A Boy Named Szymon
In a small town called Wiszniew in Poland, there lived a boy named Szymon Perski. That was Shimon Peres's real name when he was born in 1923!
Fun Fact: Young Szymon loved to read books and write poems, just like many kids today love to read stories!
Life was different back then. Szymon lived with his family in a wooden house. His father was a lumber merchant, and his mother was a librarian who taught him to love books. His grandfather, Rabbi Zvi Meltzer, taught him about Jewish history and wisdom.
A Big Move
"Szymon," his father said one day, "we're going on a big adventure. We're moving to a new land called Palestine!"
Little Szymon was only eleven years old when his family packed their bags. They were leaving their home in Poland to help build a new home for Jewish people. It was 1934, and many Jewish families were making this journey.
"I remember the day we left as if it were yesterday," Shimon would later say. "My grandfather hugged me so tight, tears in his eyes."
A New Beginning
When Szymon arrived in Palestine (which would later become Israel), everything was different!
The weather was much hotter
People spoke Hebrew instead of Polish
The food was different
He had to make new friends
Even his name changed to Shimon
But young Shimon was brave. He learned Hebrew quickly and made new friends at his new school. He joined a youth group where kids worked together on farms. They grew vegetables, took care of animals, and learned about farming.
Young Shimon wrote in his diary: "Every day brings something new to learn. Even though I miss Poland sometimes, I feel like I'm part of something important here."
Dreams Take Root
Living in this new land, Shimon began to dream big dreams. He wanted to help build a country where all Jewish people could live safely and happily. He worked hard in school and spent hours reading books about history and science.
His father would often tell him: "Shimon, never stop dreaming. Dreams are the seeds of great things to come."
As the sun set over the hills of his new homeland, young Shimon would look out his window and imagine the future. He didn't know it then, but this was just the beginning of an amazing journey that would change not only his life but the lives of millions of people.
Growing Up Fast
Life wasn't always easy in their new home. The family had to work hard to make a living. Sometimes they didn't have much money, but they always had each other. Shimon helped his family by working in the fields after school.
At night, he would sit with his mother as she read him stories about brave leaders and peacemakers. These stories planted seeds in young Shimon's mind - seeds that would grow into big ideas about peace and helping others.
Words from Young Shimon: "Each morning, I wake up excited to learn something new. My mother says knowledge is like a treasure that nobody can take away from you."
Every day, Shimon saw more families arriving from different countries, just like his family had. He helped new kids feel welcome, remembering how it felt when he was new. This taught him an important lesson - being kind to others makes the world a better place.
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The Young Fighter
As Shimon grew into a teenager, he saw that his new homeland needed brave people to protect it. In 1947, at age 24, he joined a group called the Haganah. They were like guardians who kept Jewish communities safe. ️
Important Moment: The Haganah was different from regular armies. They protected farms and villages, helping people stay safe in their homes.
A Special Mission
David Ben-Gurion, who was like a teacher to young Shimon, gave him an important job. "Shimon," he said, "we need your help to get supplies for our people."
Shimon worked very hard at this job. He traveled to many places and talked to lots of people. He was like a superhero working in secret to help his community! ♂️
"Every day was an adventure," Shimon would later remember. "I knew what we were doing was important for our future."
Building Hope
The year 1948 was very special. After lots of hard work by many people, including Shimon, something amazing happened - Israel became a country!
People danced in the streets
Flags waved in the wind
Songs filled the air
Families celebrated together
Hope was everywhere
Making Friends, Not Fighting
Even though Shimon helped protect his people, he learned something very important: making friends is better than fighting. He started thinking about ways to help everyone live together peacefully. ️
"The best victory is when nobody feels defeated," Shimon would often say. This became one of his most important ideas.
Working Hard for Peace
Shimon worked day and night. He talked to many people and tried to find ways to make things better. Sometimes he would stay up late reading papers and making plans.
"We must work hard," he would tell his friends, "but we must also be kind. That's how we build a better world."
Learning to Lead
During this time, Shimon learned many important things about being a leader:
Shimon's Leadership Lessons:
"Listen to everyone, even if they disagree with you."
"Be brave, but also be wise."
"Never give up on your dreams for peace."
He worked with many different people and learned that everyone has something special to share. This made him think about how to bring people together instead of keeping them apart.
Dreams of Tomorrow
Even during tough times, Shimon kept dreaming about the future. He imagined a time when all children could play together safely, when farms would grow lots of food, and when everyone would help each other.
