BHUK Winter Magazine 2022 by bhuk

WINTER MAGAZINE

202'

Sponsored by:

A look at our Centres

Beit Halochem Tel Aviv opened its doors in 1974

Plus Inside

• Courage in Motion • Athletes Stories • Forthcoming Events

Dear Friends, Seventy three years after the establishment of the State of Israel, our hope for peace and security has unfortunately, not yet been realised. We must still pay the heavy and painful price of loss of life of brave young men and thousands of wounded soldiers in the ongoing battle for the defence of our country. Our many loyal friends in England, led by Beit Halochem UK, share with us the many tasks and objectives which we face, and we at the Zahal Disabled Veterans Oraganisation DQG %HLW +DORFKHP GR QRW UHVW IRU D PRPHQW 7KH ZHOO EHLQJ RI WKH RUJDQLVDWLRQ¶V members is always our top priority. The coming year presents us with several challenges. Amongst them: • The continued operation of the vast rehabilitation network and programmes at the four Beit Halochem Centres and its adaptation to life alongside the Covid 19 pandemic; • Expanding activities and programmes for young disabled veterans; • Expanding rehabilitation programmes for victims of Post Trauma; Without your partnership and support, we would not have been able to achieve these important goals. I send you and your families greetings for good health along with our deepest appreciation and gratitude. You are an integral part of the extended Beit Halochem family. Yours,

Edan Kleiman, Adv. Chairman Zahal Disabled Veterans Organisation

Message from Beit Halochem UK Chairman I hope you and your family are in good health and are enjoying some rediscovered freedoms. I am pleased to say that Israel is still leading the way on vaccinations and at the same time WKH\ DUH XVLQJ GDWD WR SURYLGH YLWDO UHVHDUFK RQ DQWLERG\ SURWHFWLRQ WKDW ZLOO EHQH¿W WKH global community. I am not going to dwell on what has happened over the last twenty months but rather focus on what we are going to do over the next twelve. We must take a leaf out of our members handbook and learn to look forward with optimism, not backwards with blame. Never has it been more important to keep looking after our injured veterans, but we must now also provide more advanced programmes for PTSD and mental wellness. We have more engagementwith our members through our digital services and we have restructured a lot of programmes within the centres. I am really pleased how well the teams in Israel and the UK have adapted and built back better. 7KH 8. 2I¿FH XQGHU WKH OHDGHUVKLS RI 6SHQFHU *HOGLQJ KDV FRQWLQXHG WR ¿QG LQQRYDWLYH ZD\V WR UDLVH IXQGV 7KH UHFHQW FRQÀLFW serves as a reminder of the importance of Beit Halochem in helping those who protect Israel. This year, like every other, we tried to do our bit to help those members who require specialist rehabilitation in order to lead lives of opportunity and achievement. To this end our recent email campaign that replaced our annual dinner raised in excess of £900,000. Thank you all for your generosity. In this magazine you will read about the resilience of our members, who remain positive despite their ongoing personal challenges. , ZRXOG HQFRXUDJH \RX WR YLVLW RQH RI RXU FHQWUHV DV DQG ZKHQ WUDYHO SHUPLWV VR \RX FDQ ZLWQHVV ¿UVW KDQG KRZ \RXU VXSSRUW KHOSV WR enrich the lives of our members and their families. My best wishes,

Andrew A ndrew Wolfson BHUK Chairman

Beit Halochem Improving lives since ‘74

“Because of their sacriﬁces, there is an Israel for all of us”

A Message from the Chief Rabbi I am delighted to extend my heartfelt best wishes to Beit Halochem, which is, ZLWKRXW GRXEW RQH RI ,VUDHO¶V PRVW FUXFLDO DQG inspirational charities. I never cease to be moved by the stories I hear about the extraordinary assistance given by Beit Halochem to heroic Israeli soldiers who put their lives on the line for the protection of the Jewish State. The British Jewish community is exceptionally proud of the IDF and we are privileged, through Beit Halochem, to be partners in their life-saving and life-enhancing work. May all your sacred endeavours be blessed during the coming year and may it be one of peace for Medinat Yisrael and all of World Jewry.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis January 2 Shevat 5782

