose not to retain the $1 million award and instead directed the money toward organizations and professionals working on Israel’s long-term psychological recovery.
Through a matching initiative led by the Jewish Funders Network, the $1 million award generated an additional $2 million in private and corporate donations.
“After three years of war, loss, and extraordinary hardship, I believe recovery starts from within,” Gadot said. “I want to dedicate these funds to the people who care for others every day: the doctors, nurses, medics, mental health professionals, and caregivers doing the difficult work of helping people recover and rebuild.”
“Some of these organizations bring different communities together by their very nature. Others are simply there for people at their most vulnerable,” she continued. “But they all share the same idea: caring for one another is how we begin to move forward.”
Gadot connected the initiative to her Jewish identity and the concept of helping those who have suffered.
“That value is deeply connected to my Jewish heritage and to our responsibility to care for those who are hurting and help repair what has been broken,” she said. “By strengthening the people who care for others, we can begin to heal families and communities, restore a sense of connection, and create the possibility of a more peaceful future.”
‘A $3 million initiative’
Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said Gadot’s decision reflected the purpose of the award.
“Awarding the Genesis Prize is not an end in itself; it’s a means of making the world a better place,” he said.
“Gal chose to focus on trauma and mental health in Israel. Her $1 million Genesis Prize became the foundation for a $3 million initiative supporting organizations helping Israelis heal,” Polovets said.
“That is exactly what the Genesis Prize was created to do: celebrate extraordinary Jewish achievement and transform that recognition into meaningful impact.”
The Genesis Prize, which TIME has called the “Jewish Nobel,” is a $1 million annual award honoring individuals for their professional accomplishments, contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish values and/or the State of Israel.
Previous recipients include Michael Bloomberg, Barbra Streisand, Natan Sharansky, Steven Spielberg and Robert Kraft.
The scale of Israel’s mental health needs remains significant. State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman has estimated that as many as three million Israelis have experienced symptoms of trauma or post-traumatic stress related to events of the past three years.
Mental health professionals, social workers, educators and caregivers are facing extraordinary demand, even as many contend with the effects of trauma themselves, according to the foundation.
Two dozen organizations selected
The Genesis Prize Foundation and Jewish Funders Network received 150 applications from Israeli nonprofits during a two-month application period.
The organizations provide services including mental health treatment, caregiver training, trauma counseling and social work.
Of the applicants, 54 advanced through the review process and 24 were ultimately selected to receive funding. The grantees include Make-A-Wish Israel, United Hatzalah and CareGivers Israel.
Applicants were evaluated on their demonstrated impact, organizational capacity and ability to strengthen Israel’s mental health and caregiver infrastructure on a larger scale. Each grantee was also required to secure matching funding from a new donor or an increased contribution from an existing donor.
The selected organizations operate across northern, central and southern Israel and serve mental health professionals, educators, frontline workers, social workers, family caregivers, children and youth, survivors of war and combat trauma, and underrepresented communities.
The Genesis Prize Foundation said the grants are intended not only to provide treatment to Israelis suffering from trauma but also to strengthen the professionals and caregivers responsible for helping them recover.
The foundation was established to celebrate Jewish achievement, strengthen Jewish identity and support philanthropic initiatives reflecting the values of its laureates. Prize funds and matching contributions have supported programs ranging from combating antisemitism and providing humanitarian relief to assisting former hostages and their families.
The full list of grantees is available on the Genesis Prize Foundation’s website.
