Established in 1948 by a Jewish doctor who escaped Nazi Germany, the Paralympics used to be known as “parallel” or “special” Olympics. Israel first competed in the Paralympics in the 1960 Summer Games in Rome, Italy. Since then Israel has won 372 medals in the Paralympics, more than a third of them gold. Israel ranks 13th out of 164 participating countries in medal wins over the history of the games — pretty amazing for such a small country.
In London 2012, Israel’s Olympic team returned home empty-handed; on the other hand, the Paralympic Israeli delegation returned home with seven medals.
Israel’s success in disabled sports has given disabled athletes an opportunity to excel.
Other examples of Israel’s commitment to the disabled are plentiful. As the government generously pours funds into residential and treatment centers for the disabled, Israeli corporations in the fields of technology, defense and telecommunications are developing projects to support those with disabilities.
Many Israeli Paralympians were injured during their service in the IDF. One of them is the gold medal winner Noam Gershony, who came first in the Quad wheelchair tennis finals. Gershony was injured in 2006, during the second week of the Second Lebanon War. Two Apache helicopters on their way to an operation in Lebanon collided over Israel’s northern border. One pilot was killed immediately. The second pilot, Gershony, was critically wounded. The injury left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair for life. He spent many months in rehabilitation, where he discovered his love for tennis and started practicing it. In the 2012 Paralympics Gershony was the first to win a gold medal and the first Israeli ever to win gold in tennis.
Gershony was interviewed on the IDF radio station right after winning a gold medal. He said, “I don’t know if it had an effect on me, the fact that I was wounded for the country, giving my life and body for her. I would do it all over again, even if I knew that this would be the outcome. This may have made me happier, the fact that I am able to bring so much pride to the country.”
After winning he was also contacted by President Peres, who said, “You have proved that you are good on the court as well as you are in the sky — a talented Apache pilot and tennis player.”
Gershony is just one of the heroes who has been on the Israeli Paralympics teams throughout the years. People with the strength to overcome their injury and not allow it to be an obstacle to winning an Olympic medal bring pride to Israel.
Despite being anchored to wheelchairs and other physical constraints, Israel’s entrants in this year’s Paralympics in London soared to new heights, making Israelis — and Jews across the globe — excited and proud.
- The entire 2012 Israeli Paralympic delegation made Israel proud:
Cycling Kobi Leon, Nati Gruberg, Pascal Berkowitz
Rowing Moran Samuel, Reuven Magnagi, Olga Sokolov
Wheelchair tennis Shraga Weinberg, Boaz Kramer, Noam Gershony
Table tennis Shai Saida, Liran Geva
Marathon Gadi Yarkoni
Shooting Doron Shaziri
Equestrian Jonathan Dressler
Sailing Dror Cohen, Arnon Efrati, Benny Wexler, Shimon Ben-Yaacov, Hagar Zehavi
Swimming Itzhak Mamistvalov, Inbal Pizaro, Iyad Shalabi, Inbal Ganpol-Schwartz, Erel Halevi, Yoav Valinsky
Natalie Nahome is an Israeli Shlicha (emissary) and is spending a year in the United States.