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Beit Halochem Centres

Tel Aviv

Beit Halochem Tel Aviv opened its doors in 1974, after the Yom Kippur War. It was built on seven acres of land allocated to the Zahal Disabled Veterans Organisation by the late Yehoshua Rabinovitz, then mayor of Tel Aviv. The principal contribution for the centre was provided by the Aktionskomitee “Pro-Israel” of Switzerland. The 10,000-square-metre complex includes a multipurpose gymnasium, classrooms, treatment rooms, rest accommodations, culture

halls, cafeteria, indoor swimming pool, massage and hydrotherapy unit, shooting gallery and a 350-seat auditorium. The grounds include outdoor playing ﬁelds and an Olympic-size swimming pool. About 5,500 veterans, living in the country’s central region, are active members in Tel Aviv. Including their immediate families, the overall number of participating members comes to 16,000

Jerusalem The Beit Halochem centre in Jerusalem opened in 1994, for the beneﬁt of the members of Zahal Disabled Veterans Organisation living in and around the Jerusalem area. The facility grounds encompass some ten acres of beautiful landscaping, in the south-western part of Jerusalem, between the new suburbs of Gilo, Malcha and Givat Masua, with panoramic views of the Judean hills.

world, and especially, by virtue of the 5.5 million dollar legacy bequeathed by the late Aladar and Iby Fleischman. The 6,750 sq. metre Jerusalem stone complex boasts a large multipurpose gymnasium, an indoor swimming pool, auditorium, physiotherapy treatment and ﬁtness rooms, classrooms, tennis courts, shooting range, table tennis, billiard hall and spacious parking lots. 3,500 disabled veterans are currently enrolled at the centre. Together with their families, the centre serves some 9,000 members.

The construction of the facility was made possible through the contributions of Friends of Beit Halochem Organisations, from all over the 6

Beit Halochem Centres

Haifa

The Beit Halochem centre in Haifa opened in 1986. The Brith Sholom Foundation in Philadelphia undertook the major portion of the facility’s funding. Because of its unusual architectural features, it is considered one of Israel’s more interesting buildings.

social wing, 180-seat auditorium, multipurpose gymnasium, classrooms, ﬁtness rooms, indoor swimming pool, shooting gallery, cafeteria and ofﬁces. Over 2,500 disabled veterans who live in the north make up the active membership, with a total of 8,000 participating members including families.

Situated on the western slopes of the French Carmel, the complex covers about 7,000 square metres. The three-story building houses a

Beer Sheva Beer Sheva’s Beit Halochem opened its doors on January 2011. With over 1,500 registered members, it serves a community of more than 3,000 members and their families residing in Beer Sheva and the Southern District.

a multi-purpose events hall, outdoor basketball and tennis courts and a wide array of sports, cultural and leisure activities for the members and their families.

The 5,500 sq. metre facility is built in the city’s eastern section on an area of 4.4 acres allocated to the ZDVO by the Israel Lands Authority. The complex features a semi-Olympic swimming pool, a sports hall, hydrotherapy pool, a physiotherapy wing, ﬁtness hall, table tennis and billiards halls,

BHUK Fundraising Events Our most recent fundraising events consisted of a Wine and Dine Evening, and Beit Halochem UK Brunch.

Wine Tasting Evening This unique evening was kindly hosted by our loyal Beit Halochem UK donor, Scott and Sally Saunders, in their private home in London. The event attracted 21 current and potential donors to the charity.

Beit Halochem UK Brunch Beit Halochem UK were delighted to hold a small intimate brunch with guest of honour Her Excellency Tzipi Hotovely, Ambassador of Israel to The Court of St James’s, on Monday 13th September

The guests enjoyed delicious food, prepared by two renowned Chefs, and sampled excellent wines which had been donated generously by the host and hostess. The guests were fortunate to hear about the lives of two exceptional veterans, Nati Hakshur who was injured in a terrorist attack whilst visiting his parents in Beer Sheva. as well as a former Royal Marine, Christopher Hayes. The later participated in the 2019 Veteran Games,

a programme that brought together UK and Israeli Veterans in Israel for a 5-day sporting extravaganza.

2021. The event attracted 35 patrons of the charity who were privileged to hear about the inspiring programmes being carried daily at our life changing centres in Israel.

which enabled him to access the world class rehabilitation facilities that Beit Halochem offer.

