Education minister invites Trump to Israel Prize ceremony, light torch at Independence Day celebration

Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch sent an official invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump to participate in the Israel Prize ceremony to be held as part of Independence Day celebrations on April 22, 2026, in Jerusalem. 

The Israel Prize is the most prestigious state honor in Israel, established in 1953 to recognize exceptional, groundbreaking contributions in fields like sciences, arts, humanities, and lifetime achievement.

The invitation came in December, after Kisch announced he was nominating Trump for the highest award offered by the Jewish state due to his “unique contributions to the Jewish people.”

During Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s previous visit to the United States, when he met Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Kisch announced Trump’s nomination for the prize, noting that it has never been awarded to a non-Israeli in Israel’s history.

WATCH: Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch tells Trump over the phone that he's being awarded the Israel Prize for his "commitment to fight" and "actions against anti-Semitism." https://t.co/g5ZE5wOG9g pic.twitter.com/rVSoWqOd0b

— Chris Menahan 🇺🇸 (@infolibnews) December 29, 2025

According to the statement, the Education Ministry's decision to award Trump the prize was made in recognition of his “exceptional leadership and enduring impact on the history of Israel-United States relations.” 

In the announcement, Kisch specifically mentioned Trump’s “work in the fight against anti-Semitism, his contribution to promoting the return of the kidnapped to Israel, the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of the United States Embassy there, and his consistent support for the right of the State of Israel to defend itself, even as it faced complex security challenges in many arenas and the Iranian nuclear threat.” 

According to the Israel Prize regulations, nominees must be Israeli citizens for at least three years before their nomination, “with the exception of nominees for the Israel Prize for Diaspora Jewry and/or for a special contribution to the Jewish people,” the bylaws state. Trump will be the first non-Israeli to receive the prize. 

Along with the invitation for Trump to come to Jerusalem for Independence Day to accept the award, the Ministry of Education also announced that a special golden statue had been designed for Trump as part of the prize presentation.

The statue depicts a Star of David rising out of the stones of the Western Wall, symbolizing “revival, future and success.” The ministry said the sculpture was designed by Ben Dror, a 24-year-old designer, who served 600 days of reserve duty during the Gaza War. 

“This is a heavy statue; when you hold it, you feel the weight of responsibility, but you see before your eyes resurrection and hope. The message is: The president's help to the people of the Book will be remembered in our history forever," said Kisch. 

Trump has not yet responded to the invitation to accept the award at the ceremony in Jerusalem. 

Alongside the invitation to accept the Israel Prize in person, Channel 12 News reported that Trump will also be invited to light a torch during the Independence Day ceremonies.

The invitation had already been conveyed to the president through lower-level channels; however, there is an expectation that an official invitation will be sent in the near future, according to Channel 12 News.