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Bloomberg Wins $1 Million Prize — and Gives It Back Bloomberg Wins $1 Million Prize — and Gives It Back
(about 2 hours later)
JERUSALEM — What does one of the world’s richest people do when awarded a $1 million prize? He gives it back.JERUSALEM — What does one of the world’s richest people do when awarded a $1 million prize? He gives it back.
Michael R. Bloomberg, the billionaire businessman who took a token $1-a-year salary during three terms as mayor of New York, is receiving the first-ever Genesis Prize, a broadly and vaguely defined honor that has something to do with “Jewish values.” The Genesis Prize Foundation announced Thursday that Mr. Bloomberg was investing his windfall into a new broadly and vaguely defined competition Genesis will run for young “change agents” who are “guided by Jewish values.”Michael R. Bloomberg, the billionaire businessman who took a token $1-a-year salary during three terms as mayor of New York, is receiving the first-ever Genesis Prize, a broadly and vaguely defined honor that has something to do with “Jewish values.” The Genesis Prize Foundation announced Thursday that Mr. Bloomberg was investing his windfall into a new broadly and vaguely defined competition Genesis will run for young “change agents” who are “guided by Jewish values.”
“The new competition will strive to find – and fund – the next big idea that would measurably change the world,” the foundation said in a news release issued before a glitzy evening award ceremony emceed by another very rich man who recently left a very high-profile job, the comedian Jay Leno. “The new competition will strive to find – and fund – the next big idea that would measurably change the world,” the foundation said in a news release issued before an evening award ceremony emceed by another very rich man who recently left a very high-profile job, the comedian Jay Leno.
Mr. Bloomberg, 72, who left City Hall at the end of 2013 and now focuses mainly on philanthropy, visited Israel frequently while in office and has donated millions of dollars to build a hospital wing named for his mother and an ambulance center named for his father here in Jerusalem.Mr. Bloomberg, 72, who left City Hall at the end of 2013 and now focuses mainly on philanthropy, visited Israel frequently while in office and has donated millions of dollars to build a hospital wing named for his mother and an ambulance center named for his father here in Jerusalem.
Mr. Leno, 64, the longtime host of the “Tonight Show” on NBC, is not Jewish and had never been to Israel before this week, though he has spoken out against the growing boycott movement against it. He met Tuesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and told reporters: “I love Israel, that’s why I’m here.” Mr. Leno, 64, the longtime host of the “Tonight Show” on NBC, is not Jewish and had never been to Israel before this week, though he has spoken out against the growing boycott movement against it. He met Tuesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and told reporters, “I love Israel, that’s why I’m here.”
Wayne Firestone, president of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said that selecting Mr. Leno was mainly to lend the ceremony high-wattage celebrity. He also said the prize is not “only inward-looking,” and noted the storied connection between Jews and humor. Wayne Firestone, president of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said Mr. Leno had been selected mainly to lend the ceremony high-wattage celebrity. He also said the prize was not “only inward-looking,” and noted the storied connection between Jews and humor.
Funded by Russian oligarchs, some of them Israeli citizens, the Genesis Prize aspires to be a kind of “Jewish Nobel.” From the moment Genesis picked Mr. Bloomberg for the prize last fall, he made clear he would give the $1 million away, but speculation was rife as to where. By giving it back, Genesis was able to create the new competition offering 10 prizes of $100,000 each. Funded by Russian oligarchs, some of them Israeli citizens, the Genesis Prize aspires to be a kind of “Jewish Nobel.” From the moment Genesis picked Mr. Bloomberg for the prize last fall, he made clear he would give the $1 million away, but speculation was rife as to where. With the prize returned, Genesis was able to create the new competition, which offers 10 prizes of $100,000 each.
Recipients of the Genesis Prize need not be Jewish, nor do entrants in the sweepstakes for the 10 new prizes. They must be 20 to 36 years old and can apply online starting Aug. 1. The money will go to projects that can focus “on any subject,” according to the news release, which went on to list nine examples, including “environmental sustainability,” “cross-cultural exchanges” and “poverty alleviation.” Recipients of the Genesis Prize need not be Jewish, nor do entrants for the 10 new prizes. They must be age 20 to 36 and can apply online starting Aug. 1. The money will go to projects that can focus “on any subject,” according to the news release, which went on to list nine examples, including “environmental sustainability,” “cross-cultural exchanges” and “poverty alleviation.”
Asked how being Jewish influenced his success, Mr. Bloomberg said at a brunch with Jerusalem entrepreneurs Thursday that he and his sister had learned values from their religiously observant parents at nightly family dinners.Asked how being Jewish influenced his success, Mr. Bloomberg said at a brunch with Jerusalem entrepreneurs Thursday that he and his sister had learned values from their religiously observant parents at nightly family dinners.
“Jews have been persecuted for an awful long time and that gets you to realize you have to work harder just to be equal,” he said. “Jews have been persecuted for an awful long time, and that gets you to realize you have to work harder just to be equal,” he said.
“But Jews aren’t the only ones who have been persecuted,” he added. “Just in this city, every religion is represented here, and all of those religions have values that in the end aren’t that different.”“But Jews aren’t the only ones who have been persecuted,” he added. “Just in this city, every religion is represented here, and all of those religions have values that in the end aren’t that different.”