In addition, the guests heard from two of the charity’s Trustees, Mrs Orly Wolfson and Dr Susan Kahn, as well as from one of our Israeli veterans, Nati Hakshur, who was injured in a terrorist attack whilst visiting his parents in Beer Sheva. During his inspirational speech Nati thanked the donors for their support and contribution 8

BHUK Chairman, Andrew Wolfson, made an appeal on behalf of the charity to raise much needed funds for educational scholarships for 63 Beit Halochem Veterans who wish to participate in the 2022 programme. The appeal was very well supported and raised a staggering £125,000.

The brunch, which was the ﬁrst event to be held in the Ambassador’s ofﬁcial residence since the start of the covid pandemic, was generously hosted by Her Excellency Tzipi Hotovely. The Ambassador, like her predecessors, reinforced the strong links between the Israeli Embassy and Beit Halochem.

Courage in Motion, a ﬁve-day bike trip, organised by the Canadian Beit Halochem branch, took place October 17-21, 2021 in the north of Israel. Cyclists from Canada, USA and the UK rode alongside our disabled veterans, victims of terror, and members of the Israel Start-Up Nation cycling team, through northern Israel. 120 cyclists were riding between 50-130 km per day making this an empowering and inspiring journey.

2021

For the ﬁrst time, three UK donors participated in the ride, raising over £20,000 which has been directed towards the cycling programmes offered at the four rehabilitation facilities in Israel. This solidarity is much appreciated during these challenging times as it helps to sustain a sense of belonging, unity, and mutual responsibility. We thank Beit Halochem Canada for the wonderful 14 years they have been supporting this incredible project initiated by Lisa Levy, Executive Director.

COME RIDE WITH US NEXT YEAR OCTOBER 23-27, 2022 If you would like to be part of the UK team in 2022 or hear more about the project please get in touch with us on info@bhuk.org 9

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

2022 DATE: 29 MAY - 02 JUNE 2022 LOCATION: ISRAEL

10th Anniversary BHUK Dinner GALA DINNER & SPECIAL GUESTS June 2022 at a Central London Venue If you would like to support the charity by becoming a table host, please contact BHUK at spencer@bhuk.org

Royal Marines Veteran and former participant of the Veteran Games 2019, Juniour Mcilhiney, tackled 3,000-mile Atlantic row for charity Junior Mcilhiney together with another veteran and two other serving Royal Marines has successfully completed his row across the Atlantic Ocean in support of the Royal Marines Charity, crossing almost 3,000 miles from Gran Canaria to Port St Charles in Barbados in a time of 49 days, 19 hours and 45 minutes. After joining the Marines in 2007, Mcilhiney was injured by a large IED in Helmand Province in 2011, during a routine patrol in which he was ﬂung from an armoured troop carrier. Since leaving the Marines, he has trekked the Himalayas, gig rowed for a local Plymouth rowing club and participated in sea kayak expeditions. their spouses and children, they also had an opportunity to spend quality time together at the Dead Sea and some other sites such as Kotel and Yad Vashem, as well as build friendships that have lasted until today.

Called the Cockleshell Endeavour Atlantic Row, the team raised £40,000 for the Cockleshell Endeavour Foundation and the Royal Marines Charity Fund. The Cockleshell Endeavour Foundation uses water-based endurance sports to help Royal Marines veterans struggling with mental health issues and physical injuries.

Initiatives like the Veteran Games, which has been admired by many leaders, are essential in helping the veterans connect and ﬁnd empowerment through sports. It is with the support of other veterans and their families that veterans like Junior Mcilhiney ﬁnd the power and the will to step out of their comfort zone, challenge themselves and be the best that they can be.

The team said that one of one of the hardest things about leaving the Corps is losing your sense of purpose – so it has been nice to be involved with something like this again. Mcilhiney took part in the Veteran Games and Conference in 2019. Over two years ago BHUK took 60 injured Brits to Israel to take part in a four days of sporting competition with Israelis who had also lost limbs or suffered posttraumatic stress as result of conﬂict. Joined by

The Games will take place again in May-June 2022 and we look forward to creating more optimism among the UK and the Israeli veterans.

