Shimon Peres was born Shimon Persky on August 2, 1923 in Wiszniew, Poland (now Vishnyeva, Belarus). His father, Yitzhak, was a timber merchant and frequently traveled. His mother, Sara, was a teacher and a librarian.



As a boy, Shimon was educated by his maternal grandfather, Rabbi Zvi Meltzer, who was his inspiration and who raised him in the Jewish tradition and culture.



In 1934, three years after his father immigrated to Israel, Peres, his mother, and brother followed. His grandfather accompanied the family to the train station, and when he said goodbye to the young Shimon, he whispered his final will and testament, “I have one request of you - always stay Jewish!” A few short years later, his grandfather and the rest of the family who remained in Wiszniew perished in the Holocaust.