Sonia Peres

Sonia Peres
Sonia Peres
סוניה פרס‎
	Peres in 1984
First Lady of Israel
	In role; 15 July 2007 – 20 January 2011
President	Shimon Peres
Preceded by	Gila Katsav
Succeeded by	Nechama Rivlin (2014)
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Israel
	In role; 4 November 1995 – 18 June 1996
Prime Minister	Shimon Peres
Preceded by	Leah Rabin
Succeeded by	Sara Netanyahu
	In role; 13 September 1984 – 20 October 1986
Prime Minister	Shimon Peres
Preceded by	Shulamit Shamir
Succeeded by	Shulamit Shamir
	In role; 22 April 1977 – 21 June 1977; Acting
Prime Minister	Shimon Peres
Preceded by	Leah Rabin
Succeeded by	Aliza Begin
Personal details
Born	Sonia Gelman; 27 March 1923; Mizoch, Poland (now Ukraine)
Died	20 January 2011 (aged 87); Tel Aviv, Israel
Spouse	Shimon Peres (m. 1945)
Children	Tsvia; Yoni; Chemi;
Occupation	practical nurse

Sonia Peres (Hebrew: סוניה פרס; née Gelman; 27 March 1923 – 20 January 2011)^[1] was the wife of President and Prime Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres. Sonia served in the British Army during World War II, and for many years volunteered anonymously for sick children and the disabled.^[2]

She married Shimon in May 1945. Together, they helped found kibbutz Alumot.^[3] Sonia and Shimon had three children and eight grandchildren.^[4]

Sonia rarely appeared in public eye, preferring to play a backstage role in her husband's six-decade political career.^[2]