Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour

History

The President's Medal was first presented on March 1, 2012, in Beit HaNassi by President of Israel, Shimon Peres. In total, he awarded it to 26 people "who have made an outstanding contribution to the State of Israel or to humanity, through their talents, services, or in any other form." The medal, based on the French Légion d'Honneur, was designed by Yossi Matityahu and includes a verse from the Book of Samuel, which loosely translates as "head and shoulders [above the rest].

President Isaac Herzog revived the institution of the medal in 2022, awarding it for the first time since Shimon Peres in 2014. Under Herzog, the decoration was renamed the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour. Recipients include Czech President Miloš Zeman and U.S. President Joe Biden.

Recipients

President's Medal

2012

• Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State of the United States
• Judith Feld Carr, Canadian human rights advocate who arranged the freedom of thousands of Syrian Jews
• Nadav Ben Yehuda, for risking his life to rescue fellow climber on Mount Everest.
• , advocates social mobility and equality
• Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (Even-Israel), editor of The Talmud: The Steinsaltz Edition
• Zubin Mehta, music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
• , Special Consultant to several of Israeli Ministers of Defense on POWs and MIAs

2013

• Barack Obama, President of the United States
• Bill Clinton, former U.S. President
• Elie Wiesel, human rights activist
• Steven Spielberg, movie director

2014

• Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, Chief Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek, founder and dean of Migdal Ohr
• Lia Van Leer, founder of the Haifa Cinematheque, the Jerusalem Cinematheque, the Israel Film Archive and the Jerusalem Film Festival
• , Israeli businessman
• Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Firer, chairman and founder of Ezra LeMarpeh, a nonprofit organization that provides medical assistance to the needy
• Brig.-Gen. Avigdor Kahalani, soldier and former Minister of Internal Security
• Avner Shalev, chairman of the Yad Vashem directorate
• Dr. Harry Zvi Tabor, founder of the National Physical Laboratory of Israel, father of Solar power in Israel
• Jack Mahfar, Iranian Jewish philanthropist
• Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
• Giorgio Napolitano, President of Italy
• Ruth Dayan, social activist and founder of the Maskit fashion house
• Stef Wertheimer, industrialist, philanthropist and former Knesset member
• , adviser on minority affairs to seven Israeli Presidents
• Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
• Prof. Reuven Feuerstein, developmental psychologist and founder of the International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential

Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour

2022

• Miloš Zeman, President of the Czech Republic
• Joe Biden, President of the United States
• Nicos Anastasiades, President of Cyprus
• Dalia Fadila, Arab Israeli educator

2023

• Chava Alberstein, a leading folk musician
• Adi Altschuler, founder of Zikaron BaSalon
• , a Jewish renewal activist
• Rabbi Menachem Hacohen, an interfaith leader and former Knesset member
• Mona Khoury, VP of strategy and diversity at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Maj.-Gen. (res.) Dan Tolkowsky, a retired Israeli Air Force officer
• Carmela Menashe, the military correspondent for Army Radio
• Bibars Natcho, former captain of the Israeli national football team
• Assad Araidy, an educator
• Lena Shtern, social entrepreneur
• André Azoulay, a senior adviser to Moroccan King Mohammed VI
• Irwin Cotler, former Canadian Justice Minister
• The Kemach Foundation, which promotes employment in Israel’s haredi (or ultra-Orthodox) sector, organizational prize

2024

• Frank Lowy, Australian billionaire
• Mark Leibler, former President of the Zionist Federation of Australia

2025

• Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania
• Donald Trump, President of the United States

References

References

1. ""Peres unveils 'President's Medal' for service to Israel"".
2. Berman, Lazar. "Herzog to honor Biden with Presidential Medal of Honor next week".
3. "Herzog presents Czech president with Presidential Medal of Distinction".
4. Kalman, Aaron. "Presidential award handed out for the first time".
5. (2012-06-01). "Everest climber to receive Medal of Honor {{!}} The Jerusalem Post".
6. [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches+by+Israeli+leaders/2012/Peres_awards_Obama_Presidential_Medal_21-Mar-2013.htm President Peres awards President Obama with Presidential Medal of Distinction]
7. [https://www.jpost.com/National-News/Peres-confers-Medal-of-Distinction-on-Clinton-317100 Peres confers Medal of Distinction on Clinton]
8. [https://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Peres-awards-Elie-Wiesel-the-Presidential-Medal-of-Distinction-333007 Peres awards Elie Wiesel the Presidential Medal of Distinction]
9. (September 12, 2013). "Israeli President Peres to honor Spielberg, Wiesel". [[Taiwan News]].
10. [https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/President-honors-eight-Israelis-with-presidential-award-339937 President honors eight Israelis with presidential award.]
11. [https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/WATCH-LIVE-President-Peres-awards-Merkel-Medal-of-Distinction-343499 President Peres awards Germany's Merkel Medal of Distinction]
12. [https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Peres-to-confer-Presidential-Medal-of-Distinction-On-Italian-President-355690 Peres to confer Presidential Medal of Distinction on Italian president]
13. [https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Peres-honors-five-Israeli-success-stories-two-weeks-before-he-leaves-362408 Peres honors five Israeli success stories, two weeks before he leaves]
14. "Prezident Izraele je na návštěvě Prahy. Zeman se mu omluvil za údajně nedostatečnou podporu v OSN".
15. "Joe Biden to receive Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor".
16. (2022-11-10). "Anastasiades honoured by Israel".
17. (11 December 2022). "Herzog awards presidential medal of honor to five figures". [[The Times of Israel]].
18. (September 7, 2023). "Herzog presents 13 Israelis with Presidential Medal of Honor".
19. Rabat, Basma El Atti. (2023-07-03). "Israel gifts Moroccan king's adviser highest medal of honour".
20. "President Isaac Herzog Awards Presidential Medal of Honor to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama".
21. (October 13, 2025). "Donald Trump to get Israel Medal of Honor".