Tech Challenge To Fight Antisemitism Named For Nova Massacre Hero 

A new foundation is offering $1 million for innovative technology that will combat antisemitism and has been named for a former IDF soldier who died saving others at the Nova festival massacre on October 7. 

The ADIR Challenge Foundation is named for Addir Mesika, the 23-year-old New York native who, despite being unarmed, charged at Hamas terrorists at the dance party near Kibbutz Re’im where 364 people were slaughtered and another 40 dragged into Gaza as hostages. 

The challenge is open to any company or innovator in the world, at any age. The first stage of the competition will award three winners a prize of $10,000 apiece and they will advance to the next stage, where they can win $1 million. 

The foundation says it is looking for effective technological and innovative solutions to antisemitism and ways to inspire other innovators and spur the development of novel solutions. Hatred directed at Jewish people spiraled worldwide in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attack in southern Israel that killed 1,200 people.

The competition opened for submissions on March 6 and will close on April 30. The three winners of the first stage will be announced on May 14. 

The foundation was co-created by Mesika’s aunt and CEO Morielle Lotan, and its president Dr. Shay Hershkovitz. The challenge itself was launched in association with the UJA-Federation of New York, the Shoah Foundation and the Anti-Defamation League. 

“In the wake of losing my nephew, Addir Mesika, on October 7, I decided to focus my energy and business experience towards finding innovative solutions to tackle deeply rooted and systemic antisemitism and hate,” said Lotan. 

“In 2024, we need to humbly recognize that we still don’t know what the answers are, or what technologies will be proven to make a difference, but we do know how to discover them, and we know that technology will play a central role in any intelligent, long-term strategy for combating antisemitism.”