In Memoriam: Shimon Peres z"l

Mr. Haggai Lavie, Israel Shaliach

Shimon Peres passed away last night. He was one of the greatest Israeli leaders, and probably one of the greatest world leaders of our time. This might seem like an exaggeration until you note that President Obama, former presidents Bush and Clinton, and dozens of leaders from all around the world will attend his funeral.

There is so much to say about his contribution to the State of Israel, his vision, his books and so many other aspects of his life. He founded the Israeli nuclear program, lead Operation Entebbe, and of course, the many peace initiatives throughout his years.

From all the things we can learn from him, I like to focus on the public transformation he made in the last 20 years. He was always a great leader and had a great impact on Israel, but was also a controversial political figure who wasn’t liked by many people in Israel. I believe that when he lost the elections after Rabin’s assassination, he understood that he wasn’t reaching all of the Israeli society. In response, he changed both his thinking and his conduct, and in the last decade became one the most loved Israeli persons both in Israel and around the world. I learn from him that change is possible at every age; that you can never stop being innovative and creative in confronting both personal and social issues.

Shimon Peres was a great thinker and an inspiring speaker. Here’s an interview with him from a few years ago. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but it is still inspiring and very thought-provoking. If you don’t have 21 minutes, try just the first eight and a half minutes: