Israel awards Patriots owner Robert Kraft the 'Jewish Nobel' prize

JERUSALEM — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been awarded Israel’s 2019 Genesis Prize in recognition of his philanthropy and commitment to combating anti-Semitism, organizers of the prize announced on Wednesday.

The $1 million award, widely known as the ‘‘Jewish Nobel’’ prize, is granted each year to a person recognized as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through professional achievement and commitment to Jewish values.

Kraft, who grew up in an observant Jewish home, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel and has arranged trips for NFL Hall of Famers to the Holy Land. His prize money will be donated to initiatives combatting anti-Semitism, other forms of prejudices and what some portray as attempts to delegitimize Israel.

‘‘I am honored to receive the Genesis Prize and thank the Genesis Prize Foundation for its recognition and willingness to direct my prize money to such worthy causes,’’ said Kraft. ‘‘It is important that we continue to support organizations that focus on combatting prejudices by building bridges and uniting people of different backgrounds.’’

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/01/09/israel-awards-patriots-owner-robert-kraft-jewish-nobel-prize/n9DD3lBubIlUijZ5AEbFAM/story.html