The Medal of Valor is the highest Israeli military decoration

Israeli Military decorations

The Israeli Military decorations are the decorations awarded to soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces who exhibit extraordinary bravery and courage....

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The medal was established in 1970 by the Knesset

Knesset

The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...

 in an act of law as a replacement for the Hero of Israel

Hero of Israel

Hero of Israel is an Israeli military decoration that was awarded during the War of Independence.When the IDF was first established in May 1948, a system of decorations had not yet been instituted, but many soldiers who had distinguished themselves in battle were recommended by their officers for...

military decoration

Israeli Military decorations

The Israeli Military decorations are the decorations awarded to soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces who exhibit extraordinary bravery and courage....

 that was awarded during the War of Independence

1948 Arab-Israeli War

The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...

. Awards of the medal were also made for actions prior to 1970, and all recipients of the Hero of Israel automatically received the Medal of Valor as well.

Recipients of the medal receive several privileges such as tax reduction and invitations to official state ceremonies. Soldiers awarded the Medal of Valor may also be granted the right to be buried in the Helkat Gedolei Ha'Uma cemetery on Mount Herzl

Mount Herzl

Mount Herzl , also Har HaZikaron , is the national cemetery of Israel on the west side of Jerusalem. It is named for Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism. Herzl's tomb lies at the top of the hill. Yad Vashem, which commemorates the Holocaust, lies to the west of Mt. Herzl....

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To this day, 40 medals have been awarded: 12 during the Independence War

1948 Arab-Israeli War

The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...

, 4 during the Sinai War, 12 during the Six-Day War

Six-Day War

The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...

, 1 during the War of Attrition

War of Attrition

The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...

, 8 during the Yom Kippur War

Yom Kippur War

The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...

 and 3 others awarded on other occasions. The first 12 recipients of the Medal of Valor also had the Hero of Israel

Hero of Israel

Hero of Israel is an Israeli military decoration that was awarded during the War of Independence.When the IDF was first established in May 1948, a system of decorations had not yet been instituted, but many soldiers who had distinguished themselves in battle were recommended by their officers for...

 decoration (see above).

Design

The medal was designed by Dan Reisinger

Dan Reisinger

Dan Reisinger is an Israeli designer of graphics, exhibitions, and stage sets.-Biography:He was born in Kanjiža, Serbia, into a family of painters and decorators active in Austria-Hungary and the Balkans. Most family members died in the Holocaust, including his father...

. It is shaped as a Star of David

Star of David

The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...

.

A sword and olive branch decorate the left side while the reverse is plain.

The medal is attached to a yellow ribbon, a reference to the yellow star

Yellow badge

The yellow badge , also referred to as a Jewish badge, was a cloth patch that Jews were ordered to sew on their outer garments in order to mark them as Jews in public. It is intended to be a badge of shame associated with antisemitism...

 that Jews

Jews

The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...

 were forced to wear during the Holocaust. Two time recipients of the medal attach a small medal-shaped clasp to the ribbon.

The medal is minted by the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation. It is made of 25 gram silver/935 and the clasp is chrome plated.

