Record Number of Religious Israelis Honored by Shin Bet

An unprecedented number of religious individuals were recognized at the Shin Bet's 2025 excellence awards ceremony, held at the President's Residence. Out of 16 employees honored, eight wore kippot, representing half of the recipients. While the honorees were photographed with their backs to the camera, the religious headwear was clearly visible.

The ceremony was attended by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Shin Bet Director David Zini. The recognized employees had been involved in operations in the southern region, Judea and Samaria, and in intelligence and technology sectors since the outbreak of the war.

During the event, Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the Shin Bet's activities, stating that 1,000 thwarted attacks, which he termed "attempts to murder our people," had been carried out in Judea and Samaria. He praised the cooperation between the Shin Bet, the IDF, and other security agencies.

Netanyahu also spoke about the ongoing conflict with Hamas and Iran, vowing to eliminate Hamas and stating, "We will topple the regime in Iran. We will bring it down."

Shin Bet Director David Zini also commended the award recipients, calling them "exemplary individuals" who serve as role models. This year's awards recognized employees from various fields within the service, including field operations, investigations, research, technology, and staff roles.