Legendary Mossad agent honored
President Rivlin and Mossad Director Yossi Cohen gave Avraham Barzilai, who began serving in the organization in 1955, a lifetime achievement commendation.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Mossad Director Yossi Cohen celebrated legendary Mossad agent Avraham Barzilai on Wednesday, awarding him a commendation for his many years of service.
Barzilai, 90, was recruited into the Mossad in 1955, starting out as a fighter. He participated in a large number of operations during his long career, including famous operation that facilitated the immigration of tens of thousands of Jews to Israel.
Barzilai officially retired in 1995, but never stopped contributing to the Mossad, and has been volunteering for the organization in different capacities. For the past several years, he has been spending time instructing new Mossad recruits, passing on his vast knowledge. Due to health reasons, he was unable to attend the official ceremony at the Presidential Residence in which commendations were awarded to Mossad workers two months ago, and so a small, special ceremony was conducted there on Wednesday.
President Rivlin spoke at the ceremony, telling Barzilai, “Everyone was eagerly anticipating meeting you at the traditional Mossad commendation event that takes place in the Presidential Residence, and was disappointed. I am proud to amend this and give you the lifetime achievement commendation. It is an honor for us to have been given the privilege of thanking you for decades of service for the security of the country.”
Barzilai thanked the President and said, “You must imagine how much this moment means to me and my family. I thank you for the great honor you have given me today from the bottom of my heart. It is a duty and great privilege to mention the extraordinary contribution of my wife throughout all the years of my service. We celebrated 61 years of marriage this year – one year more than the years of my service at the Mossad. All along the service she kept the home front intact, she raised our children in an exemplary way, by herself. She was with me in operations quite a few times as well. Mr. President, I am unable to express the (great) significance of my wife’s share, and feel that this honor is both of ours’, and that she shares it with me equally.”
“I’ll ask the Mossad to give her a commendation as well,” the President answered, smiling. Current Mossad Director Yossi Cohen expressed his appreciation for Barzilai’s dedicated work, saying, “I’ve known Avraham since I was a child. You could say Avraham was my teacher and mentor. Your generation has an essential part in molding the new generation.”
