Shimon Peres and Barbara Streisand. Photo: Twitter.

A number of leading celebrities took to social media on Wednesday to express their condolences following the passing of former Israeli president Shimon Peres, who died late last night at the age of 93.

“My heart is bleeding, my tears are falling, because President Shimon Peres is no longer in this world,” said famed singer Barbara Streisand in statements on her personal website and via Instagram. She called Peres “a father figure,” to Israel and to herself, as “he was what I imagined my father would have been like [Streisand’s father died when she was an infant].”

Streisand, who performed for Peres at a celebration for his 90th birthday, said she “adored” him, adding:

He was a brilliant statesman, gifted with the ability to listen to others who did not share his views and still remained determined to find a path forward. He was a voice of reason who also happened to have the sensibility of a poet, thoughtful and soft-spoken, but his words echoed loudly around the world.

Pop star Paula Abdul recalled her recent visit with the Israeli diplomat, saying his “warmth and kindness moves my heart to this day,” while renowned talk show host Larry King said Peres was “a remarkable man” he was “honored” to have interviewed several times.

Hollywood stars also took to Twitter to bid farewell to Peres, with iconic model-actress Sharon Stone writing “Godspeed, my friend” and Joshua Malina, the Jewish star of the ABC series “Scandal,” lamenting the statesman’s death with the phrase “Alav hashalom,” meaning “peace be upon him.”

Standup comic and talk show host Chelsea Handler tweeted, “Walls are meant to come down,” a quote from the Israeli leader, and Apple CEO Tim Cook extended his condolences to the people of Israel, calling the former president “a true visionary whose efforts for peace will never be forgotten.”

Peres died following a massive stroke he suffered two weeks ago. Over the span of his 55-year political career, he served as Israel’s deputy defense minister, finance minister, foreign minister, prime minister and president. He is survived by his daughter, Zvia, sons, Yonathan and Nehemia, and six grandchildren. His wife, Sonia, died in 2011.