Paralympic Games

Israel has been taking part in the Paralympics since 1960 and the results speak for themselves.

1984

1988

1992

1996

Arnhem Holland

Long Island/USA

Seoul Korea

Barcelona Spain

Atlanta USA

13 Gold Medals

5 Gold Medals

15 Gold Medals

2 Gold Medals

4 Silver Medals

18 Silver Medals

10 Silver Medals

14 Silver Medals

4 Silver Medals

5 Bronze Medals

14 Bronze Medals

11 Bronze Medals

17 Bronze Medals

5 Bronze Medals

Sydney Australia

Athens Greece

Beijing China

London England

Rio de Janeiro Brazil

3 Gold Medals

4 Gold Medals

5 Silver Medals

1 Gold Medal

3 Bronze Medals

2 Silver Medals

4 Silver Medals

1 Bronze Medal

2 Silver Medals

1 Bronze Medal

5 Bronze Medals

TOKYO JAPAN 2021 6 GOLD MEDALS

2 SILVER MEDALS

1 BRONZE MEDAL

Recently Wounded Veterans Born to Ethiopian parents who arrived in Israel in 1997, MOSHE DAMKA served in the IDF Combat Engineering Corps. In December 2018, when he was 20 years old, he sustained serious multiple injuries while uncovering and dismantling Hezbollah tunnels. Now mobile after enduring daily six-hour rehabilitative sessions for months, Moshe appreciates the significance of Beit Halochem in repairing his body and, especially, his mind. Even as Beit Halochem Tel Aviv remains open, it is difficult for Moshe to travel to the centre from his Ashdod home. He looks forward to the future Beit Halochem centre in Ashdod. On its opening, Moshe and 7,000 other injured veterans in southern Israel will benefit from their closer proximity to the centre. SHADI IBRAHIM, a member of the Armored Corps unit, grew up in a Druze village in northern Israel. He was severely injured in a car-ramming on

May 14, 2020 when a terrorist accelerated and drove into a group of soldiers. The 21-yearold was evacuated to the hospital in serious condition with injuries to his upper body. He later suffered multisystem trauma following several surgeries – eventually leading to the amputation of his left leg. While in hospital, Beit Halochem members with similar disabilities visited Shadi. As he embarks on his recovery, Shadi has a positive outlook, “I feel good. I know I lost my leg but nothing will break me. I thank Beit Halochem for being there.” One of Beit Halochem’s priorities is to provide support and encouragement to their youngest members through a wide range of programmes appealing to their particular needs and interests. Moshe, and Shadi participate in each of their centres’ Young Veterans Clubs, enjoying activities that may include wall-climbing, scuba diving,

MOSHE DAMKA

paintball, jeep outings, and extreme sports. As these young people adapt to their changed circumstances, creating bonds and forming relationships is highly beneﬁcial to their rehabilitation. Beit Halochem is the only organisation that takes care of Israel’s wounded veterans and their families from the time of injury and for the rest of their lives.

SHADI IBRAHIM

Barbara Cohen z”l Barbara Cohen better known as BZ passed away after a long illness borne bravely and is now at peace and buried together with her beloved husband Ralph. On Wednesday 30th April 2014, a sunny Hartsbourne Golf Course played host to the annual Beit Halochem Golf Day. The 100 golfers watched in amazement as Shlomo Ivgy the paralysed Beit Halochem Veteran stood in his Paragolfer Machine and struck the perfect golf shot. 57-year-old Shlomo served in the Golani Infantry Brigade. On October 16, 1974, while he was still in basic training, he took part in a routine stretcher run when a stray bullet from a comrade’s riﬂe penetrated his spinal cord leaving him a wheelchair bound paraplegic. He was only 18.5 years old.

After hearing Shlomo speak so movingly about how this Paragolfer machine had transformed his life she immediately decided to gift the charity another machine in honour of her late husband whom she adored greatly. This became the start of a long and special relationship between Barbara and the charity. She became actively involved, attending all future Golf Days, as well as all the Fundraising Dinners. Barbara will be remembered with great fondness by all who knew her, and she will always have a special place in the hearts of all those involved with Beit Halochem.

