Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has received the World Jewish Congress’s highest honor as she pledges to continue her fight against anti-Semitism and defend what she calls “the very Western values that have shaped America.”
Stefanik accepted the award on Monday night, just days after launching her campaign for New York governor.
Speaking to roughly 400 guests at Manhattan’s Museum of Modern Art, Stefanik accepted the Theodor Herzl Award from World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, the businessman and former U.S. ambassador to Austria under President Ronald Reagan.
Established in 2012, the award recognizes individuals who reflect Herzl’s vision for a strong and self-reliant Jewish people.
“I want to thank my friend Ambassador Ronald Lauder for his steadfast leadership and his extraordinary commitment to the cause of Jewish unity and security,” Stefanik said.
She praised the WJC for carrying forward Herzl’s vision “of a Jewish homeland, but of a Jewish people strong, self-reliant, and respected among the nations.”
The New York Republican called receiving the honor “deeply humbling,” noting the organization’s global work protecting Jewish communities and combating anti-Semitism.
“You have defended Jewish communities in every corner of the world, fought antisemitism in every form, and strengthened the unbreakable bonds between Israel and the global community of free nations,” she said.
Revisiting Her Viral Campus Anti-Semitism Hearing
Stefanik highlighted her 2023 congressional hearing with the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania, a moment that thrust higher-education anti-Semitism into the national spotlight.
“Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate your university’s code of conduct?” she recalled asking, calling it a moral question, not a political one.
“I expected them to say ‘yes.’
“But one after another after another said, ‘It depends on the context.’
“And the world heard. Let me be clear.
“It does NOT depend on the context.”
Stefanik said the exchange “set off a global reckoning and delivered accountability in higher education that we are still just beginning.”
“New York Is the Epicenter of the Battle for Western Values”
Turning to her home state, Stefanik issued a stark warning.
“New York is not just a city and state in crisis — it is the epicenter of the battle for the very Western values that have shaped America.”
She emphasized the urgency of confronting antisemitism in a state with the largest Jewish population outside Israel.
“Eighty years after Kristallnacht, we must not stay silent,” she said.
“I will continue to call out Antisemitism.
“Bigotry. Jew-hatred. Anti-Americanism.
“This moral fight is particularly important in New York — the beloved home to more Jews than anywhere outside of Israel — where antisemitic incidents hit an all-time high last year, the highest count in the nation.”
Stefanik closed with a message tying Herzl’s spirit to her vision for New York.
“My friends, Theodor Herzl’s story is not ancient history.
“That is the spirit I see in this room tonight — the spirit that built Israel, the spirit that has always animated the Jewish people, and the spirit that will save New York.”
Major Donor Support Follows Award
The honor came just one day after billionaire philanthropist Miriam Adelson voiced support for Stefanik’s gubernatorial bid at the Zionist Organization of America’s Justice Louis D. Brandeis Award Dinner.
Stefanik, who chairs the House Republican Leadership, also received the ZOA’s Mortimer Zuckerman Maccabee Warrior Award for her work combating anti-Semitism.
Introducing her, Adelson praised Stefanik as “a great leader,” and credited her for defending “the Jewish people, Israel, and the Free World.”
A Rising GOP Figure Now Entering a High-Stakes Race
Stefanik officially launched her long-anticipated GOP run for New York governor on Friday, setting up a high-profile showdown with Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026.
Once a critic of President Donald Trump during his first presidential run, Stefanik has since become one of his most loyal defenders in Congress.
This political alignment has boosted Stefanik’s national profile and strengthened her standing within the Republican Party.
Our comment section is restricted to members of the Slay News community only.
To join, create a free account HERE.
If you are already a member, log in HERE.