Argentina’s president wins ‘Jewish Nobel Prize’

President Javier Milei, known for his staunch support of Israel, becomes the first head of state ever to win the Genesis Prize.

By World Israel News Staff

On Tuesday, The Genesis Prize announced President of Argentina Javier Milei as the 2025 Genesis Prize Laureate, the first time the award, known as “The Jewish Nobel Prize,” has been bestowed upon a head of state.

Milei was the unanimous choice of the nine judges on the committee, which commended him for his unequivocal support of Israel during one of the most difficult times since the founding of the Jewish state.

Milei recently announced his decision to move the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem. He has reversed years of anti-Israel votes by Argentina in the United Nations and pledged to bring culprits responsible for the AMIA and Israeli Embassy bombings in Argentina in 1992 and 1994, respectively, to justice.

Just last week, Milei ordered the declassification of intelligence regarding the unexplained death of Alberto Nisman, the special prosecutor responsible for the AMIA bombing investigation.

Former Argentinian President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is presently being tried for obstructing that investigation and for her government’s controversial 2013 Memorandum with Iran, which shielded the accused terrorists and lifted Interpol alerts intended to arrest them.

The planned relocation of Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem is in sharp contrast to the actions of several other South American countries that cut diplomatic relations with Israel and recalled their ambassadors over the war in Gaza.

Shortly after the start of the war initiated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Bolivia severed diplomatic ties with Israel, accusing it of carrying out “crimes against humanity,” while Chile and Colombia recalled their ambassadors as they criticized the Israeli military offensive against Hamas terrorists.

In May 2024, Brazil withdrew its ambassador to Israel after months of tension between the two countries.

“President Milei is a true hero of the Jewish people,” said Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation.

“Unlike leaders of many other countries around the world who either remained quiet, pressured and – in some cases – sanctioned Israel, President Milei has unequivocally supported the Jewish people and their state,” Polovets said. “This award reflects Israel’s heartfelt appreciation for the president and the people of Argentina. A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

In addition to Milei’s strong pro-Israel stance, the Genesis Prize Selection Committee praised his achievements in reforming Argentina’s economy, including bringing inflation down from 25% per month to 2.4%, reversing the freefall of the country’s currency, and posting a fiscal surplus for the first time in 15 years.

Notably, the “S&P Merval Index,” which tracks the performance of the largest publicly traded companies listed on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, has generated a return of 173% in 2024, by far outperforming all other global markets. During the same period, Brazil’s stock market fell 7% and Mexico’s 11%, while S&P 500 rose by “only” 27%.

Previous Genesis Prize honorees include Michael Bloomberg, Michael Douglas, Itzhak Perlman, Anish Kapoor, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Natalie Portman, Robert Kraft, Natan Sharansky, Steven Spielberg, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Albert Bourla, and Barbra Streisand.

In addition to honoring individual laureates, The Genesis Prize Foundation bestowed its 2024 prize on Israeli NGOs supporting the released and rescued hostages and their families and helped fund lawsuits against the leadership of Hamas in international jurisdictions.

This followed a $1 million award to Jewish activists working to uphold Ukraine’s independence and alleviate the suffering of its people in 2023.

Milei has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s fight for freedom and independence; in June 2024, he was awarded the Order of Freedom by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. During the Hanukkah celebrations last month, Zelenskyy used a menorah gifted to him by Milei during the inauguration of Argentina’s president in December 2023.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Genesis Prize,” stated President Javier Milei. “Of course, I will not keep the monetary prize; I will donate it to causes that support freedom and the fight against antisemitism, both in Argentina and around the world.

“I have deep admiration for Israel, its history, and its people. The Jewish people have shown throughout their history that resilience and the defense of freedom are essential to overcoming any challenge. This spirit is a cornerstone of the relationship between Argentina and Israel, and I will work to further strengthen our ties.”

Although raised Catholic, Milei has increasingly embraced Judaism since taking a sincere interest in 2021, studies Torah regularly, attends prayer services, placed a mezuzah on his office door, and stated his intention to convert to Judaism upon leaving office.

His cabinet meetings often start with a discussion of the week’s Torah portion, while one of the most influential government officials, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, took the oath of office on a chumash — a copy of the Pentateuch or the Five Books of Moses. Shortly after being inaugurated, Milei appointed his rabbi and spiritual guide, Axel Wahnish, as Argentina’s ambassador to Israel.

Last year, Milei revealed that his grandfather, a great influence on his life, discovered shortly before he passed away that his mother was Jewish. Milei has also shared that his great-great-grandfather was a rabbi who instilled Jewish education and values in his children and grandchildren.

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