Transcript [00:01] If there's one word to describe this [00:03] [music] country, it's alive. I grew up [00:05] in Miami Beach, Florida. I graduated [00:08] University of [music] Pennsylvania. I [00:09] went to the Wharton School. I made a [00:10] trip here after college, which tells you [00:13] the [music] importance of taking young [00:15] people to Israel. And I think that trip [00:17] really changed the trajectory of my [00:19] life. I actually [music] moved to Israel [00:20] in 96. I met my wife and we have five [00:23] children. Raising a family. And I think [00:25] to live day after day in your life in [00:27] Israel and to [music] be part of [00:27] building the Jewish future, it's a [00:29] remarkable thing. After I was in [00:32] Washington for a stint, Natan [music] [00:33] Sharansky, who was a mentor of mine, he [00:35] called said, "I'm starting a party in [00:38] Israel and I'd like somebody [music] to [00:39] help me be this strategist." Was a party [00:41] that would help this massive wave of new [00:44] immigrants. He [music] wanted to [00:45] integrate them into Israeli society. We [00:48] worked together for many years. And it [00:49] [music] was Natan Sharansky who brought [00:52] me to Netanyao. And I've been working at [00:54] his side for 25 years. [music] He asked [00:56] me to join his government to deal really [00:59] with three issues to manage [music] the [01:01] USIsrael relationship. I had done that [01:03] for 7 and 1/2 years as Israel's [01:05] ambassador in [music] Washington. Second [01:07] thing is to work with him on dealing [01:09] with the Iran nuclear threat. And the [01:10] third issue was to try to expand the [01:12] Abraham Accords. We were able to make [01:14] [music] this breakthrough peace of first [01:16] with the Amiradis and the Bahrainis in [01:18] Sudan and Morocco. [01:20] After October 7, the prime minister [01:23] asked me to join the war [music] [01:24] cabinet. A lot of my time was focused on [01:26] managing the relations with the United [01:28] States during this war. In February of [01:30] last year, the prime minister asked me [01:33] to take [music] over the hostage [01:35] negotiating portfolio. And fortunately a [01:38] few months later in October on Oshana [01:41] Rabba we were able to bring back all the [01:43] hostages [music] and that's what got [01:44] this miraculous day. When the hostages [01:46] came home [01:48] what I was interested [music] in is [01:50] doing what I could to help secure the [01:52] future of the country. My value [music] [01:54] added was that I wasn't like everybody [01:56] else. I think that contribution that I [01:59] could play some role both in my [music] [02:01] understanding of the United States and [02:03] being this bridge between the United [02:05] States and Israel, then I feel very [02:08] grateful to have been given the [02:09] opportunity [music] to play that role. [02:12] You had 100 generations of Jews who [02:14] dreamed to [music] live at a time when [02:15] there was a sovereign Jewish state. Now [02:17] we are four generations that have had [02:19] the privilege of living [music] that [02:21] dream and with that privilege comes a [02:23] sacred responsibility and that is to [02:25] secure that dream for future [02:27] generations. It's a great [music] honor [02:28] to receive the Silven Adams Nefish [02:31] Benefish Bonet Award that you are [02:33] contributing to the building of Zion to [02:35] [music] me is exactly what I came to [02:37] Israel to do to do my part in helping to [02:40] secure [music] the Jewish future. I [02:41] don't really receive it just for me. I [02:43] think all of these new immigrants and [02:45] everybody, no matter [music] what you do [02:46] in Israeli society, you're doing your [02:48] part. You're on the train of Jewish [02:50] history. Aliat has made Israel [music] [02:52] a much stronger and a much better place. [02:54] And without Ali, there would be no [02:55] Israel.
Amb. Ron Dermer, recipient of the 12th Annual Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize in the field of Special Recognition
The annual Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize was established to recognize English-speaking Olim who have made a notable impact on Israeli society. Amb. Ron Dermer, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States and former Minister of Strategic Affairs of Israel, recognized for his contributions to Israeli diplomacy and national security, was awarded the prize in the field of Special Recognition.
For more information: https://www.boneizion.org.il/12th-annual-prize-recipients/
Video produced by Shai Getzoff
