WJC honored Itzik and Talik Gvili, the parents of slain hostage Ran Gvili, with the Resilience Award during a ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, marking 90 years since WJC’s founding.
A 24-year-old police officer, Ran Gvili left home on October 7, 2023, to respond to invading Hamas terrorists, before he himself was killed and taken to Gaza. Through his bravery, he saved the residents of Kibbutz Alumim.
Ran Gvili was the last of the hostages to be returned, finally coming home for burial in Israel in January 2026.
At the award ceremony, WJC Israel Region President Sylvan Adams declared, “Ran’s memory is now forever part of the story of Jewish courage and resilience, during one of the hardest chapters in modern history. Itzik and Talik, you are our north star.”
“Your strength and your spirit guide our responsibility to never give up hope, to stand together, and to unite our people,” he added.