Recipients

Name	Rank	Conflict	Place of action	Date of action	Reason for receiving medal
Yair Racheli	Private	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Near Shefa-'Amr Shefa-'Amr Shefa-'Amr, also Shfar'am is a predominantly Arab city in the North District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a population of 35,300.-Etymology:...	19 Jan 1948	Destroyed an enemy position
Emmanuel Landau	Private	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Kiryat Motzkin	17 Mar 1948	Captured an enemy supply truck
Abraham Avigdorov	Private	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Kiryat Motzkin	17 Mar 1948	Destroyed two enemy Bren Bren The Bren, usually called the Bren Gun, was a series of light machine guns adopted by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles until 1991...  machine gun positions
Zerubavel Horowitz	Second Lieutenant	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Road to Jerusalem	27 Mar 1948	Covered the retreat of his comrades during an enemy attack
Yizhar Armoni	Private	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Nabi Yusha	20 Apr 1948	Covered the retreat of his comrades and the evacuation of wounded soldiers
Emil Brig	Sergeant	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Kibbutz Gesher area	14 May 1948	Destroyed a bridge and thus preventing the enemy from advancing
Zvi Zibel	Airman	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Ben Shemen Ben Shemen Ben Shemen is a moshav in central Israel. Located around four kilometres east of Lod, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Modi'in Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 627....	25 Jun 1948	Delivered supplies to the besieged Ben Shemen while under heavy enemy fire
Ben-Zion Leitner	Private First Class	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Iraq Suwaydan	19 Oct 1948	Destroyed enemy bunkers
Ron Feller	Sergeant	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Karatiyya Karatiyya Karatiyya was a Palestinian Arab village of 1,370, located northeast of Gaza, situated in a flat area with an elevation of along the coastal plain of Palestine and crossed by Wadi al-Mufrid.-History:...	19 Jul 1948	Destroyed an enemy tank
Yohai Ben-Nun Yohai Ben-Nun - Biography :Yohai Ben-Nun was born in Haifa and raised in Jerusalem. His parents were members of the First Aliyah.Ben-Nun joined the Palmach in 1941 and spent three years training and eventually rising to the rank of a squad leader. In 1944, he joined the Pal-Yam, the sea corps of the Palmach...	Captain	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...	22 Oct 1948	Sank the Egyptian Navy flag ship
Siman-Tov Ganeh	Private	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Iraq Suwaydan	19 Nov 1948	Covered the retreat of his comrades
Arieh Atzmoni	Master Sergeant	War of Independence 1948 Arab-Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...	Rafah Rafah Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...	4 Nov 1948	Rescued a cannon from enemy hands
Yacov Mizrachi	Private	Retribution operations Retribution operations The retribution operations were military operations carried out by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1950s and 1960s. These actions were in response to constant fedayeen terror attacks during which the Palestinian militants infiltrated from Syria, Egypt and Jordan into Israel to carry out...	Kuntila	28 Oct 1955	Displayed great courage in charging the enemy
Pinchas Noy	Lieutenant	Retribution operations Retribution operations The retribution operations were military operations carried out by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1950s and 1960s. These actions were in response to constant fedayeen terror attacks during which the Palestinian militants infiltrated from Syria, Egypt and Jordan into Israel to carry out...	Qalqilyah Qalqilyah -Bibliography: p. -External links:**...	10 Oct 1956	Charged enemy positions and killed nine enemy soldiers
Uzi Bar-Zur	Corporal	Sinai War	Sinai	26 Oct-5 Nov 1956	Rescued wounded soldiers while under fire
Dan Ziv	Second Lieutenant	Sinai War	Sinai	1 Nov 1956	Rescued wounded soldiers while under fire
Yehuda Ken-Dror	Private	Sinai War	Sinai	1 Nov 1956	Located enemy positions while under heavy enemy fire
Shlomo Nitzani	Sergeant	Sinai War	Sinai	26 Oct-5 Nov 1956	Rescued wounded soldiers and destroyed enemy positions while under heavy enemy fire
Zvi Ofer Zvi Ofer Zvi Ofer also known as "Tzvika Ofer" or "Zvika Ofer", was the commander of the Israel Defense Forces Haruv Reconnaissance Unit, and recipient of the Israeli medal of valor for the 1962 Nuqeib operation in Syria...	Major	Retribution operations Retribution operations The retribution operations were military operations carried out by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1950s and 1960s. These actions were in response to constant fedayeen terror attacks during which the Palestinian militants infiltrated from Syria, Egypt and Jordan into Israel to carry out...	Nukaiv	16 Mar 1962	Charged enemy positions
Moshe Drimmer	Private	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Golan Heights	9 Jun 1967	Covered the retreat of his comrades
