In its reasoning, the committee stated: "Rona was born in Israel and is the daughter of Turkish immigrants who came to Israel as part of the youth immigration. The late Rona lost her husband, Col. Ilan Ramon, an Air Force pilot and the first Israeli astronaut on the Columbia shuttle, and then her son, Capt. Assaf Ramon, an Air Force pilot who fell as part of his military service. The late Rona found in her personal mourning and pain a lever for advancing Israeli society and shaping the face of the generation. She implemented social and educational projects in Israel in general and in the periphery in particular. Also, it worked to promote at-risk youth, every year more than 200,000 youth are exposed to its activities.
The Minister of Education, Naftali Bennett, announced today (Tuesday) the winner of the Israel Prize for the year XNUMX in the field of life's work - a special contribution to society and the country - Rona Ramon and congratulated her children for winning the prize.
The award committee convened under the chairmanship of retired judge Sarah Frisch - chairman of the committee, with her members - Avi Baleshnikov, Eyal Gabbai, Yehuda Harel and Ariela Rajvan. The composition of the committee includes women's representatives and this in accordance with the new policy established by Minister of Education Bennett.
In its reasoning, the committee stated: "Rona was born in Israel and is the daughter of Turkish immigrants who came to Israel as part of the youth immigration. The late Rona lost her husband, Col. Ilan Ramon, an Air Force pilot and the first Israeli astronaut on the Columbia shuttle, and then her son, Capt. Assaf Ramon, an Air Force pilot who fell as part of his military service. The late Rona found in her personal mourning and pain a lever for advancing Israeli society and shaping the face of the generation. She implemented social and educational projects in Israel in general and in the periphery in particular. Also, it worked to promote at-risk youth, every year more than 200,000 youth are exposed to its activities.
Rona passed away during the last year after a battle with cancer."
Rona Ramon - Curriculum vitae, as provided by the Peres Israel Committee
Rona Ramon was born and raised in Kiryat Ono in 1964. Her parents immigrated from Turkey as part of the "Youth Ascension" and fulfilled the Zionist dream of starting a family in the Land of Israel. In her home she grew up on the values of Zionism and love of the land. In the army she served as a paramedic. Upon her release, she enrolled in studies at the Wingate Institute, which she graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education.
She met her husband, the late Col. Ilan Ramon, during her studies. The two fell in love and got married. The couple had three sons and a daughter - Asaf, Tal, Yiftah and Noa. During his service in the Air Force, Ilan was chosen to be the first Israeli astronaut.
In 1998, the Ramon family moved to Houston, Texas. Rona accompanied Ilan through the lengthy training process at NASA and helped him choose the items he took to the Columbia shuttle: "It was important to us to turn personal success into national success - and to let all parts of the nation take part in the wonderful mission in space," she says in her lectures. Thus, together they chose to take into space a series of objects that symbolize the founding of Israel: the Megillat Ha-Aztvam, a Torah scroll, which Prof. Yehoyachin Yosef received, with which he came to the Torah as a Jewish child in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, a mezuzah, an Israeli flag, and more.
In February 2003, the worst thing happened, Ilan crashed with the other members of the mission team in the Columbia ferry disaster, while they were making their way back to Israel.
Rona, did not allow the bereavement to envelop her and rose immediately to make a moral and Zionist commemoration. She worked to establish the 'Ramon Foundation' at the Ministry of Science in 2008. In the past decade, the foundation established a series of social and educational projects such as the Olympics and space exploration competitions, about 15 science centers in the social and geographic periphery and distributed scholarships to outstanding researchers. Ramon claimed several times that "I have no interest in erecting stone buildings to commemorate my loved ones, but in commemorating them in spirit - through education."
In addition, Rona, together with philanthropists and in cooperation with the Israel Space Agency, initiated the International Ilan Ramon Conference. This conference has become the cornerstone of the space industry in Israel, and the guests who come to it - CEOs of space agencies from around the world, investors and huge companies - weave business and technological ties with the space industry in Israel.
NASA promised Rona that every year they would send astronauts to the conference held near the memorial date of the late Ilan, and at her request, they visited schools in the periphery, with the aim of arousing interest and inspiration among children from all over the country. According to her "this was Ilan's will". Rona was also one of the founders of the 'Israeli Space Week' - in which about 100,000 students all over the country take part every year.
In September 2009, Captain Assaf Ramon - Rona's eldest son, was killed in a training accident. Like his father, Assaf fulfilled his dream and became an outstanding fighter pilot in the Air Force. Weeks after his death, Rona opened his personal diary and read the sentence "My brother and I were brought up to strive for the fulfillment of our dreams based on the belief that everyone should find their destiny on their own." According to Ramon, "This was the greatest compliment a mother could receive - that her sons strive to find their dreams and fulfill them in Israel - no matter if in music, aviation or technology. "This sentence has become my life's mission - to inspire the children of Israel and develop in them values and abilities that will help them realize their dreams," she said.
In 2010, Rona founded the Keren Ramon association and serves as its president. Encourages and promotes academic achievements and social involvement among youth - in the spirit and image of Ilan and Asaf Ramon.
Among the prominent activities of the foundation: the 'Squadron Club' a program for children in need and at risk in which about 22 operational squadrons of the Air Force volunteer, and the 'Ramon SpaceLab' in which outstanding children are launched scientific experiments to the International Space Station. "There is nothing that warms my heart more than seeing Air Force pilots volunteer and help teenagers and children who need a good word and inspiration."
Over 200,000 teenagers take part every year in the activities initiated by Ramon. In addition, Rona, together with the 'Ahad Mashlno' preparatory school, established the branch of 'Beit Asaf' - a pre-military preparatory school for at-risk youth.
Ramon, lectured and met on a weekly basis with a family that experienced tragedy and loss in order to strengthen them. In 2013, she published the book: "Above us only the sky" which included Ramon's diaries, events, letters, memories, photographs, space and more. In 2016, she was invited to carry a torch on Mount Herzl in a ceremony marked by Israeli heroism. In the press she was called: "The Israeli Space Ambassador".
Ramon is an inspiring woman who is a role model for both women and men in Israel and in the Diaspora. In its extensive activity, it makes a significant contribution to the advancement of Israeli society and its scientific development, creating an avenue of value leadership among the younger generation and strengthening solidarity in Israeli society. With her captivating personality she casts a spell over the children who follow her full of faith in their future. Her determination was able to open important doors for the scientific community in Israel as well and her activity raised the awareness of space exploration in Israel immeasurably.
Despite the personal and family bereavement, and despite the double national tragedy, Rona chose a meaningful life and made it her goal to work for the benefit of the State of Israel and for future generations until her untimely death.
After her death, the director general of the Ministry of Science, Ran Bar, who headed the government's Ramon Foundation, said in an interview with the Hidan website, that "Rona Ramon promoted science studies and made them accessible to many children".
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