Chantal Belzberg, founder of OneFamily, has been selected to receive the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement for 5786, in recognition of her exceptional contribution to Israeli society and the State of Israel, as announced today, Thursday, by Minister of Education Yoav Kisch.
The Education Ministry stated: "Founded by Chantal, her husband, Marc Belzberg, and their daughter Michal, whose sacrifice of her own bat mitzvah celebration started it all, OneFamily is Israel’s national organization supporting bereaved families and wounded Israelis affected by terror and war."
"What distinguishes the organization is its uniquely holistic, family-centered model: OneFamily is the only organization in Israel that addresses every circle of bereavement and injury within a family, including parents, siblings, widows, widowers, and orphans, treating each family as a whole in need of emotional, social, and financial support not only in moments of crisis, but throughout life.
"Established in 2001 in the aftermath of the Sbarro bombing in Jerusalem, OneFamily has grown into one of Israel’s most significant national support organizations. Today, it supports more than 20,000 people from across Israeli society, providing sustained, multi-layered care: from emergency financial assistance and trauma support, to rehabilitation, therapeutic programs, youth frameworks, support for widows and orphans, and the ongoing daily accompaniment families need long after public attention has moved on."
In response to the announcement that she will be receiving the award, Belzberg said: 'I want to thank the Minister of Education for this deeply moving decision. I am moved not because of myself, but because of the people for whom OneFamily was created: bereaved parents, widows, orphans, bereaved siblings, double orphans, and the wounded, with visible and invisible wounds. This prize is, first and foremost, recognition of them. It is an embrace for the thousands of families who continue to carry this country, even when their hearts are broken."
The ministry added: "The Israel Prize is considered the State of Israel’s highest and most prestigious civilian honor. It has been awarded since 1953, and is presented each year in a state ceremony on Independence Day. This year’s ceremony, scheduled for April 22 in Jerusalem, is also expected to carry unusual international attention: U.S. President Donald Trump is also to receive an Israel Prize honor for a Lifetime Special Contribution to the State of Israel and the Jewish People."
"Belzberg’s selection highlights the family’s lifelong devotion to the Jewish people as one, each the responsibility of the other. She has transformed that principle into her life’s work, creating a national framework of compassion, responsibility, and mutual care - one that reaches people precisely when they need it most.
"Born in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1966, Chantal Belzberg immigrated to Israel with her family in 1991 and settled in Jerusalem. From early on, she was known for her social activism and deep concern for others. But the turning point in her life came in 2001, following the devastating terrorist attack at the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem.
"The bombing took place on her daughter Michal’s 12th birthday, just three weeks before her scheduled bat mitzvah celebration. In the face of national tragedy, Chantal and Marc chose to cancel the family event and redirect all of the funds set aside for the celebration to help the victims’ families; a single act of compassion that ultimately grew into a national organization.
"Over the years, OneFamily has developed a broad and deeply rooted network of care, including one of Israel’s largest relief funds, a nationwide system of dedicated family coordinators, therapeutic groups in Israel and abroad, emotional rehabilitation initiatives, supportive communities for distinct bereaved populations, and extensive programming for bereaved teens and young adults that helps them not only survive loss, but rebuild and grow.
"Belzberg herself does not lead from a distance. She is deeply present in the lives of the families OneFamily serves - knowing them by name, accompanying parents and children, visiting homes and hospitals, and showing up in the most intimate and painful moments. She leads the organization with profound personal commitment, moral clarity, and a rare sense of mission.
"She has also helped drive broader systemic change in Israel, including advancing the National Insurance Institute's recognition of double orphans and helping establish specialized therapeutic communities for previously underserved bereaved groups.
"Since October 7, 2023, her work has become more vital than ever. Within hours, emergency centers were established, immediate support systems were built in hospitals and communities, and OneFamily began providing financial, emotional, and rehabilitative care to thousands of newly bereaved and wounded families. As members of the organization’s team have described, over the past two years, decades of work have had to be scaled and completed in a fraction of the time.
"The Israel Prize decision highlights Belzberg’s exceptional contribution to Israel’s social resilience and her ability to transform personal and national pain into a broad, professional, and deeply humane system of support, one that endures over time and offers hope even in the darkest moments.
"Behind this award stand thousands of bereaved families, wounded individuals, and orphans whose lives have been touched by her work. Their stories are the truest testimony to a lifetime of responsibility, generosity, and profound connection throughout Israeli society."