Vienna’s Hofburg Palace hosted the 2026 Yael Awards last week, bringing together educators from around the Jewish world to focus on strengthening Jewish education and identity amid rising antisemitism.
Investing in Jewish Education
The Yael Awards, the only global awards program exclusively focused on Jewish education, recognized excellence across 11 categories, with winners representing ten countries. The gathering served as a space for serious discussion about raising standards in Jewish education.
Speakers emphasized the importance of strong schools and a confident Jewish identity as long-term assets, framing Jewish education as vital community infrastructure. Rabbi Shlomo Farhi opened the conference, highlighting that students spend approximately 13,000 hours in school, shaping their identity, values, and sense of belonging.
Farhi urged attendees to strive for excellence, referencing the Hebrew concept of moving beyond “good enough” (“tov”) to “very good” (“tov me’od”). The conference included plenaries, workshops, and keynotes centered on leadership, resilience, and responsibility, fostering a collaborative and solutions-oriented environment.
Focus on Resilience and Ethics
Cybersecurity expert Keren Elazari discussed ethics, trust, and decision-making under pressure, while psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar addressed resilience and recovery, introducing the concept of “resilience 2.0” through post-traumatic growth.
The choice of the Hofburg Palace, a historically significant venue, was deliberate, intended to convey the importance of education and position it as work worthy of the highest investment and attention.
Award Recipients
Ibn Gabirol School in Madrid won the Academic Excellence Award for its rigorous academics and ability to serve a diverse Jewish population. Beth Habad Canton Vert in France received the Jewish Experience of the Year award for providing stability and connection for teens. Maimónides School in Tucumán, Argentina, was recognized with the Community Impact Award for rebuilding Jewish life in a growing community, and Simcha School in Kyiv received the Innovator of the Year award for developing adaptive educational models under challenging circumstances. Each award includes a cash prize.
More than 13,300 parents participated in the voting process. Winners were selected based on parent input and evaluation by an international judging panel including Natan Sharansky, Avital Chizhik Goldschmidt, Robert Singer, Max Neuberger, and Chaya Yosovich.
Yael Foundation CEO Chaya Yosovich stated the event reflected values through action, emphasizing the importance of investing in educators. Yael Foundation co-founder Uri Poliavich highlighted the foundation’s increased investment and focus on building strong, self-sustaining Jewish schools with effective leadership and educational talent. Discussions addressed antisemitism, with a recurring emphasis on capacity building and institutional strength.
The Yael Awards underscored a commitment to prioritizing investment in education, leadership, and standards to strengthen Jewish identity worldwide.
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