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In 1978, the first Joseph Prize was presented to Victor Kugler, who risked his and his loved ones’ lives to shelter Anne Frank and her family.

For the past 48 years, the Joseph Prize has been presented to outstanding individuals, organizations, and institutions whose work fulfills the highest ethical and humanitarian values of our tradition.

Linda Roth, Chief of Communications and Strategy at World Central Kitchen, accepts the 2026 Joseph Prize on behalf of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen. Listening are the family of Roger E. Joseph and President Andrew Rehfeld.

Recipients of The Roger E. Joseph Prize (1978-2026)

At New York Ordination ceremonies on May 3, the 2026 Roger E. Joseph Prize was presented to Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen.

Whose commitment to prepare nourishing, comforting food to feed people amidst man-made crises, humanitarian emergencies, and catastrophic natural disasters provides much-needed sustenance along with hope and dignity in challenging times. And whose teams work with urgency, leverage local resources, and cook side-by-side with the people most deeply affected by crisis, all while serving meals daily to people in need and thoughtfully expanding their knowledge of food relief;

Whose resilience-focused programming addresses chronic and acute food system challenges by empowering cooks to pursue hospitality sector careers, supporting the transition from dangerous wood- and coal-fueled fires to clean burning propane to improve human and environmental health, and supporting local farmers, fishers, and food producers to enhance food security and sustainability;

And whose endeavors embody the Rabbinic imperative to provide food for the vulnerable, which our sages explain as among our most crucial responsibilities in this life: “When you are asked in the world to come, ‘What was your work?’ and you answer: ‘I fed the hungry,’ you will be told: ‘This is the gate of Adonai enter into it, you who have fed the hungry.'”