THE PRESIDENT' S VOLUNTEERS DECORATION AWARDED TO THE “HASDEI NAOMI” ORGANIZATION

This week, during an impressive ceremony and in the presence of a large audience, the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres, has awarded “THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEERS DECORATION FOR THE YEAR 5768 [2008]” to Rabbi Yossef Cohen, Chairman and Founder of “THE HASDEI NAOMI” ORGANIZATION.

“THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEERS DECORATION” is the most prestigious decoration in the field of volunteering, whose aim is to encourage the spirit of volunteering amidst the Israeli society. The recipients are among the more prominent in volunteering for the Year 5768, and were chosen by a special Consulting Committee headed by Professor David Libayi among the hundreds of potential acceptable candidates recommended to the President's House.

In a special publication published for the occasion, Consulting Committee members wrote about the recipient: ““THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEERS DECORATION” is awarded to “THE HASDEI NAOMI” ORGANIZATION for its daily and extensive support to distressed families in all their needs and all around the circle of life”.

As he was receiving the decoration, Rabbi Yossef Cohen, Chairman of “THE HASDEI NAOMI” ORGANIZATION said to the President::““THE PRESIDENT'S DECORATION” should have been awarded to the thousands of volunteers, men and women, working for “THE HASDEI NAOMI”. But because of reality constraint, it is virtually impossible to call on the podium some 4000 volunteers; therefore I am their representative to receive the decoration in their name. ”

The President of the State of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres, said at the ceremony: “The Israeli reality is not a garden paved with roses and the national budget will never suffice to satisfy all the needs”. He then added that this ceremony was meant to go against the accepted trend that “all that is bad should be published and that is good must be concealed”, then the President added “it is worthy and our duty to publish all those, who do a good deed, a mitzvah.”