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Israel Prize

People walk next to a large billboard depicting US President Donald Trump with the slogan 'The Deliverer,' in Jerusalem, April 19, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
April 22, 2026, 10:34 pm
Trump among recipients of Israel Prize, for ‘special contribution to the Jewish people’
US leader expected to receive award when he next visits; artists, researchers, educators honored at annual event
By ToI Staff
Pioneering kinetic artist Yaacov Agam receiving the Israel Prize on April 20, 2026, at the Yaacov Agam Museum of Art (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)
April 22, 2026, 10:12 am
‘Creativity is the basis of Judaism’: Yaacov Agam, father of kinetic art, receives Israel Prize
Accepting the award in the eponymous museum he helped design ahead of Wednesday’s ceremony in Jerusalem, the 97-year-old creator charms admirers — and a ToI journalist
By Jessica Steinberg
US President Donald Trump speaks during a special plenum session held in his honor, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, October 13, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
February 11, 2026, 1:53 am
Trump formally invited to receive award at Israel Prize ceremony in Jerusalem
White House has yet to respond to invitation for April event, though US president indicated he would attend when Israeli education minister announced he had won the award
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) and US President Donald Trump (left, foreground) meet with their teams at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, December 29, 2025. On the left in the background (seated, unblurred) is Israeli-American businessman Michael Eisenberg, Netanyahu's pointman to the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)
December 30, 2025, 12:31 am
Trump to be awarded next Israel Prize, the country’s top honor
Education minister tells US president that he’s receiving award for his ‘significant and consistent efforts on behalf of the Jewish people in Israel,’ invites him to April ceremony
By Lazar Berman and ToI Staff
Undated photo of Eva Illouz, professor of Sociology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. (Abir Sultan/Flash90)
April 6, 2025, 3:12 pm
Israel Prize stripped from winner over war crimes petition won’t go to anyone else
Award committee unable to agree on alternative after education minister blocked giving award to Eva Illouz for signing 2021 document urging ICC not to trust Israel to investigate itself
By Stuart Winer and ToI Staff
Undated photo of Eva Illouz, professor of Sociology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. (Abir Sultan/Flash90)
March 25, 2025, 4:25 pm
Education minister strips Israel Prize from professor over ICC war crimes petition
Yoav Kisch says he will not honor sociologist Eva Illoutz, citing 2021 document she signed with 180 others urging The Hague court not to trust Israel to probe accusations itself
By ToI Staff
Israel Prize recipient Prof. Michal Schwartz blazes a trail toward anti-aging treatment through immune therapy (Courtesy of Weizmann Institute of Science)
January 14, 2025, 3:05 pm
Israeli scientist in peer-reviewed study: Immunotherapy treatment could slow aging process
Israel Prize winner Prof. Michal Schwartz says her team’s work fighting Alzheimer’s can lead to treatments that boost immune system to slow down deterioration in brain – and body
By Diana Bletter
President Isaac Herzog shakes hands with Israel Prize recipient Eyal Waldman at the award ceremony in Sderot, May 14, 2024. (Maayan Toaf/GPO)
May 14, 2024, 11:12 pm
Israel Prize ceremony goes ahead after selection process marred by controversies
Awards, held in war-battered Sderot, given in two new prize categories — Societal Responsibility and Citizen Heroism — created to mark October 7 massacre and war on Hamas
By ToI Staff and Gavriel Fiske
An aerial view of Sderot. (Golan Sabag/Sderot municipality)
March 28, 2024, 11:29 pm
Minister says Israel Prize event to be held in Gaza-adjacent Sderot; more winners named
Prominent government critic Eyal Waldman awarded prize after controversy; six new laureates announced
By Gavriel Fiske
Education Minister Yoav Kisch attends an Education, Culture, and Sports Committee meeting in the Knesset on January 30, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
March 20, 2024, 6:14 pm
Minister backtracks, reinstates regular Israel Prize categories amid court petitions
Government undoes Yoav Kisch’s controversial February decision to only award Israel’s highest civilian honor this year in two new war-related categories
Illustrative: Houses destroyed when Hamas terrorists infiltrated Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, seen on October 25, 2023. (Edi Israel/Flash90)
March 19, 2024, 5:19 pm
Israel Prize for heroism goes to two civilians who rescued dozens at Kibbutz Be’eri
Education minister names ‘Team Elhanan’ survivors as winners of one-off award, with cancelation of regular categories mired in controversy
By ToI Staff
Education Minister Yoav Kisch attends a hearing of the Knesset Education, Culture, and Sports Committee, January 30, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
March 14, 2024, 1:32 pm
High Court gives Kisch, government a week to respond to Israel Prize allegations
Petitioners demand reversal of decision to pare down 2024 prize amid allegations this was done to avoid honoring a government critic whose daughter was murdered by Hamas on Oct. 7
By Jeremy Sharon
Eyal Waldman speaks in the Knesset Science Committee in Jerusalem, March 3, 2024, breaking down when talking about his daughter, who was murdered by Hamas on October 7. (Noam Moskowitz/Knesset Spokesperson's Office)
March 3, 2024, 10:17 pm
Israel Prize nominee accuses Netanyahu associate of sabotaging his award
Mellanox CEO Eyal Waldman tells Knesset Science Committee that instructions ‘came from above’ to cancel prize categories so he would not win award
By ToI Staff
Education Minister Yoav Kisch attends a committee meeting in the Knesset on December 19, 2023 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
February 26, 2024, 10:30 am
Minister scraps Israel Prize categories over nomination of government critic – report
Unsourced report says Yoav Kisch, whose Education Ministry oversees award, pushed back against nomination of Mellanox founder Eyal Waldman, but selection committee wouldn’t back down
By ToI Staff
File: (L to R) Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog at the Israel Prize ceremony in Jerusalem, on Independence Day, April 26, 2023 (Olivier Fitoussi/POOL)
February 14, 2024, 8:22 pm
Israel Prize to skip traditional categories this year, award civilian wartime efforts
Prestigious prizes will be given for ‘Societal Responsibility’ and ‘Citizen Heroism’ only; regular categories to return next year, government says
By Gavriel Fiske
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