Israeli volunteer honored by president while family searches for missing sister

At a ceremony Monday at the President’s Residence, President Isaac Herzog presented the National Civilian Service excellence award to Iroslam, known as Iros, Kassau, even as her family continues searching for her missing sister, Haimont. The award recognized her volunteer work with the Association for Volunteering and her service during the war.

Kassau immigrated from Ethiopia four years ago and has become a central figure at the “Mishkan HaRe’ayah” organization, where she serves as a human bridge for elderly people, soldiers and other vulnerable groups. The group said her work combines professionalism and empathy.

Her most notable effort came during the war, when she went directly to assembly areas and provided medical support to forces under difficult field conditions. According to the association, she did so while her family was dealing with the upheaval caused by her sister’s disappearance.

In explaining the choice, the association said her “inspiring resilience, initiative and quiet leadership” make her an unusually impressive figure. The award ceremony was attended by Minister of Settlement and National Missions Orit Strock, National Civilian Service Authority Director-General Reuven Pinski, Association for Volunteering Director-General Yaron Lutz, and family members. Lutz called Kassau “a beacon of giving, resilience and Zionism at its best,” saying that despite her “deep personal pain” and constant concern for Haimont, she has taught others “a lesson in Israeli resilience.”