The streets around the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem will be quieter in late January, but Israel’s recognition of Charlie Kirk’s work will be loud and unmistakable. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that, four months after Kirk’s assassination, Israel will present a posthumous award to honor Kirk’s impact in mobilizing support for Israel against antisemitism and other threats. The conference, now in its second year, has been framed by Israel’s government as a response to rising Jew-hatred and Holocaust denial around the world. Israeli officials said leaders from several allied nations will attend, underscoring the international dimensions of the fight against antisemitism.
Kirk was shot and killed while addressing a rally at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. The killing sent shockwaves through conservative media and among pro-Israel activists in the United States. President Donald Trump called his murder a violent attack that struck at the core values of freedom and civil society. In the months since, Christian and conservative leaders have repeatedly highlighted Kirk’s passion for defending Israel’s right to exist and for countering Jew-hatred in academic, media, and political spaces.
Those who stand against antisemitism — and stand for Israel’s right to its land — are not just political supporters but participants in an age-old struggle that reverberates through history.
Charlie Kirk’s final work reflects one aspect of his public life that resonated with many evangelicals and conservative Christians: his engagement with Shabbat, the Sabbath rest commanded in the Torah. Shortly before his death, Kirk completed a book titled Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life. The book was published posthumously in December 2025 and quickly rose to the top of the bestseller lists on Amazon and other retailers, selling out quickly due to high demand.
In his discussion of the Sabbath, Kirk connected the practice of setting aside one day of rest to deeper spiritual and physical renewal. He described turning off his phone from Friday night to Saturday night each week to focus on faith and family, and encouraged others to experience the transformative power of rest. Observers note that this approach — rooted in the biblical command to cease work on the seventh day — appealed to many of his followers who live in a high-pressure, always-connected culture.
Kirk’s embrace of Shabbat was not theological in the Orthodox Jewish sense, but his emphasis on setting aside time to cease labor and focus on family, God, and reflection resonated with the ancient practice committed to by Jews for millennia. It is noteworthy that his book frames Shabbat not as an antiquated ritual but as a countercultural antidote to modern life’s endless pace.
Israeli recognition of Kirk at the Jerusalem conference will include presentations to his family and statements of appreciation from government representatives. Officials will reaffirm that the fight against antisemitism requires allies from across the globe, and that the bond between Israel and its supporters — including Americans who stand firm amid rising Jew-hatred — is a crucial part of that fight.
This recognition in Jerusalem is more than ceremonial. It declares that Israel’s enemies will not shape the narrative, that Jew-hatred will not be normalized, and that those who defend Israel’s right to exist and to its biblical land will be heard and remembered.
