President Herzog Awards the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor to Eleven Outstanding Individuals

On September 6, 2026, President Isaac Herzog conferred the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor upon eleven distinguished laureates from diverse fields in recognition of their lifelong contribution to the State of Israel at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.
Initiated in 2012 by the Ninth President of Israel, Shimon Peres, the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor is awarded to those “who, by virtue of their skills, service, or in any other way, have made an exceptional contribution to the State of Israel or to humanity.”

This year’s recipients of the Medal are:

From President Herzog’s remarks:

“Each and every one of you is a beacon in your field. Each and every one of you is a genuine, personal example of the power to make a difference, not only to the State of Israel and Israeli society, but to a great extent to the wider world as well. There are people here who simply changed the world, and there are certainly people here who made a decisive contribution to the good name of the State of Israel around the globe.

“Amid the changes the country is undergoing, which are certainly challenging as well, we are seeing many positive shifts taking place within our society. The prejudices and deep-rooted assumptions many of us have held about various sectors are gradually dissolving.

“It is precisely amid our disagreements, precisely during an election period, that I will say again and warn again: elections are not a civil war! After the elections, we will all still be here, as sisters and brothers.”

The Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor is the highest civilian recognition awarded by the President of the State of Israel. Since its inception, the medal has been presented to leading figures in Israel and abroad — including heads of state, social and cultural leaders, and Jewish figures worldwide — whose work exemplifies excellence, solidarity, and humanity.