Education Minister Yoav Kish announced today (Wednesday) that former member of the Knesset Edna Soloder, who died yesterday at the age of 94, and filmmaker Moshe Ashari, are the winners of the Israel Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2018.
Minister Kish announced in a telephone conversation to Edna’s sister, Tami, shortly after her death. The award committee informed the minister of Soloder’s win, at the same time as the announcement of her death.
Soloder, born in Kibbutz Ashdot Ya’akov, served as a member of the Knesset on behalf of the formation in 1982-1992. In 1984, Soloder, along with Knesset member Yossi Sharid, was behind the restriction of the parliamentary immunity of MK Meir Kahane in the area of his freedom of movement, to allow the police to prevent him from entering Arab villages.
After her term in the Knesset, Soloder held various positions in the kibbutz movement, including chairman of the Alliance of Kibbutz Movements, secretary of the interior of the United Kibbutz, chairman of the board of the kibbutz chamber orchestra, chairman of the board of the Beit Uri Vermi Nehushtan museum in Kibbutz Ashdot Ya’akov Mauchad, chairman of the executive committee of Beit The ghetto fighters, chairwoman of the Galili Center Association and a member of the board of directors of the General Health Insurance Fund.
In its reasoning, the award committee stated that Soloder is “a symbol of female leadership and reflects the face of Israeli society in her extraordinary life path.” The committee noted its place in the kibbutz movement and added that as part of its parliamentary activity it worked a lot for the strengthening of the periphery, the preservation of nature and heritage, the encouragement of agriculture and settlement and was a model for unity and connection in the people.
Soloder, according to the committee, stood out very much in her activities to promote social issues and reduce social gaps. Along with her extensive social activities on social issues and dealing with the problems of children in need, she began working to promote the field of adoption, and was appointed as a member of the advisory committee for international adoption, after losing her only daughter, who was adopted.
State President Yitzhak Herzog commented on Soloder’s win: “I was very sorry for her passing, and it pains me that today she was supposed to receive the announcement of the decision to award her the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement. She is so deserving, but she will not be able to receive it. The story of her life is largely the story of the generation of the country’s founders: she was one of the first children in Kibbutz Ashdot Ya’akov, served in the Commune War in the ranks of the Haganah, and took part in battles in the Jordan Valley and Kibbutz Gesher. In the history of the State of Israel, Edna will be remembered as a Zionist in every part of Israel; as a lover of man, people and country; And as an example and model of a brave and dedicated public servant, who dedicated her life to the needs of the public, the kibbutz, the kibbutz movement, society and the state – in a variety of public positions and missions. Sincere condolences to her family and to every Beit Gesher.”
Lior Simcha, the general secretary of the kibbutz movement, responded to Soloder’s win: “Edna was a kibbutznik in her soul and a public activist, above all. Edna’s well-deserved win is a holiday for the kibbutz movement. Along with the pride of winning, there is also sorrow and a feeling of being missed that Edna was not informed about winning the award in her lifetime. The late Edna’s win is an expression of respect and appreciation for kibbutzim all over the country. May her memory be blessed.”
In addition, Kish announced that filmmaker Moshe Edri is the recipient of the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement for the year 2018. Edri (73), who was born in Morocco and grew up in Dimona, together with his brother and partners founded the distribution company “United King” and the cinema complexes “Cinema City”. He produced Hundreds of Israeli films, among them “Footnote”, “Beaufort”, “Yishmach Hatani”, “Makatub”, “Perfect Strangers”, “Thamonat Mihloh”, “Seven Blessings” and “Golda”.
The committee’s reasoning states that Adri created a huge enterprise for the preservation and restoration of Israeli films. “Moshe’s contribution to the promotion of the Israeli cultural industry and the cultivation of its Iron Sheep assets stems from a love and passion that burned in him from a young age: already as a child he was captivated by the magic of the big screen, began working in junior roles at the local cinema in Dimona, and dreamed of making cinema accessible to the entire Israeli public and promoting local cinema to the forefront of the world stage”.
The committee also stated that alongside his extensive work in the world of cinema, Adri also leads projects for the community and society in Israel. He supports and accompanies bereaved families, and in 2015 he was appointed chairman of the Friends Association of the “Or for Families” association for parents who educated their children in Israeli systems.
“I was happy to receive the speech of the Honorable Minister of Education Yoav Kish this afternoon,” said Adri. “I am moved to tears and grateful to the award committee for the decision. Israeli culture and cinema are in my soul, a candle to my feet and to the feet of my family. I would like to dedicate the award to my dear brother Leon the late, my partner throughout the journey and to the city of Dimona, where we started our journey and our Cinema Paradiso 60 years ago.’
