Israel Prize

The Israel Prize is the most prestigious award handed out by the State of Israel. It is presented annually, on the eve of the Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem. The prize was set up in 1953 at the initiative of the Minister of Education Ben-Tzur Dinor, who himself went on to win the prize in 1958 and 1978.

Awarding the prize

The prize is awarded in the following four areas, with the precise subfields changing from year to year:

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• the humanities, social sciences, and Jewish studies
• the natural and exact sciences
• culture and art
• lifetime achievement (since 1972)

The recipients of the prize are Israeli citizens (or sometimes organizations) who have displayed particular excellence in their field, or who have contributed strongly to Israeli culture. The winners are selected by committees of judges, who pass on their recommendations to the Education Minister.

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As of 2004, the prize has been awarded 551 times. Prominent winners include Shmuel Yosef Agnon, Aharon Appelfeld, Abba Eban, Leah Goldberg, Michael Rabin and Saharon Shelah. Though the prize is only awarded to Israeli citizens, Zubin Mehta was presented with a special award during the 1991 prize presentation ceremony.

Related Topics:
2004 - Shmuel Yosef Agnon - Aharon Appelfeld - Abba Eban - Leah Goldberg - Michael Rabin - Saharon Shelah - Zubin Mehta

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