Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to bestow the Medal for Civilian Bravery, the Jewish state’s highest non-military honor, on 14 individuals and four families for their heroic actions during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the President’s Residence announced on Wednesday.
The president informed the recipients of the award on Wednesday, ahead of a ceremony that will be held on Oct. 30, a statement from Jerusalem said.
Herzog established the President’s Medal for Civilian Bravery this year, “against the backdrop of the numerous, unfathomable stories of bravery during the events of Oct. 7,” according to the head of state.
Parallel to the “unbearable toll” of Oct. 7, “from the very first moments, there emerged extraordinary acts of heroism by ordinary citizens, who acted instantly, risking their lives, motivated by a sense of mutual responsibility for their fellow citizens, in order to save lives,” he said.
The first Medals for Civilian Bravery will be awarded to Omer Bar, Oz Davidian, Moti Ezra, Tali Hadad, Nirit Hunwald-Kornfeld and Youssef Ziadna, as well as the Alqrinawi family. In addition, posthumous honors will be given to killed Oct. 7 heroes Lion Bar, Daniel Levi, Amit Man, Eliad Ohayon, Moshe Ohayon, Ben Benjamin Shimony, Noam Slotky and Yishai Slotky.
In the category of children’s bravery, medals will be awarded to the Idan family from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the Taasa family from Netiv HaAsara, and the Suisa daughters from Sderot, the President’s Residence announced.
Members of the Israeli public submitted nominations for the medals, and nominees were selected based on the recommendations of an advisory panel that included public and community figures appointed by the president and chaired by former Israeli Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein.
Due to the “overwhelming number” of submissions, Herzog agreed with the committee that the program would continue. An additional group of recipients will be announced in the coming months, the president said.
