Gal Gadot’s $1M Genesis Prize donation helps launch $3M Israeli trauma care fund

Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s decision to donate her $US 1 million Genesis Prize has helped establish a $3 million fund for Israeli trauma care following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, the Genesis Prize Foundation confirmed.

Known as the “Jewish Nobel,” the Genesis Prize was established in 2012 and is awarded annually to individuals recognized for contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish values.

The 2026 Genesis Prize laureate announced her decision to donate the award to support the rehabilitation of Israeli terror victims.

“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. But they all share the same idea: caring for one another is how we begin to move forward,” the Hollywood actress said.

She also emphasized her Jewish identity.

“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,” Gadot explained. “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,” she added.

Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of the Genesis Prize Foundation, praised Gadot’s decision as reflecting the prize’s underlining values.

“Awarding the Genesis Prize is not an end in itself; it's a means of making the world a better place,” Polovets said. He recalled that past recipients like Michael Bloomberg, Barbra Streisand, Natan Sharansky, Steven Spielberg and Robert Kraft had all donated their prizes for various humanitarian causes.

“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 demand for mental health assistance in Israel has soared since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack nearly three years ago.

Former Israeli State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman assesses that as many as three million Israelis (around 30% of Israel’s population) have suffered from various states of trauma and post-traumatic stress (PTSD) since the attacks and the subsequent multi-front war.