The Fundacion HispanoJudía (Jewish Hispanic Foundation, FHJ) recently awarded its first-ever Doña Gracia Award to businessman and philanthropist Stuart Weitzman in recognition of Weitzman’s work in educating Spaniards about their Jewish history.
Weitzman, a famed shoe designer, spent 40 years manufacturing his iconic shoes in Spain. According to David Hatchwell, President of the FHJ, Weitzman was always amazed at the ignorance of many Spaniards towards their Jewish legacy. Hatchwell stated that Weitzman immediately understood that the only way to change this would be through systematic education programs.
The Doña Garcia Prize is an annual award given by the Fundación HispanoJudia to people or entities for outstanding achievements that represent, defend, and promote the universal values of Judaism. These values include tzedakah, opportunity, hard work, and tikun olam.
Weitzman arrived in Spain not knowing Jewish history
Weitzman expressed his gratitude upon receiving the award and spoke about his connection to Spain. He stated that he arrived in Spain 46 years ago and knew nothing about its Jewish history. He went on to say that he wants to be part of the inheritance of that legacy and work towards re-educating the Hispanic world about its connection with the Jewish world.
“Spain is my second home, I am not a Sephardic, but I empathize,” he said upon receiving the award. “There is a hidden story that calls me, and I want to be part of the inheritance of that legacy and work in the re-education of the Hispanic world towards its connection with the Jewish world.”
Stuart Weitzman served as the US team’s flag bearer. (credit: Courtesy Maccabi USA)“Stuart spent 40 years manufacturing his iconic shoes in Spain and always felt amazed at the extraordinary ignorance of many Spaniards towards their Jewish legacy,” said David Hatchwell, President of the FHJ. “We are fortunate that as a man of action, he immediately understood that the only way to change that would be through systematic education programs that unearth our shared past and the common values that Jews share with the global community of 500 million Spanish-speakers around the world.” Hatchwell is one of the most prominent Jewish leaders in Latin America and lives in Madrid with his family.
The event was attended by about 130 people, including a delegation of board members and friends of the FHJ from Mexico, Argentina, Panama, Israel and Spain. Among them were Rabbi Sergio Bergman, President of WUPJ (World Union of Progressive Judaism) and former minister in the Argentinian government, Chella and Jacob Safra, philanthropists and friends of the FHJ, Alan Solomont, former ambassador of the US in Spain and Andorra, Jason Guberman, CEO of the American Sephardic Federation, Aaron Nomaz, author of the book Doña Gracia: The woman who led Jews to safety in Muslim lands, Pablo Kleinman, president of HJE (Hispanic Jewish Endowment), sister Foundation of the FHJ in the USA.
The FHJ is a non-profit organization established in 2016 in Spain with the aim of building bridges of understanding between the Hispanic and Jewish worlds. One of its main projects is the construction of the HispanoJudío Museum in Madrid.
Doña Gracia Nasi, also known as Doña Gracia or La Señora (The Lady), was a Portuguese philanthropist and one of the wealthiest Jewish women of Renaissance Europe. She was born into a Jewish family whose members had l been forcibly baptized. She developed an escape network that saved hundreds of Conversos from the Inquisition. She was also a leader of the Sephardi Diaspora providing relief to needy Jews supporting rabbinic scholars and establishing synagogues.
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