Jewish Museum in Berlin awards Prize for Understanding and Tolerance

The Jewish Museum in Berlin is honouring the former US ambassador to Germany, Amy Gutmann, and Israeli physicist Daniel Zajfman with the Prize for Understanding and Tolerance.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also expected to attend the award ceremony on Saturday evening.

Gutmann served as the US ambassador in Berlin from 2022 to 2024. Before that, she led the University of Pennsylvania, among other roles. Today, she is once again teaching at a university in the United States.

Zajfman is a descendant of Holocaust survivors. He was born in Brussels and emigrated to Israel. He served as president of the Weizmann Institute of Science until 2019. The scientist is closely associated with the German Max Planck Society.

Prominent line-up of laureates

The prize has been awarded since 2002.

It honours individuals from culture, politics and business who have made significant contributions to promoting human dignity, international understanding, the integration of minorities and the coexistence of different religions and cultures.

Among the previous laureates are former German president Johannes Rau, former German chancellor Angela Merkel, conductor Daniel Barenboim, actress Iris Berben and author Herta Müller.