During his speech at the Israel Prize ceremony, Education Minister Yoav Kisch moved the audience as he spoke about his late son Matan, who suffered for years from a rare genetic illness.
Speaking through tears, Kisch expressed personal gratitude to Israel Prize laureate Adi Altschuler, who founded the "Wings of Krembo" youth movement, where his son had been a participant.
"Matan, my son of blessed memory, was a wonderful child, a special child," Kisch shared. "At the age of one, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease that did not allow him to live a normal life."
"The moment of diagnosis was a harsh blow that shook our world," he continued. "The greatest pain was over everything I understood he would never experience - he would not walk, he would not have a partner, he would not build a family."
"Matan taught me a lesson for life," Kisch added. "That pain was my pain, not his. Despite the difficulty, Matan was a happy and joyful child. He loved to laugh and loved people. Even though he never spoke a word in his life, he knew how to communicate."