After his initial rehabilitation he visited Tel Aviv’s Beit Halochem and immediately became active in wheelchair basketball. After injuring his shoulder, he had to stop playing basketball but took part in other Beit Halochem activities including sailing on sonar boats, taking a scuba diving course and becoming a wheelchair dancer. But his dream to play golf became reality, when in 2012, Beit Halochem was gifted a Paragolfer machine from a group of generous UK donors including Andrew Brecher and Russell Nathan. The Paragolfer is a singular all-terrain special mobility device that lifts people from a sitting position to a standing position. But this Golf Day will be remembered for more than just Shlomo Ivgi’s appearance. During the prize giving lunch, Beit Halochem UK CEO Spencer Gelding was pounced upon by a very emotional and excited lady, Barbara Cohen. Spencer had known Barbara for many years, and they always had a warm and special relationship. But this day proved to be a turning point in Barbara’s life, it was the day that she was ﬁrst introduced to Beit Halochem a charity that Barbara became passionate about in her later years.

Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder Programmes Beit Halochem rehabilitation, sports and recreation centres offer a wide array of programmes to its members and their families. With an emphasis on rehabilitation through sports, there are also dozens of occupational therapy workshops in arts and crafts as well as social and recreational gatherings. In recent years, special emphasis has been placed on creating programmes and activities speciﬁcally aimed at assisting those members who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Studies have shown that the existence of a reference group a group of fellow sufferers who are familiar with each other’s experiences and who accept each other without the criticism and judgment characteristic of general society – is the main advantage of the group support. Participation in the group is often likely to moderate the post-traumatic symptoms and enable a person to gradually return to proper functioning, within a safe place that facilitates better processing and handling of the trauma that has been experienced.

Who is the framework suitable for? The group is suitable for people who have experienced unhealed trauma during their military service. The group is likely to serve as a bridge to proper interpersonal and social relationships, and to normal functioning. It has emerged that the inclusion of different ages in the group is helpful to both younger and older people in the group.

Behavior in the group framework Every group begins with an agreement about the group rules. During the regular activity of biweekly meetings, there are workshops, lectures, trips, support, and assistance for the participants in the group. The group members are likely to serve as important supports for each other, to give each of its members a feeling that he is not the only one suffering from trauma, and to constitute a model for imitation and learning of more effective and appropriate behavior.

PTSD and Chris Hayes BHUK is working hand in hand With The UK Participants of the 2019 Veterans Games Programme. As part of our continued work with the participants we are developing a PTSD/Mental Health programme which we plan to offer to all secondary schools, both Jewish and non-Jewish. As part of this programme, we are working with former Royal Marine Commando Veteran and Veteran Games participant, Christopher Hayes, who speaks openly about his experiences with PTSD and how the Veteran Games programme has helped play a vital role in his rehabilitation. After very volatile two years due to his daily fight against mental health, Chris finally received the wakeup call he needed and remembered one of the Commando values “courage in the face of adversity”. He has used the power of sport to establish goals, build self-confidence and inspire others. The direction of his life changed following the positive impact of the Veteran Games in 2019 in which Christopher participated.

The programme also includes a separate group with activities for spouses of the members. Furthemore the programme also comprises a week-long trip to a destination in Europe for about 20 participants. There are currently some 58 participants who regularly attend the bi-weekly sessions.

Testimonials from Participants • I learned for the ﬁrst time that I’m not the only one undergoing difﬁculties; • The group sessions enabled me to get out of the house and breathe. • In the group I feel free and happy and can talk about nearly anything. • A supportive network, true friends, mutual support and lasting relationship; • Knowing there are others with a problem similar to mine with whom I can share intimate experiences related to PTSD; • For numerous reasons, it took me a long time to connect and to open up. In my opinion, the place where I began to feel a part everyone else was during the trip to Greece. It is there that we took part in activities which totally cut us off from our day-to-day routines and forced us to deal and face up to our problems and to open up.

