The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, together with prominent New Jersey leaders, presented the Morris Katz Legacy Award to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee for his unwavering leadership, his voice in defense of Israel, and his commitment to fighting terror.
The award, established in honor of Holocaust survivor and artist Morris Katz, was previously presented in 2024 to New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer for introducing the HEAL Act, promoting Holocaust education across all 50 states.
The 2025 award ceremony took place in Jerusalem, where Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce Founder & CEO Duvi Honig was joined by Malcolm Hoenlein, vice chair and CEO emeritus of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; Christopher Ruddy, founder and CEO of Newsmax Inc.; Professor Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law School; Rabbi Steven Berg, CEO of Aish Hatorah and activist from Bergenfield; and Rabbi Mendy Carlebach, executive director of Chabad House of North & South Brunswick and administrator of Chabad House–Lubavitch of New Brunswick.
Huckabee, a Baptist minister, is the first evangelical Christian to serve as American ambassador to Israel and has been a passionate defender of Israel. A recent New York Times story said the two-time presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor first went to Israel in 1973 and has made 100 trips to the Jewish state. Evangelical Christians, an important part of President Trump’s base of support, strongly believe Israel is the land that God promised to the Jews in the Bible.
Ambassador Huckabee emphasized that building bridges between the United States and Israel not only strengthens diplomatic and security bonds but also drives economic growth — particularly for New Jersey.
By honoring Ambassador Huckabee, the chamber and its partners reinforced the message that defending Israel, combating antisemitism, and building bridges through commerce remain critical for the Jewish people, New Jersey communities, and the global stage.
Rabbi Steven Berg, reflecting on the event as CEO of Aish Hatorah and a New Jersey resident, said, “Over the years, I’ve seen many organizations bring groups to Israel. But what I witnessed with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, led by Duvi Honig, was truly exceptional. Working with Chris Ruddy of Newsmax and the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Duvi brought over 60 leading U.S. media personalities to Israel to promote truth, fight hate, and establish a PR response to combat fake news that plagues our state and our nation.”
Berg continued, “As Jews, we cannot afford to live in silos — business leaders apart from community leaders, or communal leaders apart from families. We are one people, one family, and we must stand for each other. Watching Duvi Honig’s vision come to life reminded me of that truth. It was a privilege for Aish to be part of this mission, which I have no doubt will strengthen the relationship between Israel and New Jersey economically and beyond.”
