Leading Jewish philanthropist Guma Aguiar was one of four VIPs honored Wednesday by Jerusalem’s prestigious Aish HaTorah yeshiva for his role in building Israel and the nation’s capital. Aguiar, founder and CEO of Leor Energy, sponsor of Beitar Yerushalayim and owner of HaPoel Yerushalayim, was named a “Builder of Jerusalem” at the yeshiva’s 2009 Boneh Yerushalayim Awards dinner.

The Brazilian-born billionaire moved to Jerusalem two years ago. A major energy industrialist, he has since been involved with numerous philanthropic projects to aid the State of Israel and the Jewish People, yeshiva officials noted.

All three 2009 Boneh Yerushalayim awardees are business owners who excel in the fields of energy and environment.

Two honorees personally received their awards from Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon; Aguiar was in flight at the time and unable to be present in person. His co-honorees were Shai Agassi, founder and CEO of Better Place, producer of Israel’s first electric car, and Arnold J. Goldman, chairman and founder of BrightSource Energy, a solar power company.

Ayalon is also a past recipient of the Boneh Yerushalayim Award, having been honored when he served as co-Chairman of the North American aliyah organization, Nefesh B’Nefesh.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Yigal Arnon, founder and senior partner of Yigal Arnon & Co. Law Firm.