Dovid Efune and Michael Mukasey. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

The Algemeiner honored two well-known journalists at its third annual Summer Benefit last week in New York City.

New York Observer Editor-in-Chief Ken Kurson received the paper’s Journalist of the Year award and Forbes magazine investigative star Richard Behar was presented the Story of the Year award for his July 2013 cover feature “Peace Through Profits.”

Close to 300 people attended the event, which was held at The Carriage House in Midtown East.

The event was chaired by philanthropist Ari Ackerman, and was emceed by actress and comedian Courtney Davis.  Prominent guests included New York Observer CEO Joseph Meyer, philanthropists Charles and Seryl Kushner, Forbes Editor Randall Lane, former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Israel’s Consul General in New York Ido Aharoni.

In presenting Behar’s award, Aharoni said of the journalist, “He looked at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict not necessarily as a problem, but rather as an opportunity and he told a story that was not told about the amazing partnership, economic cooperation for the benefit of the collective, of the entire Israeli-Arab, Palestinian community.”

In accepting his award Behar described The Algemeiner as providing “a Jewish take on global matters for a global audience.”

“It’s on my must read list every day,” he added.

Behar said, “I don’t like what I see from my colleagues in major American and Western media, their coverage of Israel. They need to approach it courageously and honestly and with very few exceptions they’re not doing the job, and so I’m trying to do my part. And that’s a challenge for all of us.”

Mukasey described Kurson as a “great American,” adding that “not very many people could be described as both a great American and a mensch.”

In accepting his award, Kurson said, “There’s an old Chabad saying that when a Jew walks down the street and steps on a stone, the stone should know it’s been stepped on by a Jew… and to me… if I’m living my life the right way and doing my job the right way, then who I am should come out in everything that I do.”

Praising the award recipients, Algemeiner Editor-in-Chief  Dovid Efune said, “In his book fear no evil, Natan Sharansky, creates two groups of people ‘realists’ and ‘idealists,’ the realists always go with the path that they feel is necessary at the time, the idealists do what they believe is right whether popular or not, Richard and Ken you both fit firmly in the second group.”

Founded in 1972 as a Yiddish broadsheet by veteran journalist Gershon Jacobson, The Algemeiner today publishes a weekly newspaper in English and runs this ever popular website.

Photos of the event can be viewed below:

Charles and Seryl Kushner with George Gellert, Chairman of Atalanta Corporation. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Event chairman Ari Ackerman delivers opening remarks. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Event chairman Ari Ackerman delivers opening remarks. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Algemeiner editor Dovid Efune addresses event attendees. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Algemeiner editor Dovid Efune addresses event attendees. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Consul General of Israel, Ido Aharoni introduces Forbes’s Richard Behar. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

New York Observer’s Ken Kurson delivers his acceptance speech. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

New York Observer’s Ken Kurson delivers his acceptance speech. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Comedian Courtney Davis unveils The Algemeiner’s annual ‘Top 10 Stories’ list. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Consul General of Israel, Ido Aharoni presents Forbes’s Richard Behar with The Algemeiner’s ‘Story of the Year’ Award. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Forbes’s Richard Behar delivers his acceptance speech. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey presents the New York Observer’s Ken Kurson with The Algemeiner’s ‘Journalist of the Year’ award. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey presents the New York Observer’s Ken Kurson with The Algemeiners ‘Journalist of the Year’ award. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey presents the New York Observer’s Ken Kurson with The Algemeiner’s ‘Journalist of the Year’ award. Photo: Sarah Rogers.

Comedian Courtney Davis unveils The Algemeiner’s annual ‘Top 10 Stories’ list. Photo: Sarah Rogers.