Stefanik receives top Jewish award days after announcing New York governor bid at Manhattan gala

Rep Elise Stefanik on Monday night accepted the World Jewish Congress highest honor vowing to continue fighting antisemitism and defending what she called the very Western values that have shaped America just days after announcing her bid for New York governor Speaking before guests at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan Stefanik received the Theodor Herzl Award from Ronald Lauder the businessman and former U S ambassador to Austria under President Ronald Reagan Established in the award is considered the World Jewish Congress highest honor and recognizes individuals who embody Herzl s vision for a secure 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 safeguard Stefanik disclosed Under his leadership the World Jewish Congress has carried forward Theodor Herzl s vision not only of a Jewish homeland but of a Jewish people strong self-reliant and respected among the nations It is deeply humbling to receive the Theodor Herzl Award from the World Jewish Congress an organization that for generations has stood as the diplomatic voice and moral conscience of the Jewish people across the globe she continued 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 locality of free nations KEY TRUMP ALLY JUMPS INTO NEW YORK GOVERNOR'S RACE DAYS AFTER SHOCKING MAMDANI MAYORAL VICTORYStefanik described her fight against antisemitism in Congress and on college campuses recalling her viral hearing with the presidents of Harvard MIT and the University of Pennsylvania Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate your university's code of conduct she recalled asking what she declared was a moral question not a political one I expected them to say yes But one after another after another explained it depends on the context And the world heard Let me be clear It does NOT depend on the context She revealed that exchange set off a global reckoning and delivered accountability in higher teaching that we are still just beginning STEFANIK DECRIES HOCHUL AS 'WORST GOVERNOR IN AMERICA' IN FIERY CAMPAIGN LAUNCHTurning to New York Stefanik announced the state is not just a city and state in situation it is the epicenter of the battle for the very Western values that have shaped America Eighty years after Kristallnacht we must not stay silent I will continue to call out Antisemitism Bigotry Jew-hatred Anti-Americanism she explained This moral fight is particularly vital 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 My friends Theodor Herzl s story is not ancient history she noted That is the spirit I see in this room tonight the spirit that built Israel the spirit that has invariably animated the Jewish people and the spirit that will save New York STEFANIK TO RELEASE NEW BOOK ON COLLEGE ANTISEMITISM AS SHE EYES BID FOR NY GOVERNORThe award comes a day after billionaire philanthropist Miriam Adelson voiced promotion for Rep Elise Stefanik s New York gubernatorial bid during the Zionist Organization of America s Justice Louis D Brandeis Award Dinner Stefanik chairwoman of the House Republican Leadership was honored with the Zionist Organization of America s Mortimer Zuckerman Maccabee Warrior Award for her efforts to combat antisemitism Introducing her at the gala Adelson lauded Stefanik for confronting university leaders over antisemitism and invoked her late husband Sheldon Adelson s insistence on moral conviction Adelson described Stefanik as a great leader crediting her for defending the Jewish people Israel and the Free World Stefanik launched her long-anticipated Republican campaign for New York governor on Friday entering the race as she challenges Democratic Gov Kathy Hochul Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul s office for a comment Stefanik who once criticized President Donald Trump during his first presidential run has since become one of his staunchest defenders in Congress Fox News Digital s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this review