Israel Prize ceremony brings Independence Day to a close
Education minister uses event to urge national service for all
Yifa Yaakov is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.
As Israel’s 64th Independence Day came to a close on Thursday evening, the Israel Prize was awarded at a ceremony at the International Conference Center (ICC) in Jerusalem.
Among this year’s Israel Prize laureates were senior Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) journalist Ya’akov Ahimeir and Rabbi Haim Druckman, who was noted for his extraordinary contribution to Israeli society as a longtime educator of Religious Zionist youth.
Druckman received the Life Achievement Award, along with Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) founder Azaria Alon.
Also honored were mathematician David Kazhdan, psychology professor Shlomo Bentin, chemist David Milstein, musicologists Ruth Katz and Dalia Karmi-Cohen, statistics professor and theorist Yoav Binyamini and writer Nathan Shaham, whose rich literary output has spanned several decades.
The ceremony was attended by President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, Chief Justice Asher Grunis, Education Minister Gideon Saar and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.
Speaking at the ceremony, Saar expressed pride at the laureates’ achievements, but added that the divisions within Israeli society were developing into a mentality of “ignorance and intolerance.” He urged the country’s various sects and communities to try to understand and value each other, noting that they “share the same heritage.”
Saar went on to suggest a plan which would require all Israeli citizens – including Arab Israelis – to serve in the military or engage in national service.
