NGO Monitor on eliminating human rights monitoring of Israel entirely and smearing anyone who supports this vital activity". The 2013 Menachem Begin Prize was awarded to NGO Monitor, "a leading organization defending the State of Israel and the Jewish people." The Begin Prize is awarded for “extraordinary act(s) for the benefit of the State of Israel and/or the Jewish People.” Natan Sharansky said, “NGO Monitor is the leading organization defending the State of Israel and the Jewish people.” Leonard Fein, writing for "The Forward" in 2005, said that NGO Monitor is "an organization that believes that the best way to defend Israel
Natan Rakhlin Natan Rakhlin Natan Grigoryevich Rakhlin (Russian: Натан Григорьевич Рахлин, Ukrainian: Натан Григорович Рахлін; in Snowsk near Chernihiv − June 28, 1979 in Kazan) was a Soviet conductor. Natan Grigorievich Rakhlin was born 10 January 1906 (in the Gregorian calendar, i.e. December 28, 1905 Julian calendar). He served as Artistic Director of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine from 1937 to 1962 and was the musical director of a number of Soviet films. In 1941 he succeeded Alexander Gauk as director of the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR. Under his direction the orchestra premiered Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 on 30