The Tirat Carmel Municipality held a festive awards ceremony last night at the municipal conservatory, during which scholarships were awarded to the city's outstanding athletes for 2026 in the fields of sports and music. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Dudu Cohen, Deputy Mayors Yair Saida and Sagi Ben Lisha, City Council member Tamar Aviv, Director of the Culture Department Dor Alkalai, family members and guests.
Scholarships for outstanding athletes who have brought honor to the city on the national and international stage
In the field of sports, scholarships were awarded to five prominent athletes from Tirat Carmel. Itay Shoshan, the Israeli champion in men's doubles in table tennis under 21, ranked 30th in Europe for his age, received a scholarship at the ceremony. Shiri Sokolovsky, the Israeli champion in acrobatic gymnastics and gold medalist at the World Cup in Burgas, was also honored. Shai Rozin, a bronze medalist at the World Powerlifting Championships for Blind and Visually Impaired Athletes, who aspires to represent Israel at the Paralympic Games in 2028, also received a scholarship. Alongside them, scholarships were awarded to Alexander Alekseenko, the Israeli champion in powerlifting for 2026, and Idan Vegav, the Israeli champion for cadets under 18 in the 800-meter run, who was accepted into the Academy for Excellence in Sports at Wingate.
Young musicians and the "Gvanim" choir were recognized for impressive achievements
Young talents from the city were also honored in the field of music. Hila Melamed, an outstanding graduate of the Municipal Conservatory, received a scholarship. Jonathan Amgar, a leading trumpet player who was accepted into the Israel National Youth Wind Orchestra in 2016, and Lior Gurevich Rosenblum, a music student at the "Reut" School of the Arts who was also accepted into the National Youth Orchestra, were honored for their achievements. During the ceremony, the "Gvanim" choir, the city's representative a cappella choir, was also honored, which won a silver medal in an international competition in Slovakia and first place and the title of "Outstanding National Choir" by the Mila.
"Exceptional talents who can reach the highest peaks"
Mayor Dudu Cohen He said at the ceremony: "The outstanding men and women we met last night are a source of great pride for Tirat Carmel. Behind every medal, every competition, and every achievement stand years of work, perseverance, discipline, and faith along the way. Their successes prove that there are extraordinary talents in our city who can reach the highest peaks in Israel and the world. Our role as the municipality is to continue to give them the tools, the stage, and the support so that they can dream big and make it happen."
City Council Member and Culture Portfolio Holder Tamar Aviv She noted that "behind every achievement there are also supportive families, teachers, coaches, and mentors who believe, encourage, and accompany along the way."
Live musical performances added a festive touch to the ceremony.
The festive evening also included musical performances by Hila Melamed and the "Gvanim" choir, who demonstrated on stage the musical talent and quality that is growing in Tirat Carmel.
Director of the Cultural Department Dor Alkalai He said, "This ceremony is much more than awarding scholarships. It is an opportunity to stop and honor the young men and women who dedicate many hours to training, studies, creativity and music, and through their work become excellent ambassadors of Tirat Carmel. We will continue to encourage excellence and cultivate local talents in all areas of culture and sports."