Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, announced the establishment of a foundation dedicated to combating anti-Semitism at a ceremony in Jerusalem, on Thursday June 20th. He was granted the Genesis Prize award, which is known as the Jewish Nobel, at the Jerusalem Theater. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Genesis Prize Foundation Chairman Stan Polovets presented him with the award. “The new foundation I am announcing tonight is a platform to galvanize the global fight against anti-Semitism, uniting all people of good conscience around this goal,” Kraft said. “My vision is to work to end the violence against Jewish communities, to counter the normalization of anti-Semitic narratives that question Israel’s right to exist disguised as part of legitimate debate on campuses and in the media.”
Kraft, the CEO and Chairmain of the Kraft Group, which holds assets in packaging, sports, entertainment and real estate, has an estimated net worth of $6.6 billion. The 78-year-old, from Massachusetts, is well-known for being the owner of not only the Patriots, but also New England’s Revolution the Major League Soccer Team, and Gillette Stadium where both teams play. His father was a lay leader at Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline. Their family was conservative but Sabbath observant, and his father wished for him to become a rabbi. Kraft was an early leader serving as class president in high school, and again in Columbia University, moving on to receive his MBA from the Harvard school of Business.
As reported by JTA, along with the prize, Mr. Kraft received $1 million to invest into the anti-Semitism foundation, and pledged $20 million of his own money toward the effort. The project, dubbed the Foundation for Social Media Messaging Against Anti-Semitism, is also receiving funding through two $5 million gifts, one being gifted by Roman Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea soccer team. Kraft said he aspires to raise a total of $50 million for the foundation, which will primarily target ages 18 to 35, the age which he said, are the “most impacted by what they see on social media.” “In combating the scourge of anti-Semitism, my solemn ambition is to counter all forms of intolerance in the spirit of the ancient Jewish value of tikkun olam – to heal and repair the world,” said Kraft.
Thursday night’s ceremony had approximately 600 attendants, included Netanyahu, 15 past and present Patriots players and their spouses, and Comedian Martin Short, who served as master of ceremonies. Short poked fun of last year’s winner Natalie Portman, who had refused to attend the ceremony so as not to show alliance with the Israeli Prime Minister. “At least this year’s honoree showed up,” joked Short. “If all the rich and powerful Jews are here, who is controlling the media?” he added.
To date, the Kraft family has gifted over half a billion dollars to charities including health care, education, the Jewish community, Christian organizations and local needs. He has visited Israel over 100 times. “I am delighted to welcome Robert Kraft to the august family of Genesis Prize laureates,” Netanyahu said at the ceremony. “This prestigious award honors Robert’s generous lifelong philanthropy, his commitment to the Jewish people and his love for Israel. It also recognizes his principled stand against anti-Semitism and efforts by our enemies to undermine the State of Israel through BDS and other similar campaigns. Israel does not have a more loyal friend than Robert Kraft.”
