Miriam Peretz – World Changer from Jerusalem

Proud to be J · World Changers from Jerusalem

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Miriam Peretz

Educator · Israel Prize Laureate

Born in 1954 in Casablanca, Morocco; her family made aliyah in 1963 and settled in Beersheba.
Earned a degree in literature and history from Ben-Gurion University.
Began her career as a teacher in Ofira in Sinai, where her sons Uriel and Eliraz were born.
In 1982 the family moved to the Jerusalem area, settling in Giv'at Ze'ev, just north of the city.
Became principal of Giv'at Ze'ev's first Israeli school.
In 1998 her son Uriel was killed in an ambush in southern Lebanon; her husband Eliezer fell ill and died not long after.
In 2010 her son Eliraz was killed in clashes on the Gaza border.
Turned her grief into a mission, lecturing to youth and IDF soldiers on Zionism, faith and coping with loss.
In 2011 published Shirat Miriam (Miriam's Song), the story of her life.
Lit a torch at Israel's 66th Independence Day ceremony in 2014.
Received an honorary doctorate from Bar-Ilan University in 2016.
Was awarded the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement in 2018.
In 2021 ran for President of Israel as an independent candidate, and today heads a teacher education center at the Ministry of Education.

From the vision of Isaiah · Isaiah 61:3

“To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”

לָתֵת לָהֶם פְּאֵר תַּחַת אֵפֶר, שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן תַּחַת אֵבֶל, מַעֲטֵה תְהִלָּה תַּחַת רוּחַ כֵּהָה.

From the deepest loss she brings strength, faith and hope to a whole nation.

Support & connect: Miriam Peretz – biography

Verse in English from the King James Version. Facts compiled from public sources, October 2026.