Who: Daniel Pearl, posthumously, and The Daniel Pearl Foundation – accepted by Professor Judea Pearl, Daniel Pearl’s father.
What: The Roger E. Joseph Prize is an international award presented annually to an individual or organization which, by virtue of religious and moral commitment, has made a distinctive contribution to humanity. Established in 1978, previous recipients of the $10,000 award include Victor Kugler, who gave refuge to Anne Frank and her family during the Holocaust; Helen Suzman, the South African anti-apartheid activist; Rosa Parks, the mother of the modern American civil rights movement; the village of Le Chambon, which gave refuge to Jews and Christians fleeing the Nazis during the Holocaust; posthumously to Johan Jorgen Holst, for facilitating the Middle East Peace Accords; The Center for Victims of Torture and the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture; the Institute of Contemporary History and Wiener Library in London and the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw for their preservation and dissemination of historic information about the destruction of European Jewry during the Holocaust; the Southern Poverty Law Center and Morris Dees, Jr. for their decades-long legal work pursuing justice and fair treatment while combating prejudice and hate; and Chaplain Mychal Judge, posthumously, and The City of New York Fire Department.
Why: Daniel Pearl was an inspiring and courageous journalist, whose integrity was grounded in a commitment to justice and a love for humanity. A citizen of the world, he was murdered by Islamic terrorists in Pakistan primarily because of his Jewish identity. His last, haunting words before his execution were: “I am a Jew.” He was killed because he represented the ideals of modernity, pluralism, freedom of inquiry, truth, honesty, and respect for all people. His hopes and dreams of tolerance and understanding are a living legacy, sustained by The Daniel Pearl Foundation, for all who would help create a better world.
When: The 2003 Roger E. Joseph Prize will be presented at HUC-JIR’s Ordination and Investiture Services on Sunday, May 4, 2003 at 9:00 a.m.
Where: The ceremony will take place at Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, Fifth Avenue at 65th Street, New York City.