Dotan Meishar I’m 51 years old, father of three sons. I grew up in a kibbutz in the shores of the Sea of Galilee. I remember my youth as a very happy time, spending hours hiking in nature and long runs in the valley fields. At the age of 21, during my service in the Naval Commando unit I lost my right leg. All my life was suddenly turned upside down in a second – from a young, strong guy, a fighter soldier serving in one of the most elite combat units in the IDF, I became disabled. I was a person with a strong mental resilience, feeling I was capable of doing everything – and then, on long journeys I would ask myself if I would ever be able to do the most simple things; if I would be able to walk a few steps at all. Under this new situation, I realised I had two choices: A. to think that my life is over, to cry over my bitter fate and live a long and tormented life with a sense of sacrifice asking, “how and why did this happen to me?”; or B. Find a way to move on to another life. A full, meaningful and happy life. The first option was not an option at all for me. I remember that after I started processing my new condition, I did not allow myself to sink into depression for one moment. I chose the second option – I was reborn after I was so close to losing my life. After spending a year in hospitals, I arrived at Beit Halochem Tel Aviv, which was the most important place in my physical and mental rehabilitation process. Beit Halochem quickly became a second home for me, where I met disabled people in my situation. I drew energy and was inspired by them, which enabled me to live a full and happy life even without a leg. Practising sports has been a significant component of my rehabilitation. Very quickly, I started practising powerlifting. The connection was very natural because it bolstered my strengths, and the loss of a leg had no meaning. Soon enough the sport became from rehabilitative to competitive. Just two years after the injury I participated in the Paralympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 and later in Atlanta in 1996. The future was rosy and the goal was a medal at the next Olympics. However, I exhausted powerlifting and was not willing to go on just for a medal when I did not have enough passion and love for what I was doing. The reason for the change was wheelchair basketball. 16

have become a source of inspiration for young people. I am happy that I can continue to help other disabled veterans and I am truly grateful for all that Beit Halochem has given me and contributed so much to my personal growth, allowing me to reinvent myself since my injury and make my dreams a reality.

I discovered a most powerful and attractive sports discipline, in contrast to what I had ever imagined. Unfortunately, in Israel, many soldiers like me became disabled veterans at a young age. Beit Halochem centres are well skilled and experienced and know how to meet the needs of people who at a young age find themselves in such a difficult and complex situation. Beit Halochem is a warm safe place, a real second home; it gives us a sense of belonging where disabled veterans are not alone; they always have someone to talk to and share, get inspiration from the veterans about resilience and mental power, to live a healthy life in body and mind. For me, sports played a major and most significant role in my rehabilitation process; it allowed me to fulfill dreams that contributed greatly to my sense of satisfaction and self-confidence. I am proud to see that my life journey, my attitude to life and achievements in sports

Our Young Supporter A message from our young supporter – Sariel Amouyel called Beit Halochem. For me this is a big honour. My article below explains why I am so thrilled about donating to this wonderful charity.

My name is Sariel Amouyal, I’m about to turn 13. As many of you, I have felt that the last 18 months have been miserable, difﬁcult. And to make the matter even worse… no Bar Mitzvah! I was really down, as this is such an important day. I spoke with my parents and we decided to make it special in our own way by donating my BM’s money to this very special charity

What is Beit Halochem? It helps soldiers who fought in the Israel Defence Force (IDF) but lost one of their limbs. Beit Halochem helps them by giving them wheelchairs to play basketball, teaching them how to swim with one arm, educating them, etc. Beit Halochem is there for them at a crucial time. The main point is that supporters of Beit Halochem are supporting people that lost part of their body but are still doing sports. The reason why they are such special people is because they defended our country at a critical time risking their lives.

Beit Halochem allows those, our soldiers, to practise their hobby such as basketball. For them, this is like starting a new life, being able to move around, not feeling different to people who aren’t paralysed or suffered irreversible injuries. This makes a big impact on them, feeling that people care about them. As it says in the Pirkei Avot, giving tzedakah is more important than all the commandments. I’m very proud to have donated money to Beit Halochem. My dream, once Covid disappears from our daily lives, is to go to Israel and to play Basketball with some of the Beit Halochem veterans. I can’t wait to see with my own eyes the great work done on a daily basis. Am Israel Chai!