Every night, before he went to sleep, he would think about what he could do the next day to make these dreams come true.
"Tomorrow," he would say, "is a chance to do something wonderful."
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Building Israel's Future
Young Shimon had a big new job! In 1952, David Ben-Gurion asked him to help make Israel stronger. Shimon was only 29 years old, but he was ready to work hard.
Special Role: Shimon became the Deputy Director-General of the Defense Ministry. That's like being a helper to keep everyone safe!
Making New Friends
Shimon traveled to many countries to make friends for Israel. He went to France and America! On these trips, he would say: "Let's work together and help each other!"
"Making friends is better than making enemies. When we work together, everyone wins!"
Building Cool Things
Shimon had big dreams for Israel. He wanted to build things that would help people:
New schools for children
Better farms to grow food
Cool science labs
Safe places for everyone
New ways to get water to dry places
Working with David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion was like a teacher to Shimon. They would take long walks and talk about big ideas. "What can we do to make Israel better?" they would ask each other.
"Every day, I learned something new from Ben-Gurion," Shimon would say. "He taught me to dream big!"
Helping Israel Grow
Shimon worked really hard to help Israel grow strong. He helped build:
Cool Things Shimon Helped Create:
"New ways to water plants in the desert"
"Special planes to keep Israel safe"
"Places where scientists could work"
Learning New Things
Shimon loved to learn! Every day, he would read books and talk to smart people. He wanted to know everything about science, farming, and how to help people live better lives.
"Knowledge is like a superpower," he would tell children. "The more you learn, the more you can help others!"
Making Big Decisions
Sometimes, Shimon had to make hard choices. But he always tried to think about what would help the most people. He would ask himself: "Will this make things better for everyone?"
"When we help others, we help ourselves too," Shimon would often say.
Looking to the Future
Shimon always thought about tomorrow. He wanted Israel to be a place where kids could grow up happy and safe. He worked hard to make this dream come true. ⭐
"The best way to make good things happen," he would say, "is to work hard today for a better tomorrow!"
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Working for Peace
The year was 1993. Shimon Peres had a big dream - he wanted to make peace! ️ He knew that fighting wasn't good for anyone. "We need to talk and be friends," he would say.
Special Mission: Shimon worked very hard to help Israel and its neighbors become friends. This was called the Oslo Peace Talks.
Making New Friends
Shimon met with people who used to be enemies. They sat together and talked about how to stop fighting. It wasn't easy, but Shimon never gave up!
"Peace is not just a piece of paper. It's about making friends and working together."
A Big Prize
Something amazing happened in 1994! Shimon won a very special award called the Nobel Peace Prize. He won it with his friends Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat. They got this prize because they tried to make peace.
"This prize is not just for me," Shimon said. "It's for everyone who wants peace!"
Hard Work for Peace
Making peace was not easy. Some people didn't like Shimon's ideas. But he kept trying! He believed that:
Talking is better than fighting ️
Children deserve to grow up safe
Everyone can live together happily
Working together makes everything better
Peace makes everyone's life better ❤️
Dreams of Peace
Shimon had a big dream about the Middle East. He imagined a place where:
Shimon's Dream:
"Kids from different places play together"
"People help each other grow food"
"Everyone shares good ideas"
Teaching About Peace
Shimon loved to talk to young people about peace. "You are the future," he would say. "You can make the world better!"
He visited schools and told children: "Don't be afraid to dream big dreams about peace!"
Working with Other Countries
Shimon traveled all around the world to talk about peace. He went to many countries and made lots of friends. He told everyone: "Let's work together to make the world better!"
"When we join hands, we can do amazing things," Shimon would say with a smile.
Never Giving Up
Even when things got hard, Shimon kept trying. He believed peace was possible. "We must keep working for peace," he would say. "It's the most important thing we can do." ⭐
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Building a Better Future
After working so hard for peace, Shimon Peres had another big dream. He wanted to use cool new ideas to help people!
A Special Place
In 1996, Shimon built something amazing - the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation! It was like a magical school where people could learn and work together.
Fun Fact: The Center looked like a beautiful glass building by the sea. Inside, it was full of cool gadgets and new ideas!
Cool New Ideas
Shimon loved technology! He believed new ideas could solve big problems. At his center, people worked on:
Computers that help farmers grow food
Apps that teach kids from different places
Machines that clean water
Games that help people become friends
Tools that make sick people feel better
Bringing People Together
The Center was special because it brought different people together. Kids from Israel played with kids from other countries. They learned that everyone can...
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