ToI founding editor David Horovitz delivers a keynote address about his recent visit to Syria at a B’nai B’rith International ceremony in Jerusalem
Times of Israel reporter Zev Stub was among the recipients of this year’s B’nai B’rith prize recognizing excellence in diaspora reportage, awarded at a ceremony in Jerusalem on Thursday
Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz gave the keynote address at the award ceremony, describing his whirlwind visit to Syria last September.
The annual award , established in 1992 with the goal of helping “strengthen the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora,” is among the most prestigious prizes in Israeli media for Diaspora reportage.
Stub won in the category of written media, B’nai B’rith International said Thursday night. For broadcast media, Tamar Ish Shalom was recognized for her Jewish People Policy Institute podcast, “ Jewish Crossroads ,” dealing with the effects of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on US Jewry and its relationship to Israel.
A lifetime achievement Award was given to Oren Nahari, anchor and editor of “ Shabbat with Oren Nahari ” on Kan Reshet Bet radio and the longtime foreign news editor (1985-2016) at the Israel Broadcasting Authority. Musician Hanan Yovel was given a special citation for fostering Israel-Diaspora relations through the arts.
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Stub has been The Times of Israel’s diaspora reporter since November 2024. He was recognized for a series of articles on topics including Jewish communities in France and Canada ; immigration to Israel ; the Birthright program , and Israeli and Jewish academia .
In his acceptance speech, Stub noted that, while growing antisemitism has cast a dark cloud on Diaspora Jewish communities in recent years, many individuals have stepped up to the challenge by working to strengthen Jewish identity.
“In the course of my work, I have seen firsthand the remarkable strength and resilience of countless Jewish heroes who don’t wear capes, defending their communities and adding light when everything seems dark,” he said.
Horovitz, meanwhile, described his 48-hour visit to Syria, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel but has been undergoing a transformation since President Ahmed al-Sharaa deposed longtime ruler Bashar Assad in late 2024. Horovitz called the trip “fascinating and improbable — a rare bright spot amid our routine chaos and frequent despair.”
Everything about his trip, which included meetings with Syrian ministers and officials, visits to several synagogues, and viewing, at the National Museum in Damascus, the reassembled wall paintings from the 2,000-year-old Dura-Europos synagogue in eastern Syria, was “astonishing,” he said.
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