Educational Scholarships Beit Halochem is committed to providing the best possible care for the 51,000 wounded IDF veterans and victims of terror living in Israel. Through the provision of their four Rehabilitation centres spread across the country, Beit Halochem offers a blend of sporting, creative, social and rehabilitation facilities which help members to maintain physical ﬁtness and emotional well being. Beit Halochem also assists each member to reach his or her potential academically with a view to looking towards the future. The scholarship process Beit Halochem offers scholarships for BA, MA and PhD studies as well as for vocational studies at any higher academic institution recognised by the Israel Ministry of Education Board of Higher Education. Every wounded veteran can apply for a one-year scholarship. They can reapply each year if they wish. In order to qualify, they must prove they have already studied for one academic year to demonstrate their commitment.

Support for academic scholarships Funds for academic scholarships are raised within Israel and through donors around the world. We hope to continue assisting our members through this important project. Donors can choose the type of course they wish to donate to (for example engineering, medicine) as well as the institution. Each scholarship recipient receives the donor’s name and any further information the donor wishes to provide and many of them send a personal thank you letter and updated information on their progress. The donor receives the full details of the scholarship recipient including the name of the institution or University and the faculty. Donors are invited to attend the scholarship distribution ceremony and to personally hand out their donated scholarship to the recipients.

Between 500-600 wounded veterans receive scholarships each year. In 2017-18, 496 Academic and Professional Training Scholarships were handed out (totalling $617,000 USD) to Beit Halochem veterans. The amount of the scholarship depends on the disabled veteran’s disability and socio-economic situation coupled with the amount they have already paid.

Sponsorship options Bronze Sponsorship

£2,250

(sponsor 1 veteran for one academic year)

Silver Sponsorship

£11,250

(sponsor 5 veterans for one academic year)

Gold Sponsorship

£22,500

(sponsor 10 veterans for one academic year)

Platinum Sponsorship

£33,750

(sponsor 15 veterans for one academic year)

Should you wish to donate to this project, please contact us at info@bhuk.org or 020 8 458 2455.

Michael Zamir During the Second Lebanon War (2006), Michael Zamir was a 25-year-old combat medic with the Paratrooper Brigade. While on a mission, his platoon took shelter in a deserted building in Debel, Lebanon. A Hezbollah missile hit, inflicting serious casualties. As Michael began to administer first aid, another incoming rocket critically wounded the rest of the unit. This time, Michael was among them. Despite several broken bones and life-threatening injuries, he continued to help his fellow soldiers. At the same time as carrying them one by one to a safer area, he single-handedly took on the enemy in a firefight. Beit Halochem is the only organisation that takes care of Israel’s wounded veterans from the time they are injured and for the rest of their lives. Many of those afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder experienced significant relapses during the recent Covid pandemic. Beit Halochem’ s dedicated staff and volunteers were there, reaching out to these vulnerable men and women to ensure their safety and well-being.

Even with his heroic efforts, Michael could not save his 11 friends, and was the sole survivor. On evacuation to Israel, Michael was put in a medically induced coma for four months, hospitalised for a year with multisystemic failure, conﬁned to a wheelchair for four years, and used crutches for an additional two years. He underwent four years of intense rehabilitation at Beit Halochem centre in Jerusalem for both his physical injuries and severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. While both the military and Israel’s government awarded Michael their highest commendations for his courageous actions under ﬁre, like many veterans, he still experiences recurrent, intense “survivor’s guilt”.

More than ever, Israel is a symbol of democracy, spirit, and security for Jews everywhere. However, the country’s extraordinary accomplishments come with a high price. Through unending acts of terror, border infiltrations, and conflicts, the number of disabled veterans and victims of terror continues to rise. Your donation to Beit Halochem UK, acknowledges the great sacrifices our injured heroes have made, and continue to make, on our behalf. It is with our donors’ support that we can continue to fulfil our commitment to rehabilitate, rebuild, and enhance the lives of the 51,000 Beit Halochem members disabled in the line of duty or through acts of terror.

Appreciating how Beit Halochem helped him, and wanting others to beneﬁt from his experience, Michael was instrumental in starting the PTSD programme at the Jerusalem centre in 2017. With its immediate success and understanding that a veteran’s injury affects the whole family, a programme for members’ spouses was also established.

I owe my life to Beit Halochem and the care it has provided me for nearly a decade.

