The venue for this moving and carefully crafted award ceremony that recognized 16 honorees as Home Front heroes took place at the new Israel National Library building in Jerusalem, with the honorees receiving medals and prizes.
The project was created by the World Zionist Organization’s very own Zionist Council in Israel to honor men, women and organizations whose extraordinary wartime activities lay emphasis on the spirit of volunteerism and social action in Israeli civil society and were deemed worthy of commendation.
The adjudicating panel was headed by Israel Prize laureate, Ms. Miriam Peretz, and included Eshkol Regional Council Chair, Mr. Gadi Yarkoni, social activist, Ms. Adi Altshuler, World Zionist Organization Vice-Chairman, Mr. Gil Segal, and Ms. Osnat Barda.
Among the honorees were: Public Diplomacy activist, Yosef Haddad; journalist and media figure, Tamir Steinman; the singer, Omer Adam, who won the award for his impromptu emergency ops center to cover taxi expenses for mobilized and serving soldiers; the “Ha’Achim” restaurant for their immense contribution; the national emergency babysitting ops center that assisted thousands of families of reserve soldiers; the Forum of the Families of Hostages for their contribution to national resilience; an additional ten people and projects also received this distinction in recognition of their significant contribution.
The event was hosted by Guy Zu-Aretz and included a performance by the ‘Nonna’ children’s band with a guest appearance by Arkadi Duchin. The event was also livestreamed on social media.
The award committee of the Zionist Council in Israel’s project "Heroes of the Home Front" headed by Mrs. Miriam Peretz together with Mrs. Adi Altshuler, Mr. Gadi Yarkoni, Mr. Gil Segal and Mrs. Osnat Barda, gathered this week to select the award winners from among the candidates.
Hundreds of candidates submitted applications for the award and after reviewing them all, the committee chose fifteen winners - men, women and organizations, whose activities for the Israeli home front during the war is especially worthy of mention and praise. The awards ceremony will be held on January 21st.
The Zionist Council in Israel launched a new project to honor the activities of the heroes and heroines of the home front in the Swords of Iron war.
The project was published on social networks and in the media, and invited Israeli citizens to submit their candidates for receiving the "Heroes and Heroines of the Home Front Badge" for citizens or organizations doing praiseworthy activities throughout the war that highlights the spirit of volunteerism, dedication, unity and action of Israeli civil society in various fields. Winners will be recognized for their activities and receive a trophy symbolizing the spirit of volunteering during the war where Israel is experiencing the worst losses it has known.
The award winners will be determined by a committee, chaired by the Israeli Prize winner Mrs. Miriam Peretz. Among its members is the social entrepreneur, Mrs. Adi Altshuler, and the head of the Eshkol Regional Council, Mr. Gadi Yarkoni.
