Jerusalem — Aish, a global Jewish educational movement, presented Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and Chair of the U.S. Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, with its King David Award on January 25 at the Dan Family Aish World Center in Jerusalem.
The award recognizes Terrell’s advocacy on behalf of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, with particular emphasis on his work defending Jewish students on American university campuses amid a rise in antisemitism following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
The presentation took place at Aish’s main Yeshiva campus in Jerusalem, where Terrell addressed students, many of them American citizens, whose academic and personal lives have been affected by antisemitism on U.S. campuses. Organizers said the event was intended both to honor Terrell and to affirm support for students confronting hostility and discrimination.
Rabbi Elliot Mathias, Aish’s Director of Programming and Partnerships, presented the award and described Terrell as a figure of moral clarity during a period of heightened pressure on Jewish communities. “It’s such an honor for us to have you here and present you with this award, because you are a voice of moral clarity,” Mathias said. “You take responsibility, and you’re standing up for what is right. That is so refreshing in today’s world.”
Rabbi Steven Burg, chief executive officer of Aish, praised Terrell’s role in confronting antisemitism in higher education, particularly at major U.S. universities. Burg was unable to attend the ceremony but delivered remarks that were shared with attendees. “Leo Terrell has been one of the most incredible advocates for the Jewish people,” Burg said. “So many of our students attend university in the United States. We watched with horror what has happened over the last two and a half years.”
Burg referenced Aish’s documentary Frontline Warriors, which examines campus antisemitism at institutions including Columbia University, Harvard University, and the University of California, Los Angeles. “Leo has been an absolute frontline warrior, taking on these universities and saying, ‘Enough. We won’t allow you to come after Jewish students,’” Burg said.
Terrell accepted the award with remarks emphasizing his professional background and personal commitment. “I am a civil rights lawyer, but I was also a teacher,” he said. “I want to tell this group of students that I’m here for you. Antisemitism is something that has to be addressed 24/7.”
He credited U.S. President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for prioritizing the fight against antisemitism. “President Trump is the greatest friend in the White House that Israel ever had,” Terrell said. He added that Bondi had instructed him to “use every tool in the toolbox” to address antisemitism.
Terrell framed the issue as broader than the Jewish community alone. “This fight against antisemitism is not a Jewish issue,” he said. “It’s an American issue. It is a Western civilization issue. You’re just the first in line.”
He warned students about what he described as organized efforts to spread antisemitism through misinformation and institutional failure. Terrell criticized major media outlets for their coverage of Israel following October 7 and said inaccurate reporting contributes to hostility toward Jewish communities.
“The battle is to save our young people,” Terrell said, pointing to what he described as antisemitic content embedded in university environments and increasingly targeting K to 12 education. “Education is the key to truth, and it is being compromised.”
Terrell also addressed what he called failures by local prosecutors in cities such as Los Angeles, New York, and Boston to pursue antisemitic crimes. “People get arrested and released the next day. No prosecution,” he said. “Making speeches terrorizing Jewish Americans is not freedom of speech.”
He urged greater grassroots involvement, including engagement with school boards and local prosecutors, to ensure accountability and prevent antisemitic curricula or rhetoric from becoming normalized.
The King David Award has previously been presented to figures including filmmaker Steven Spielberg, legal scholar Alan Dershowitz, business leader Howard Schultz, media executive Mortimer B. Zuckerman, actor Kirk Douglas, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, and former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev.
The award bears a phrase attributed to Hillel the Elder in Pirkei Avot: “In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.” Aish leaders said the inscription reflects the values they believe Terrell has demonstrated through his work.
Aish operates educational and community programs on six continents and reaches hundreds of thousands of people annually. Organizers said the ceremony underscored the organization’s commitment to Jewish education, advocacy, and support for Israel at a time of continued global challenges.
