12 Facts About Sonia Peres

Sonia Peres was the wife of President and Prime Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres.

Sonia Peres rarely appeared in public eye, preferring to play a backstage role in her husband's six-decade political career.

Sonia Peres Gelman was born in the town of Mizoch in Poland to Malka and Yaakov Gelman.

Peres joined the Gar'in that was founded by Kibbutz Alumot, and Sonia stayed in the village to complete her matriculation studies.

Sonia Peres served as a practical nurse, in a field hospital in the Western Desert during the North African campaign.

Sonia Peres's job was to assist the professional staff in everything needed to treat the wounded.

Sonia Peres said that one day when the head nurse called her a "damn native," she slapped her in the face, and was expelled from the hospital, and was sent to a heavy vehicle driving course at the Mina camp near the pyramids.

Sonia Peres was a housewife who chose to stay away from the media and fiercely maintained her privacy and the privacy of her family, despite her husband's extensive political career.

In one case, Sonia Peres adopted the children of one of the widows, upon her death, and even let them live for a period of time in the prime minister's official resident.

Shimon Sonia Peres took over as Israeli prime minister in September 1984, after many years of unsuccessful attempts to win it over.

Sonia Peres has fulfilled some of the symbolic roles of a prime minister's wife, mainly hosting leaders and women leaders abroad.

Sonia Peres died on January 20,2011, in her apartment in Tel Aviv.