Daniel Wordon	Captain	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	El-Arish	7 Jun 1967	Covered the rescue of wounded soldiers
Uri Weisler	Lieutenant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Rafah Rafah Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...	5 Jun 1967	Continued to engage the enemy while injured
Shaul Vardi	Sergeant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Golan Heights	9 Jun 1967	Continued to engage the enemy while injured
Moshe Tal	Lieutenant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Gaza Strip Gaza Strip thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...	5 Jun 1967	Commanded a force of half-track Half-track A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling... s
Yosef Lapper	Sergeant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Khan Younis	5 Jun 1967	Fought for eight hours alone with his tank
Eitan Neveh	Private	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Jerusalem	6 Jun 1967	Covered his forces in the Battle of the Ammunition Hill Battle of the Ammunition Hill Ammunition Hill was a military post in the northern part of Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem, and the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Six Day War. -Historical background:...
Beni Inbar	Staff Sergeant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Rafah Rafah Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...	5 Jun 1967	Destroyed eight tanks
Mordechai Friedman	Lieutenant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Jerusalem	6 Jun 1967	Destroyed an enemy position
Gad Refen	Lieutenant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	West Bank West Bank The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...	6 Jun 1967	Commanded the conquest of an enemy position near Jenin Jenin Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
David Shirazi	Private	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Golan Heights	9 Jun 1967	Charged an enemy position
Natanel Horovitz	Lieutenant	Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...	Golan Heights	9 Jun 1967	Charged an enemy position
Ami Ayalon Ami Ayalon Amihai "Ami" Ayalon is an Israeli politician and a former member of the Knesset for the Labor Party. He was previously head of the Shin Bet, Israel's secret service, and commander-in-chief of the Navy...	Lieutenant	War of Attrition War of Attrition The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...	Green Island Green Island, Egypt Green Island or El Jzeera El Khadraa is a small artificial island in the Red Sea at the southern mouth of the Suez Canal.-History:...	19 Jul 1969	Heroic action during Operation Bulmus 6 Operation Bulmus 6 Operation Bulmus 6, also known as the Green Island Raid, was a military raid conducted by special operations units of the Israel Defense Forces against an Egyptian early warning radar and ELINT station located on a small island in the Gulf of Suez on the night of July 19, 1969.-Background:Green...
Oded Amir	Captain	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Port Said Port Said Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...	6-24 Oct 1973	Commanded a force which damaged three enemy ships in Port Said harbour
Gideon Giladi	Major	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...	15 Oct 1973	Commanded an armour battle
Zvika Greengold Zvika Greengold Zvi "Zvika" Greengold is a national hero in Israel who fought during the 1973 Yom Kippur War as an Israeli IDF tank commander. He is one of only eight people who fought in the war to be awarded the Medal of Valor, the nation's highest medal for heroism....	Captain	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Golan Heights	6 Oct 1973	Stopped an enemy armour column
Moshe Levi	Sergeant	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Sinai	15 Oct 1973	Destroyed an enemy position
Yuval Neria Yuval Neria Yuval Neria is a clinical psychologist, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Departments of Psychiatry and Epidemiology at Columbia University, Medical Center ., Director of Trauma and PTSD Program, and a Research Scientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University...	Captain	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Sinai	6-18 Oct 1973	Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles
Shlomo Arman	Second Lieutenant	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Sinai	6-8 Oct 1973	Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles
Asa Kadmoni	Major	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Sinai	18 Oct 1973	Fought a large enemy force while surrounded
Avigdor Kahalani Avigdor Kahalani Brigadier-General Avigdor Kahalani is a former Israeli soldier and politician.-Background:Kahalani was born in Ness Ziona during the Mandate era. He studied at Tel Aviv University, gaining a B.A. in History, before going on to Haifa University, where he studied for an M.A. in Political Science...	Lieutenant Colonel	Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...	Golan Heights	9 Oct 1973	Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles