President Reuven Rivlin has congratulated Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky on his winning the Israel Prize, citing Sharansky's long and moving journey from Prisoner of Zion and symbol of the struggle for Soviet Jewry to immigrate to Israel and via his being a Member of Knesset and a senior government minister to his current role as Chairman of the Jewish Agency, a position in which he assists in the absorption of tens of thousands of other Jews."
Rivlin continued, "Dear Natan, after years of significant activity, which has given voice and recognition to the immigrants from the Soviet Union and immigrants wherever they may be, we congratulate you as the recipient of the Israel Prize."