Dear City of Tirat Carmel 2025

The award will be presented during the month of March 2025 as a token of appreciation and gratitude to three city philanthropists and lifetime achievement award winners, for their ongoing activity in a wide variety of fields for the city of Tirat Carmel and its residents. The Tirat Carmel City Philanthropist Selection Committee selected the three city philanthropists for the year 2025, and will receive a special award for lifetime achievement.

With the publication of the call for the City of Tirat Carmel Honorary Award, the committee received many recommendations for awarding the award to various individuals whose daily routines are intertwined with activities for the city's society and community, who donate their time and energy to the city of Tirat Carmel, and who have made a significant and unique contribution to the city. The list of individuals selected to receive the award will be submitted to the City Council for approval at its upcoming meeting, and the awards will be presented at a special ceremony to be held this month.

Mayor, Dodo Cohen:

I am happy and proud of the choice of the people of the city of Tirat Carmel. The individuals chosen express the human and community fabric and diversity with which Tirat Carmel has been blessed, and are the beautiful face of the city. Men and women who work every day for many years, without compensation, while reaching out and donating their time, strength and love for others. The values ​​they lead are a symbol and a role model and example for all residents of the city, of every age. These individuals are an asset to every society, community and city, and their unique contribution to Tirat Carmel and to generations of residents is today forever engraved in the pages of history. You are an inspiration to us all!

The darlings of the city of Tirat Carmel for 2025 are:

Rabbi Baruch Avital

Born in Meknes, Morocco in 1942. As a child, his beautiful voice was recognized, and he served as a cantor even before he was of legal age. He was sent to study teaching in Tangier, was ordained as a teacher, and at the age of 16 was already teaching at a Talmud Torah school. After his marriage, he immigrated to Israel with his wife and eldest daughter, and the family settled in Tirat Carmel. Over the years, he served in the IDF in the Fallen Identification Unit, took part in Israel's wars, and later became involved in teaching until he was certified as an inspector by the Ministry of Education. In Tirat Carmel, he served as a teacher for those of legal age, as a mediator between couples and as a relationship counselor, as a cantor in synagogues and as a moderator at the municipal Memorial Day ceremonies, and was always a spiritual figure to the general public. After retiring from education, he volunteered at the Tirat Carmel Shabbat Kadisha Society and even served as the company's acting director, until his retirement at the age of 75. The door of his home was always open, on weekdays, Saturdays and holidays, accompanying and supporting residents and families in their difficult moments.

Ms. Tigev Dego

Born in Ethiopia in 1954, she immigrated to Israel as part of Operation Solomon when she was 17 and has lived in Tirat Carmel ever since. Over the years, she raised her family in the city and, at the same time, is heavily involved in helping a variety of communities, including the elderly, needy families and people in distress, whom she visits regularly, helping them with their daily tasks and cooking them hot and nutritious meals; as well as helping women integrate into society and the labor market. In addition, Tigev utilizes her talent in mediation and conflict resolution and often mediates between spouses and family members, while finding solutions to strengthen the family unit and maintain peace at home. Tigev is a woman of kindness and volunteerism, a role model in the community who works modestly and without a desire for publicity, thus inspiring many and strengthening the social fabric of the city.

Mr. Meir Dahan

Born in Tirat Carmel in 1963, and still lives there today. Meir is an artist and painter, who focuses on documenting the history and nostalgia of the city through his works. Over the years, he has become a central figure in the local community, dedicating his time and talent to preserving the city's memories. Over the years, he initiated and established the painting exhibition "Tirat Carmel of the Past," in which he presented works depicting the landscapes of his childhood and the history of the city. The exhibition was very successful and united old and new residents around it.

The winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award is:

Ms. Esther (Etti) Cohen

Born in 1954 in Rabat, Morocco, she immigrated to Israel at the age of two, and has lived in Tirat Carmel ever since. She served in the army as a paratrooper and even successfully completed a skydiving course. After her release, she worked in education, working with toddlers on motor skills, and later as a teacher at Degania School, where she also managed the learning center for about a decade. At the same time, and to this day, for more than four decades, Eti stands out as a social activist who works with dedication and tirelessness for the community and among all ages and sectors. Among other things, she founded the "Li-Lech" association, which provides second-hand clothing and products to families who cannot afford it.

In addition, Eti works extensively on behalf of youth, soldiers, and the elderly: she ensures donations of essential equipment for recruits, leads IDF preparation programs, established and coordinated the municipal parents' patrol, volunteers at a day center for the elderly, teaches Hebrew, holds campaigns to purchase eyeglasses for the elderly at discounted prices, gives lectures on smoking cessation and addictions, and more. For many years, she has operated a wide array of volunteers who, among other things, helped the community during the Corona period and the October 7 War, distributed food, clothing, and medicine, and initiated a series of social projects, including campaigns to distribute school bags to students from families in need.