According to the Jewish National Fund, "the Tree of Life Award is a humanitarian award that the JNF presents to individuals in appreciation of their outstanding community involvement, their dedication to the cause of American-Israeli friendship, and their devotion to peace and the security of human life." Tovah Feldshuh is currently winning much praise on Broadway for her portrayal of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in Golda's Balcony. She is a three-time Tony nominee for Lend Me a Tenor, Sarava, and Yentl. Zaks, a four-time Tony-winning director (Guys and Dolls, Six Degrees of Seperation, Lend Me a Tenor, and The House of Blue Leaves) helmed the sucsessful Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, now playing at the Virginia Theatre.

Past honorees of the award include Stephen M. Ross, Donald Trump, Elizabeth Dole, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary Thomas Ridge, Jeffrey E. Levine, Steven Goodstein, Benjamin D. Holloway, the Late Isaac Stern, Mortimer Zuckerman, the former Vice President Al Gore, N. Richard Kalikow, and Peter S. Kalikow.

All photos are by Aubrey Reuben