Israel Prize to Rona Ramon, "Mom, we are proud of you"

The three children of the late Rona Ramon, Noa, Yiftach and Tal, sent a welcome photo to the Israel Prize ceremony held on Thursday at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem.

"Our mother deserves the prize," said Ramon children currently in Nepal. "Her work and activism has touched thousands of children in Israel and will continue to influence future generations, we are very proud of you, mom, and we love you and miss you."

Ramon, founder of the Ramon Foundation and widow of Israel's first astronaut Ilan Ramon, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was received on behalf of Ramon children by Orna Saban, President of the Ramon Foundation.

The Israel Prize was awarded on Thursday to 11 winners, in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President of the Supreme Court Esther Hayut, Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon.

The Israel Prize for Overall Achievement was awarded to Miri and Chaim Erenthal, founders of the Zichron Menachem Association. Miri spoke about Zichron Menachem, which helps children with cancer and their families. The organization bears the name of their son, Menachem Zalman, who died of cancer in the child.

"My blessing for this Independence Day is the power to put things in perspective," said Erenthal. "I hear the news every morning:" Israel is falling apart, everything is falling apart, everything is black. "Come one day to Zichron Menachem and you'll learn to put things into perspective. You will be grateful for what exists, for what you have. "

Naftali Bennett made his last speech as Minister of Education: "I have deserved these past four years to lead the education of all children of Israel – secular, secular and orthodox. Jews and Arabs, Bedouins, Druze and Circbadians – all were my children, I did my best for you, people of Israel, my beloved people. "