‘Cooking from the Heart’ When Sally Ann Thwaites found herself in London during the COVID lockdown, she came up with an idea to write and publish a cookbook, motivated by her love of cooking and inspired by her late mother’s recipes as well as those she had collected from friends: “I did it in her honour because she loved entertaining, and was known as a great hostess and I think I got that from her. I watched her entertain and everything was done beautifully. You would never see a plastic bottle on her table — it would always be put into a nice glass one!” After completing her project, she had 800 copies printed. As someone who

had dedicated many years of her life working with charities, her path crossed that of Beit Halochem UK several years ago and found a very special place in her heart because of the work being done for the beneﬁt of IDF disabled veterans. She decided she would donate the proceeds from the sale of her cookbook “Cooking from the Heart” to Beit Halochem. The ﬁrst 800 copies sold out in 3 weeks and she printed another 2000. The funds which were raised of £35,000 were designated to support the physio and hydrotherapy treatments at Beit Halochem Be’er Sheva rehabilitation centre where thousands

of annual treatments are offered to hundreds of severely disabled veterans. Beit Halochem UK and all of our members salute Sally Ann and thank her for her selﬂessness and for her caring initiative. This shows how small ideas become signiﬁcant deeds which make big changes in people’s lives.

Leave a lasting legacy

We appreciate every legacy that is promised to Beit Halochem. You may wish to support a speciﬁc Beit Halochem centre or a speciﬁc project. We are here to discuss the options with you.

What you need to know about leaving your legacy to our brave veterans?

We also understand that leaving a legacy can be complex so we recommend you consult a solicitor, who will provide you with specialist advice on what type of legacy is best for you. If you would like to receive further information or wish to discuss your legacy in greater detail, we can put you in touch with a law ﬁrm that can assist you.

For more information on how you can leave a legacy to Beit Halochem, please contact Spencer Gelding on spencer@bhuk.org or 0208 458 2455

Scholarship Projects for Excelling Athletes: Scholarships for Excelling Disabled Athletes aim to support, encourage and motivate those veterans who have qualified to take part in international competitions and the Paralympic Games as well as those who have shown that through continued sports activity their rehabilitation has benefitted, and their physical and mental condition improved. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding disabled veterans in all fields of sports who have had significant achievements and major results as well as to coaches who have stood out in their dedication and training programmes. Scholarships are also offered as an incentive to young disabled athletes who exhibit perseverance and seriousness, showing progress over a period of at least three consecutive years. Some of our recipients for this year include several extraordinary women:

Hagit Brill – Table Tennis During her military service in the Intelligence Corps, Hagit (46) was wounded during an operational activity whose details are prohibited from

being published. Despite her injury, she completed her military service. After the injury, she used a cane and then crutches until both of her legs were completely paralyzed. As a part of her rehabilitation, she began to visit Beit Halochem Jerusalem and participated in the sports activities. Her determination and strength were quickly discovered, and she began to engage in weightlifting. Hagit participated at the Paralympic Games in Sydney and came 9th place. Due to an aggravation in her left hand, until it was completely paralysed, she had to stop training. With the support of Beit Halochem she started training in Table Tennis and later on began to compete. Hagit won a silver medal at the German Open with the highest degree of disability, winning a bronze medal at the Czech Open as well as other achievements that ranked her high enough for the Paralympic in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games. Hagit continues to compete and in 2019 she won a bronze medal at the European Championship. She is currently ranked 3rd in Europe in her disability category.

Tzippy Bloomberg – Ski In 2001, Tzippy (35) was severely injured in a terror attack. The family car she was driving in was shot by a terrorist. Her mother was murdered immediately. Tzippy and her father have been confined to a wheelchair ever since. Tzippy never dreamed of being an athlete, but she did grow up at home with an awareness of sports and a healthy lifestyle. As a kid, she practiced gymnastics and she was good at running. During water skiing in the Sea of Galilee, she fell in love with this sports discipline and later aspired to engage in competitive skiing with the support of several organisations. Shortly after she started competing, Bloomberg won the French Slalom Championship, in the women’s surfing ski sitting position category, and began to officially accumulate points in the world rankings. In recent years, Bloomberg has won two competitions in the United States, in addition to four competitions in which she finished second place. She is ranked 11th in the world.

TZIPPY BLOOMBERG

HAGIT BRILL

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