Childhood and Early Years. Shimon Peres was born on August 2, 1923, in the small town of Wiszniew, Poland (now Vishnyeva, Belarus). In 1934, at the age of 11, his family immigrated to Palestine, which was then under British mandate. From a young age, Peres was deeply influenced by the Zionist movement, which sought to establish a Jewish homeland. His passion for writing began early in life, and he continued to write poetry throughout his years, even authoring several books during his presidency.
