Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover, co-chairs of the Sovereignty Movement, which advocates for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, received the annual Lion of Zion Prize from the Ari Fuld Project at a ceremony in Gush Etzion on Tuesday night.
The award was presented on Ari Fuld’s eighth yahrzeit before several hundred attendees at the Beit Habracha complex. Fuld, an American-born Israeli activist and father of four, was stabbed to death by a terrorist outside a shopping center at the Gush Etzion Junction on Sept. 16, 2018. Despite being mortally wounded, Fuld pursued and shot his attacker, preventing him from harming others.
The event was attended by government officials, members of the Fuld family, friends and pro-Israel activists. Speakers highlighted Fuld’s continuing influence on those defending Israel and the Jewish people against anti-Israel bias and antisemitism.
Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli, who was presented with a plaque recognizing his advocacy for Israel, told the crowd that Fuld was a true Jewish and Israeli hero. Chikli said Fuld was not a man who stood on the sidelines, but was always active and fought for Israel.
“A tireless advocate for Israel, in the media, online, in public debate. He understood that Israel must be defended, not only on the battlefield, but also in the battle for truth, legitimacy and public opinion, long before it was so common,” Chikli said.
The battle over language
Ari’s brother Hillel Fuld, a technology expert who in recent years has dedicated himself to pro-Israel advocacy, told JNS that his brother understood long ago the importance of using precise language when making Israel’s case.
“He understood that we’re not going to use the terms ‘Palestinians’ or ‘West Bank,’” Hillel Fuld said. “The post-truth world we live in sees the results of not being accurate with our words.”
Fuld said the need to speak the truth about Israel is stronger than ever, particularly as what he described as falsehoods have increasingly made their way into Jewish communities around the world.
“I think we have more motivation to speak truth, but unfortunately the lies seep into many Jews around the world, voting for Mamdani, for example,” he said, referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “But I think our voice, us ‘normal’ people, is only stronger now, maybe because there’s so much darkness.”
Continuing Fuld’s work
Na’amit Leavitt, director of operations for the Ari Fuld Project, told JNS that the organization was busy implementing projects in Fuld’s memory based on his values and advocacy work.
One of its flagship initiatives is Israel Shield, a publication designed to equip Jews around the world with knowledge about Israel’s history, archaeology, Jewish identity, Torah and connection to the Land of Israel.
The organization recently published its fifth edition, with 50,000 copies distributed in the United States and another 10,000 in Israel.
“Ari was constantly debating in the media and elsewhere about our Jewish identity and our connection to Eretz Yisrael and the Jewish people,” Leavitt said. “He was deeply knowledgeable about Torah, Jewish history and so many other areas, and he drew on all of that knowledge when making his case.”
The organization also runs the Safra v’Saifa Torah lecture series, which provides educational content to students at Netzach Yehuda pre-army Haredi academies, helping connect their Torah-based worldview with their upcoming military service.
Leavitt said the organization continues to provide equipment to IDF soldiers, one of several initiatives launched during the war.
Miriam Fuld, Ari’s widow, told the audience about the equipment the project has donated to IDF soldiers this year, detailing the units that received the donations.
‘A young generation of Ari Fulds’
Toward the end of the evening, Matar and Katsover were called to receive the Lion of Zion Prize.
Both described Fuld’s longstanding involvement with the Sovereignty Movement, recalling his participation in youth conferences, rallies, marches and other activities, as well as his support for its campaign to extend Israeli sovereignty.
Matar told JNS that she and Katsover were humbled and honored to accept the award but did not believe the recognition belonged to them alone. Rather, she said, it belonged to all members of their movement.
“Ari believed in sovereignty over the Land of Israel. There is now a young generation of Ari Fulds out there committed to that mission,” she said. “We haven’t reached sovereignty yet, so this prize really represents a commitment to continue striving for sovereignty in honor and memory of Ari.”
Religious Zionist Party Knesset member Ohad Tal told JNS that Matar and Katsover deserved the honor, saying both had dedicated their lives to the security and safety of the Jewish people.
“After Oct. 7, people have to realize that the only way to truly secure the future of this country is by applying sovereignty over all of our land,” Tal said.
He added that Matar and Katsover had faced criticism for their views for many years.
“People disrespected them, and I think that showing them this respect today is the right thing to do,” he said.
