Israel Prize facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Israel Prize
Presented by	State of Israel
Country	Israel
First awarded	1953; 72 years ago (1953)

The Israel Prize (which in Hebrew is pras israél) is a very important award given by the country of Israel. It's like the highest honor for culture and achievements in the country! This special award celebrates people who have done amazing things in their fields or have helped Israeli culture and society a lot.

History of the Israel Prize

The Israel Prize is given out every year on Yom Ha'atzmaut, which is Israeli Independence Day. This big ceremony happens in Jerusalem. Important leaders like the President, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker of the Knesset (Israel's parliament) are usually there.

The prize was started in 1953. It was the idea of Ben-Zion Dinor, who was the Minister of Education at the time. Interestingly, he later won the prize himself in 1958 and again in 1973!

How the Prize is Awarded

The Israel Prize is given in different areas. These areas change a bit each year, usually in a cycle of 4 to 7 years. However, one special area is awarded every single year.

Main Award Categories

The prize is given in these four general areas:

• Humanities, Social Sciences, and Jewish Studies: This includes subjects like history, literature, sociology, and studies about Jewish culture and traditions.
• Life and Exact Sciences: This covers fields like biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
• Culture, Arts, Communication, and Sports: This category celebrates achievements in music, painting, theater, movies, journalism, and sports.
• Lifetime Achievement and Exceptional Contribution to the Nation: This special award has been given since 1972. It honors people who have made a huge difference to Israel throughout their lives.

Who Can Win?

Usually, the people or groups who win the prize are citizens of Israel. They are chosen because they have shown great skill in their work or have helped Israeli culture a lot.

Committees of judges pick the winners. These committees are chosen by the Minister of Education each year for each category. All the judges on a committee must agree on who should win. As of 2008, the prize money was NIS 75,000, which is about $20,000 US dollars.

Famous Winners

Many famous people and organizations have won the Israel Prize. Some well-known winners include writers like Shmuel Yosef Agnon and Amos Oz, and leaders like Golda Meir. Other winners include:

• Martin Buber (a philosopher)
• Abba Eban (a diplomat)
• A. B. Yehoshua (a writer)
• Israel Aumann (a mathematician)
• Ephraim Kishon (a satirist)
• Naomi Shemer (a songwriter)
• David Benvenisti (a geographer)
• Leah Goldberg (a poet, who won after she passed away)
• Teddy Kollek (a former mayor of Jerusalem)

Organizations like the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Jewish Agency, Yad Vashem, and Jewish National Fund have also received the award.

While the prize is mostly for Israeli citizens, sometimes people who are not Israeli citizens but have lived in Israel for many years can receive it. For example, Zubin Mehta, who is from India, received a special Israel Prize in 1991. He was the music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for 50 years!

Award Ceremony Locations

The Israel Prize ceremony has been held at different places in Jerusalem:

• International Convention Center
• Jerusalem Theatre

Ceremony Hosts

See also

In Spanish: Premio Israel para niños