Miriam Peretz
Miriam PeretzZiv Video Productions
Miriam Peretz, who lost two sons serving in IDF combat units, was honored Thursday at the annual convention of Maagalim, an organization that helps disadvantaged youths. She received the prize for 'belief' – a central tenet in Maagalim's philosophy, which encourages youths to believe in their own abilities. 

The ceremony took place at Binyanei HaUmah in Jerusalem and this year, it was attended by some 1,500 young women from Maagalim's centers nationwide.

The 'belief' prize is given to prominent figures in Israeli society who succeeded in breaking out of "a cycle of difficulty" in their lives and achieving positive things. 

Miriam Peretz lost her sons, Lt. Uriel Peretz and Maj. Eliraz Peretz, who were killed in IDF combat. Eliraz was killed in Gaza shortly after Operation Cast Lead. She told the girls about her ordeals, and how she coped with the loss of her husband as well. She was very moved by emotion and told the young women: "Each one of you should light her own personal light and raise it high. The nation that has daughters like you is blessed."

The young women stood and gave her a prolonged ovation.

The event was also attended by Assaf Weiss, Maagalim's director; the Rabbi of Tzfat, Rav Shmuel Eliyahu; Nissan Slumiansky, Deputy Head of the Lander Institute; Dr. Avraham Lifshitz, who is in charge of religious education in the Ministry of Education and Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar.