Presidential Award for Volunteerism given to 19 people, organizations

Israel’s president presents the award in order to foster volunteerism for the benefit of individuals, communities, and the whole of Israeli society.

At a time when sadness and psychological trauma have seeped into Israel’s spirit, there is no more effective emotional balm than being surrounded by hundreds of volunteers representing a multitude of other volunteers giving of themselves to others.

The ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem earlier this month bestowing the Presidential Award for Volunteerism (formerly the President’s Volunteer Prize) was such an occasion. The prize was established by Israel’s fourth president, Ephraim Katzir, and has been awarded to 12 people each year since 1974. This time, the number of recipients – individuals and nonprofit organizations – was expanded to 19 because of the outpouring of assistance provided by ordinary citizens to others when the government froze after Oct. 7.

Israel’s president presents the award in order to foster volunteerism for the benefit of individuals, communities, and the whole of Israeli society, and thus to contribute to Israel’s societal fabric and its social cohesion on humane and personal grounds. It is granted in cooperation with the National Council for Volunteerism in Israel, saluting young and old people, secular and religious citizens, and Jews, Muslims, Druze, Christians, and others in Israel.

It has served as an example for foreign presidents wanting to encourage volunteerism in their own countries. Assistants of US president George H.W. Bush who learned about the Presidential Award for Volunteerism from the office of the President of Israel established a similar award in America.

OPENING THE recent ceremony, President Isaac Herzog said: “In a time of war, when we are so often confronted with distressing news, it is both a privilege and a joy for Michal and me to host this extraordinary group of volunteers – individuals and organizations – who bring us pride and are responsible for so much good news.

“Yet even at this moving moment, we cannot ignore our broken hearts, our longing, our worry, and our yearning for our brothers and sisters who remain in captivity at the hands of ruthless murderers. Their voices cry out from beneath the ground, reminding us of our supreme human, Jewish, and Israeli duty: to bring them home. We must repay this sacred debt to the hostages, to their families, and to ourselves. We pray for their swift return.”

The president, who hosted the ceremony along with first lady Michal Herzog, stressed that while the ceremony takes place at the President’s Residence, it is first and foremost the people’s house, “just as the President’s Volunteer Medal is truly the people of Israel’s volunteer medal. Behind the salute we give you today stands an entire nation, so proud of your work, your spirit, and the extraordinary Israeli diversity you represent,” he said.

“Now is not a time for incitement, extremism, or conflict. This is the critical moment for moderation, compromise, and unity. Now is the time for healing.”

Nurit Dabush, chair of the President’s Advisory Committee, said: “We in the committee met the beautiful face of Israel in all its diversity. These are people who didn’t wait for a call but rolled up their sleeves and took immediate action. Even today, as my own family mourns the loss of Idan Shtivi, my cousin’s grandson, I stand here grateful for the spirit of giving, knowing that the eternal nation will never be broken.”

On a table were 19 awards, each comprised of gold-colored disks. On each side, the Hebrew alphabet perforates the material, making it possible for light to shine symbolically through the shapes. The gleam flowing through the letters runs like the divine declaration. “And there was light” is etched on the medal.

The verdant President Residence grounds where the ceremony was held was punctuated by 12 Golden Retrievers that are the emissaries of a volunteer individual and group who were among those who were granted awards.

Those honored

The honorees were divided into two categories – organizations and individuals.

Organization honorees:

• Belev Echad (One Heart) was cited for connecting volunteers with farmers across the country after they abruptly lost foreign workers and Israeli farmers who were called up for reserve duty. They also helped families of reservists who were left to cope with daily problems and maintain their routines.

• Ofakim La’Atid (Horizons for the Future), a non-political organization established by Assad Subeh, a former commander of the IDF’s Herev Battalion, is devoted to promoting the well-being of Israel’s Druze community while preserving its traditions and values.

• SOS Animals saves stray dogs and cats from being put down due to the lack of space in animal shelters. It finds loving foster and forever homes for them.

• Beit Al HaYam (Home on the Sea) is a nonprofit organization that empowers at-risk youth, people with special needs, and people suffering from psychotrauma and their families, using the sea. Through accessible surfing and sailing, it provides life-changing experiences for its participants.

• Ha’ahim Shelanu (Our Brothers Foundation) was founded to give bereaved Israeli siblings who lost a brother or sister from the War of Independence through today a sense of belonging. Support groups have been established throughout the country with workshops and commemoration activities, enabling them to tell the story of the fallen – the person who they were, the moments shared, and daily life without them, all through their brother’s and sister’s eyes.

• Haogen Le’mishpahot Ha’miluim (Anchor for Reservists’ Families) assists families where one of the parents has been drafted into reserve duty. It was founded on Oct. 7, 2023, with the deep understanding that when soldiers go out to defend the country, this is also a challenge for their nuclear family. Its 20,000 volunteers support about 30,000 reservist families in 800 communities across the country.

• Mehandesim Lelo Gvulot (Engineers Without Borders) makes the homes of hundreds of wounded soldiers appropriate to their disabilities, enabling them to move freely inside.

• Ayelet HaShachar (Morning Star) is a nonprofit organization working toward creating a united society of Israeli religious and non-religious Jews and works together to bridge the social gap dividing Israel and break the stereotypes at both ends of the spectrum.

Individual honorees:

• Maj. Meitar Sela organizes owners of service dogs and other well-trained Golden Retrievers to visit thousands of wounded people in hospitals and traumatized people, helping to relieve their pain, loneliness, and PTSD.

• Shamai Keinan, who has been the volunteer board chairman of Jerusalem’s Herzog Medical Center for 25 years, worked to cope with national crises, such as the coronavirus pandemic, and raised funds to greatly expand the hospital’s psychiatric, rehabilitation, and nursing services.

• Janet Asido encourages the elderly to volunteer throughout the country, helping them to contribute to others in emergencies, such as making blankets and scarves for soldiers, and supporting bereaved families.

• Halabi Boutaynah is a Druze volunteer who promotes awareness and appreciation of the Holocaust among Druze, Arab, and Jewish youth – stressing that suffering during the Nazi era has a universal message and that everyone has the responsibility to remember it.

• Dan Blorian, a retired police officer, has volunteered for many years in oncology and psychiatric wards in hospitals.

• Louisa Bergman, a 91-year-old retired teacher, has organized workshops for cancer patients, road accident victims, and the disabled, and trained yoga teachers.

• Amir Rahal Al-Heib has empowered Bedouin IDF soldiers, officers, and veterans and lectured on the importance of them serving in the military.

• Meir Marciano, a former longtime employee in the Kiryat Shmona Municipality, strengthened families who had to leave their homes due to attacks on the city.

• Tamar Richter-Haimovitz established a unique organization that supports non-married partners of fallen soldiers.

• Eden Shalev, who was wounded early in her IDF service, provides support to others wounded like herself, giving hope that there is “light at the end of the tunnel.”

• Amir Khodorov, a former Israel Air Force pilot, artist, and photographer, created a memorial for victims of the Hamas massacre at the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7. Chosen to speak on behalf of all 19 honorees, Khodorov said, “I wondered what unites all of us who are standing here today. The answer is clear: the shared purpose of leading the people of Israel toward a future of hope.

“After Oct. 7, we stepped out of our comfort zones and took action, day and night, without pause, in projects of meaning and importance. Our common goal is nothing less than to build a future of renewal and hope.” ■