Gal Gadot’s Genesis Prize Project is Funding 24 Israeli Mental Health NGOs

Gal Gadot, the iconic Israeli actress and director who is well known for her role as Wonder Woman is a superhero in her own right. She is a symbol of strength, integrity, and justice in her role of advocating for Israel.

This has been especially true following the Oct 7 Hamas attacks where Gadot was amongst the first to condemn Hamas’s heinous crimes, to defend Israel, and she called for the release of the hostages, according to the Genesis Prize Foundation. Gadot was the 2026 Genesis Prize Laureate for her unwavering support and advocacy for Israel, even when it cost her professionally. What she is using the $1 million  prize money for highlights her commitment to bring mental healing to people suffering from trauma following three years of war.

A matching campaign that was led by the Jewish Founders network generated another $2 million, reported The Jerusalem Post. The funds will be used to fund 24 Israeli mental health and trauma care NGOs including United Hatzalah, CareGivers Israel and Make-A-Wish Foundation that will support treatment and trauma counseling.

“Some of these organizations bring different communities together by their very nature. Others are simply there for people at their most vulnerable,” Gadot said in a statement to JPost “But they all share the same idea: Caring for one another is how we begin to move forward.”

What is the Genesis Prize?
The Genesis Prize, also known as the Jewish Nobel Prize, is an annual $1 million award that recognizes Jewish people who have attained international renown in their professional life and are proud of being Jewish and care about the future of the Jewish people and the Jewish state.

Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said the initiative reflected the prize’s philanthropic purpose. “Awarding the Genesis Prize is not an end in itself; it’s a means of making the world a better place,” he said.

Some of the past laureates include Steven Spielberg, Michael Bloomberg, Barbara Streisand, and Natan Sharansky, reported Haaretz, all have used the prize money to support humanitarian causes.

Gadot’s choice of supporting mental health and the professionals that are on the frontlines of providing care shows her commitment to the people of Israel who are still recovering from October 7 and the war.

She told the Genesis Prize Foundation that the value of caring for one another, “is deeply connected to my Jewish heritage and to our responsibility to care for those who are hurting and help repair what has been broken. By strengthening the people who care for others, we can begin to heal families and communities, restore a sense of connection, and create the possibility of a more peaceful future.”

The Mental Health Initiative
Gadot chose to use her prize and the matching funds to focus on mental health and trauma, reported Ynet. The funds were directed to start an initiative with 24 Israeli nonprofit organizations that treat trauma.

Israel’s mental health needs remain significant with an estimated 3 million Israelis suffering from post-traumatic stress and other trauma. The mental health professionals in the country are stretched very thinly.

The grants for this initiative were chosen by the Genesis Prize Foundation, and the Jewish Founders Network. They received 150 applications from Israeli NGOs. The committee selected 24. All the applicants were evaluated on their impact and ability to strengthen Israel’s mental health services.

The programs will operate across southern Israel, northern Israel, and the center. They will help professional people, children, young people, survivors of October 7, former hostages, war trauma, and underserved communities.

“Gal chose to focus on trauma and mental health in Israel. Her $1 million Genesis Prize became the foundation for a $3 million initiative supporting organizations helping Israelis heal,” Polovets said in a statement. “That is exactly what the Genesis Prize was created to do: celebrate extraordinary Jewish achievement and transform that recognition into meaningful impact.”

Choosing Gadot will have an important impact on furthering resilience and helping the most vulnerable in Israeli society. Gadot embodies all the attributes of a real superhero.