Transcript [00:24] [applause] [00:39] [applause] [00:47] >> Thank you all for coming. [00:50] And Sylvan, thank you for that I would [00:52] have told you that my mother wrote that [00:53] speech. [00:55] But thank you for all the wonderful [00:56] things you said. But as you know, you [00:57] mentioned my wife Rhoda, who is here. [01:00] There were two members of my family, my [01:02] kids, who were here now a third one has [01:04] just arrived from school. So we've got [01:06] three there. [01:08] But let me return the favor cuz you know [01:10] that we can't do what we do without the [01:12] support of our spouses. So how about a [01:13] round of applause for Margaret Adams [01:15] who's sitting in the front row. [01:17] >> [applause] [01:23] >> Now, Sylvan, first and foremost, I want [01:25] to thank you for your vision [01:27] in establishing the Bonei Zion award, [01:30] for your incredible philanthropy, [01:33] and for being such an extraordinary [01:35] ambassador of the Jewish people and the [01:36] Jewish state. How about another round of [01:39] applause for Sylvan? [01:40] >> [applause] [01:44] >> I want to thank [01:45] I want to thank [01:47] longtime friend Tony Gelbart, [01:50] >> [applause] [01:51] >> Rabbi Fass, [01:53] Nefesh B'Nefesh, and so many other [01:56] partners who make this Bnei Zion event, [01:59] and you saw what a meaningful event this [02:00] is. All of you who've made this event [02:02] possible, thank you. [02:05] >> [applause] [02:07] >> And I want to especially recognize uh my [02:09] fellow Bnei Zion award recipients and [02:12] thank them for their remarkable [02:14] contribution to Israeli society and [02:16] beyond. Thank you. [02:18] >> [applause] [02:21] >> Now, we are different ages. [02:24] We made aliyah at different times. [02:27] We come from different backgrounds. [02:29] We work in different disciplines. [02:31] And we'll no doubt vote for many [02:33] different parties next week. [02:36] But as Anglo Olim, [02:38] one thing unites us. [02:40] We all chose [02:43] to link our fate [02:45] to the fate of Israel. [02:47] Choosing to be Israeli doesn't make us [02:50] better than those born Israeli, [02:53] but it also doesn't make us worse. [02:57] >> [applause] [03:00] >> That should be obvious. [03:02] But 2 years ago, [03:04] a prominent television Israeli [03:06] television personality [03:08] called the obvious into question [03:11] when he accused me [03:13] of not being {quote} deeply Israeli. [03:17] For those of you who don't remember that [03:19] episode, who were busy [03:20] curing Alzheimer's and doing what else [03:22] you were doing, [03:25] here is what he said. [03:27] His basic life experience is not an [03:30] Israeli one. [03:31] I don't think he knows the difference [03:33] between Arik Einstein and Zohar Argov, [03:36] or between Shoshana Damari [03:39] and Hava Alberstein. [03:40] He doesn't know who Orshia Glazer or [03:42] Nachum Sterman is. [03:45] And he might not even know the [03:46] difference [03:47] between Amos Kenan and Amos Oz. [03:51] Ron Dermer doesn't know where Rafah is, [03:53] and if you put him in near Oz, [03:56] he doesn't know how to get home. [03:59] Now, many new immigrants [04:02] were deeply offended by what he said. [04:05] English language media covered it [04:06] widely, [04:07] publishing editorials and columns [04:10] criticizing the journalist for what they [04:12] described [04:14] as an elitist attack on all immigrants. [04:18] I must confess, [04:20] I wasn't offended. [04:22] At the time, I asked myself why. [04:24] Beyond the fact that it does really take [04:26] a lot to offend me. [04:29] Perhaps because there was truth [04:31] in what he said. [04:33] After all, with the exception of Eric [04:35] Aric Einstein and Amos Oz, [04:38] I barely heard of the people he [04:39] mentioned. [04:41] And certainly wouldn't be able to [04:43] recognize a picture of them. [04:45] That may be because I don't know that [04:47] much about soccer about music. [04:50] And while I know a lot about sports, [04:52] I don't know a lot about soccer. [04:55] By the way, Sylvan, I don't