Shimon Peres Passes Away

Shimon Peres, Israel's 9th President, Passes Away

  • 9/28/2016
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    President Shimon Peres at a press conference regarding Ramadan Holiday, at the Presidential Residence in Jerusalem. President Shimon Peres at a press conference regarding Ramadan Holiday, at the Presidential Residence in Jerusalem. Copyright: Government Press Office
     
     
    ​“For me, dreaming is simply being pragmatic.” (Shimon Peres, June 2012)


    Israel mourns the loss of one of its greatest leaders. Israel’s ninth President, Shimon Peres, passed away on September 27th, 2016, after suffering a stroke. He was 93. 

    A visionary and a dreamer, Peres loved the State of Israel and its people immensely, and served them with great pride throughout his entire life. With a career in public service spanning over seven decades, he served in the roles of President, Prime Minister (twice), Minister of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Transportation and Communication and Member of Knesset.

    Throughout the years Peres was honored with many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring peace to the Middle East, a Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he received from President Obama. At the ceremony, President Obama said of Peres: “The man, the life that we honor tonight is nothing short of extraordinary.”

    Until his very last day, the eternal optimist Shimon Peres continued to work tirelessly in advancing projects and ideas for the benefit of the State of Israel while simultaneously striving relentlessly for a sustainable peace in the Middle East.

    President Peres leaves behind a loving family, a grieving nation and a remarkable legacy. He taught us all that no matter how farfetched our dreams may seem, we should never stop pursuing them.

    He will be sorely missed. May his memory be a blessing and an inspiration to the world.​


     

    Commemoration Book
    For those who wish to extend their condolences, an online commemoration book has been made available:​

     
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    Remarks by Prime Minister Netanyahu​​:
     
    “His name will be forever engraved in the story of the rebirth of the Jewish people, as one of our great leaders, as one of the founding fathers of the State of Israel.”

    “Shimon was a man of vision, he was a man of peace, he was also a man of letters, and without these two elements there can be no national revival. For all these reasons Shimon won worldwide international recognition. Heads of state sought him out and honored him. Many of them, along with us, will accompany him on his last journey to eternal rest in the soil of Jerusalem. Shimon's work will yet remain with us for many generations. He will be enshrined in my heart always and etched in our hearts forever.

    May his memory be blessed.”


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    (Photo credit:Kobi Gideon, GPO)




    “There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people.”

    “A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves - to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others. For the gift of his friendship and the example of his leadership, todah rabah, Shimon.“





    ”After Israel repeatedly repelled aggression on the battlefield, President Peres turned his prodigious talents and boundless energy to the pursuit of peace.Through good times and bad, when hopes in Israel were high and when pessimism ruled the day, President Peres remained laser focused on helping Israel achieve a lasting peace with all its neighbors.”

    “President Peres is that rare leader who is both a dreamer and a doer - talking about the future one day and then making it happen the next.”





    “There is not a chapter in the history of the State of Israel in which Shimon did not write or play a part. As one man he carried a whole nation on the wings of imagination, on the wings of vision. A man who was a symbol for the great spirit of this people. Shimon made us look far into the future, and we loved him. We loved him because he made us dare to imagine not what was once here, nor what is now, but what could be.

    “This is a sad day for the Israeli people, and the State of Israel. We all bow our heads at hearing of his passing. I will carry his memory with me, his handshake, his sensible advice which he always gave lovingly, and in particular his spirit of hope which he breathed into this people. The spirit of hope and peace which was his path and desire.”

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    (Photo credit: Mark Neiman, GPO)​