Prof. Alice Shalvi (right) receives the NIF award from NIF Israel Executive Director Rachel Liel.

Prof. Alice Shalvi was awarded NIF and Dafna's Fund Prize for social and feminist leadership during the NIF Board meeting in Jerusalem earlier this month. In a highly moving ceremony, she was commended for her inspiring leadership and significant contribution to feminism, religious pluralism, separation of synagogue and state, social justice and equality and human rights.

The awards ceremony was filled with touching stories of Shalvi’s life-long activism. A female Israeli Air Force pilot said that if not for the personal struggle of Prof. Shalvi and other leaders, she would not have been able to achieve what she has. She said, "Because of you Prof. Shalvi, the sky is the limit for me." Single mother, now attorney, Michal Baruch Alfassi thanked Prof. Shalvi for showing her that women were not just alive to cook and clean for their husbands, while Tammy Biton said she is trying to emulate her work in the Negev in establishing a spin-off of Professor Shalvi’s famous Pelech school for religious young women.

Opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni also sent her congratulations, praising Prof. Shalvi's contribution to Israeli life. The most unusual aspect of the evening was a rousing lecture by Professor Shalvi herself, a Shakespeare scholar, on aspects of honor in the play “Troilus and Cressida.”

Born in Germany and raised in the UK, Alice Shalvi immigrated to Israel in 1949. Frustrated by the impediments to women in academic careers, she founded the Israel Women’s Network, which became the most important feminist institution in Israel, and also became known for her groundbreaking activism for education and religious pluralism. In 2007 she was awarded the prestigious Israel Prize for her lifetime achievements. She is a member of NIF's International Council and a former member of NIF's Board.

Click here to read the feature story about Prof. Shalvi entitled "A Soldier for Sexual Equality," which was published in Haaretz prior to the ceremony.

Watch the short video below about "Some things you should know about Alice Shalvi"