know [04:56] anything about cycling, either. [04:59] >> [applause] [05:01] >> I don't know why somebody applauded [05:03] that, but go ahead. [05:07] The truth is [05:12] The truth is [05:15] that I am not culturally Israeli [05:18] because I moved to Israel at the age of [05:20] 25. [05:22] And in the 30 years since, [05:24] I served for more than a decade [05:27] as an Israeli diplomat in Washington, [05:29] D.C. [05:30] Having spent 2/3 of my life in the US, I [05:33] have remained culturally an American. [05:36] And I suspect I will always remain [05:39] culturally an American. [05:42] But I think the real reason I wasn't [05:44] offended [05:45] is what this TV personality saw as a [05:48] drawback is precisely what enabled me to [05:53] effectively serve the state of Israel. [05:56] Knowing the names of Israeli soccer [05:58] players did not help me secure missile [06:00] defending defense funding for Israel in [06:03] Congress. [06:05] But [06:06] >> [applause] [06:09] >> but what did help me secure that funding [06:13] was doing the Ickey Shuffle touchdown [06:15] dance in the office of a Cincinnati [06:18] congressman [06:19] and knowing that a Kentucky senator was [06:22] a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher who [06:24] threw no-hitters in both the American [06:26] and National League. [06:29] >> [applause] [06:31] >> More crucially [06:33] if an Israeli diplomat diplomat wants to [06:36] win the support [06:38] for the Jewish state in Washington what [06:41] is more important than knowing how to [06:44] find a way home from near O's is knowing [06:48] how to find a way to make Israel's case [06:51] in the Oval Office or in the halls of [06:54] Congress. [06:55] >> [applause] [07:01] >> Ladies and gentlemen, if being deeply [07:03] Israeli is a cultural litmus test, I [07:06] will surely never pass. But to me being [07:09] deeply Israeli means something else [07:11] entirely. [07:13] It means appreciating that Israel is not [07:16] only a 78-year-old country that is home [07:20] for all of its citizens, Jews and [07:22] non-Jews alike. [07:24] It means also recognizing [snorts] [07:26] that the modern state of Israel rose [07:29] from the collective spirit of an ancient [07:32] people. To me being deeply Israeli means [07:36] being connected to that collective [07:38] spirit and recognizing that this spirit [07:41] is the bedrock of our national strength. [07:45] A 78-year-old country [07:48] with even the most vibrant of cultures [07:51] is a weak reed that can bend [07:54] and even break [07:55] in a strong wind. [07:57] But a country that draws its strength [08:00] from the spirit of a 4,000-year-old [08:03] people [08:04] is a mighty oak [08:06] that can survive [08:07] the most dangerous storm. [08:10] So to my fellow Boneh Olam award [08:12] recipients, [08:14] thank you for choosing [08:16] to be Israeli, [08:17] for linking your destiny to the destiny [08:20] of Israel, [08:21] and for your remarkable contributions [08:24] to our remarkable country. [08:28] >> [applause] [08:33] >> And to Olim of choice everywhere, [08:36] thank you for being deeply Israeli, and [08:40] for doing your part to secure the Jewish [08:43] future. [08:45] >> [applause] [08:49] >> Thank you. [08:50] >> [applause] [08:55] [applause]
Ambassador Ron Dermer, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States and former Minister of Strategic Affairs for Israel, addresses recipients and attendees at the 12th Annual Nefesh B’Nefesh Sylvan Adams Bonei Zion Prize Ceremony, held on October 18, 2026, at the Jerusalem Theater.
Honored with the Special Recognition Award, Amb. Dermer has played a pivotal role in strengthening U.S.-Israel relations, advancing the historic Abraham Accords, and shaping Israel’s diplomatic and strategic policies.
Having made Aliyah from Miami Beach, Florida, in 1996, Amb. Dermer's decades of public service and leadership exemplify the profound impact Olim continue to make on the State of Israel.
Learn more about the Bonei Zion Prize: Nefesh B'Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize: https://www.boneizion.org.il/
