President Isaac Herzog awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor to World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder on Monday, following Lauder’s unanimous re-election by more than 350 delegates representing over 70 Jewish communities at the WJC Plenary Assembly in Jerusalem.
During his keynote address, Lauder reflected on the fallout of October 7. “Just as Israel failed to anticipate Hamas’ surprise assault, we failed to anticipate the all-out offensive on the mindset of the free world,” he said. “Because of this, Israel didn’t just suffer the attack on October 7 — the entire Jewish world was attacked on October 8”. He went on to outline a comprehensive educational campaign: “What is needed now is a new project for the Jewish people — one that educates millions of children, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. We must go school by school to remove anti-Israel and antisemitic teachers and administrators. This will not be easy, but the World Jewish Congress must lead the way” .
Lauder, who has served as WJC president since 2007, was returned to office with the full support of the assembly. Chella Safra was elected chair of the Governing Board, Aaron Frankel was named treasurer, and David Koshitzky, chair of WJC North America, was tapped to lead the Policy Council. The results of the Executive Committee elections were to be announced on Tuesday morning, with new members from Czechia, Moldova, Montenegro, Switzerland, and Venezuela set to join the panel.
Addressing Lauder’s decades-long dedication, President Herzog praised his leadership: “This moment, reflecting on the public labors of a lifetime, of one of the foremost Jewish leaders of our generation, gives me enormous pleasure and pride,” Herzog said. “Your work within the World Jewish Congress has positioned it as a global organization with enormous reach and influence. It is an organization which I hold in the highest regard as a core diplomatic arm of the Jewish People, and Jewish communities everywhere”.
On the day after Lauder’s re-election, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar took part in a fireside chat at the plenary, reviewing Israel’s engagement with Diaspora communities and its humanitarian efforts in Gaza. During the Q&A, Lauder posed a pointed question about recent comments by Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling for the destruction of Gaza and its people; delegates applauded his inquiry, but Minister Sa’ar did not offer a direct response.
Delegates also adopted a comprehensive slate of policy resolutions reaffirming unwavering support for Israel, affirming Zionism as the heart of Jewish identity, confronting online hate, empowering young Jewish leaders, and strengthening Israel-Diaspora partnership.
Lauder’s re-election and Herzog’s high-profile honor set the tone for the WJC’s strategic priorities through 2029, as Jewish communities worldwide brace for the ongoing challenges of the post-October 7 era.