‘Never stop dreaming’: Remembering Shimon Peres

Ayelet Frish kvells when talking about the biographical documentary on her legendary former boss, Shimon Peres, which was released on Netflix on July 13.

Frish, who runs a successful firm (Frish Strategic Consulting) advising global leaders, VIP clients and companies, and appears regularly as a commentator on Channel 12, played a key role in the making of Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres, a film of just over two hours by award-winning American director Richard Trank.

She recalls that Trank’s team came to the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation seven years ago to interview Peres for a film about his mentor, David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister. “I called them aside, and suggested that as the sands of time run out, they use this opportunity to make a documentary about Peres and hear stories that he’s never told about the history of the State of Israel,” Frish says. “I was so happy when they agreed.”

In the first three days of its streaming, the documentary became the third most viewed film on Netflix in Israel.

“The documentary, produced by Rabbi Marvin Hier’s Simon Wiesenthal Center, is being broadcast on Netflix in over 190 countries in multiple languages, providing viewers with incredible lessons from a beloved and respected global leader, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and one of Israel’s founding fathers,” Frish says. “The story of President Peres is in fact the story of the State of Israel.”

“The story of President Peres is in fact the story of the State of Israel.”

Ayelet Frish

Frish and Peres

Frish worked with Peres, who died in 2016 at 93, for 13 years – before, during, and after his presidency from 2007 to 2014. He served for two terms as prime minister, was a member of 12 cabinets, and represented five parties in a political career that spanned seven decades. Trank began filming while Peres was alive, completing the interviews with him, and continued after his death to include his funeral, attended by leaders from around the world.

“As Peres’s strategic and media advisor, I had the enormous privilege of accompanying him, along with Richard and the talented film crew, during his final days,” Frish says. “He opened up a rare door and candidly reflected on the early days of the State of Israel, the establishment of the Dimona Nuclear Research Facility and Israel Aerospace Industries, how he led the world’s most successful counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission, Operation Entebbe, his role in making Israel the ‘Start-up Nation’ and developing nano-technology, and how he set the foundations for peace between the Israelis, the Palestinians and the entire Middle East.” 

Narrated by American film star George Clooney and interspersed with insights throughout from Peres biographer Michael Bar-Zohar, the documentary features interviews and archival footage with an array of dignitaries, including former US presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, former Israeli prime ministers Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir and Ariel Sharon, as well as Peres himself.

“People said that I’m a dreamer,” Peres says. “It’s true. But ask me this: What’s wrong? Who said people who don’t dream are right?” 

The documentary, which has received rave reviews, explores how the Polish-born Peres, credited with being the father of Israel’s nuclear program, went on to pursue peace rather than power, becoming the architect of the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO, and the 1994 peace treaty between Israel and Jordan. In that year, he also shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.

“The main message in the film is: Dream big and never stop dreaming,” Frish says. “Peres told me, ‘I know I accomplished a lot, but my dreams were too small. I could have done more. I want every young person to know that they can dream and fulfill their dreams.’”