Mr. Yona Yahav

Rambam Health Care Campus is honored to confer the 2014 Rambam Award upon Mr. Yona Yahav in recognition of his social, cultural, and political activities that have strengthened relationships between multiple nations and Israel, admiration for his commitment to peaceful coexistence, and gratitude for his ongoing efforts on behalf of Rambam Health Care Campus, to benefit the citizenry of Haifa.
Yona’s parents fled Germany in 1933 when the Nazis came to power. Born and educated in Israel, Yona graduated in law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and pursued related studies at the University of London. Returning to Israel, Yona became active in politics, serving at different times as an advisor, a spokesperson, a member of Knesset on the Labor Party list (1996), and most recently as mayor of Haifa since 2003.
Yona has always maintained an acute awareness of his place as a citizen of the world. In particular as Haifa’s mayor, he has forged new relationships with other nations and strengthened ties with old and new sister-cities worldwide. He has been committed to the remarkable diversity and peaceful coexistence of Haifa and the betterment of Haifa’s citizens in peacetime and in war. To that end, Yona has made support of Rambam’s West Campus development a top priority for advancing the city, the region, and the nation.
In acknowledgement of all the aforesaid, the Prize Committee has found Mr. Yona Yahav deserving of the 2014 Rambam Award.