The Government of Israel will award its annual Award of Honor for the Fight Against Antisemitism to Leo Terrell, senior counsel and chair of the US Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. A special Award of Honor, in memory of the late Charlie Kirk, will also be presented to his personal pastor, Rob McCoy, recognizing Kirk’s legacy of principled advocacy for Israel and his stand against antisemitism.
The awards will be presented at a gala on Monday, January 26, at the Jerusalem International Convention Center (Binyanei HaUma), by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli.
The ceremony will inaugurate the Second International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, titled Generation of Truth, initiated by Minister Chikli and scheduled for January 26-27, 2026, in Jerusalem, ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The conference is expected to bring together senior Israeli leaders and dozens of international participants.
Since October 7, the Trump administration has taken a firm stance against antisemitism and in support of Israel’s right to self-defense. Terrell is being honored for his sustained efforts to confront the rise of antisemitism in the US, particularly on university campuses. As head of the Justice Department’s Antisemitism Task Force, he has worked to hold academic institutions and their leadership accountable when they have failed to adequately address antisemitism within their communities.
“Senior Counsel Terrell’s leadership and moral clarity have produced tangible impact and earned him broad recognition among Jewish communities and public leaders in the US and around the world," Minister Chikli said. “This award honors those who refuse to remain silent and choose to stand with the Jewish people, with Israel, and with truth."
Charlie Kirk was a prominent voice in the global fight against antisemitism and a steadfast supporter of Israel. Through his leadership of Turning Point USA and his public advocacy, he spoke out forcefully against antisemitic rhetoric and consistently challenged efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel. The award to Pastor Rob McCoy honors Kirk’s enduring legacy and commitment to standing with the Jewish people and Israel.
The Generation of Truth conference will include plenary sessions, panel discussions, and closed-door forums focused on strengthening international cooperation and developing practical tools to combat antisemitism. Discussions will center on three primary manifestations of contemporary antisemitism: violent Islamist antisemitism; progressive antisemitism that uses human-rights language to delegitimize Israel and exclude Jews from public life; and far-right antisemitism, which has intensified and gained renewed legitimacy in recent years.
Confirmed international participants include Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama; former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz; former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison; Argentine Justice Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona; Brazilian Senator and presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro; and Brazilian Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, alongside senior representatives from Europe, Latin America, and North America. Participating countries include Albania, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“Over the past year, antisemitism has crossed a red line, with Jews murdered around the world simply for being Jewish," Minister Chikli said. “This conference aims to build an international coalition that understands antisemitism is a murderous ideology threatening the entire free world. It is time to move from defense to offense."