ILAN HERRMANN

Healing through sport

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The event will be remembered, however, for a most remarkable group of athletes who were hailed and applauded by commentators, spectators and participants alike for a heroic show of courage, strength and hope. The group was a five-person Israeli Para-Athletics team who raced under the banner of the Tikvot organisation of whom they are a part.

Tikvot in Hebrew means “Hopes”. It is a non-profit, volunteer-based organisation that rehabilitates Israel’s wounded soldiers and victims of terror through the medium of sport. It was formed in 2007 by former South Africans Jeff Essakow, Rocky Muravitz (current chairman), Vic Essakow and Udi Udelman from Israel. 

The director of Tikvot and race organiser was Simone Farbstein, assisted by Tikvot volunteer Ora Rov, formerly Melmed, both expats.

The para-athletes were Michael Katzanelon 55, Moshe Zibersky 42, Adir Mizrahi 40, Yael Inbar 39 and Dvir Avizrat 34. They have been training as triathletes for three years and usually have a six-day-a-week training schedule of about two to three hours each day.

The para-athletic Israeli triathlon group was formed by Farbstein and two of the athletes, Adir and Dvir, and has since grown to comprise 20 athletes.

The Cape Town event consisted of a swim of 1,5km, biking for 40km and a 10km run. The swim had to be cancelled, however, due to intensely low water temperatures on the day.

The athletes did the standard triathlon distance while Michael, called “Katza”, participated in the other event which was the “sprint triathlon”, that being half the distance of the standard race. This is the first international triathlon outside of Israel that these athletes have competed in. Back home they do about seven triathlons a year.

It is important to remember that the Tikvot group competed against regular bodied athletes in all events.

The crowd who watched the Tikvot team in action in Cape Town, could not stop cheering them on. Some Jewish day school learners also took part in the race with some of them racing along with the Tikvot athletes and wearing Tikvot shirts. 

In turn, the athletes came away with an unforgettable and enriching experience, having been embraced, supported and loved by all whom they came into contact with during their visit. “They can’t get over the amazing warmth and hospitality of the community,” said Farbstein. 

While this was all taking place, another Tikvot athlete Eitan Chermon, was racing in the London Marathon and incredibly, took the gold medal in the Paralympic Marathon event.

Tikvot facilitates approximately 600 people a year. It strives to help wounded victims of terror or soldiers injured through military action, to overcome their pain, trauma and disability and to rebuild productive lives.

These defenders of the State of Israel often have to cope with a long period of hospitalisation and overcome numerous physical and mental problems. 

It’s a lot about rebuilding confidence, self-esteem and strengthening morale and helping them believe that they can still succeed and achieve great things despite the setback they have experienced.

Tikvot is not funded by the government but entirely by donors who identify with their cause. Its programmes cater to all ages, including children, and to people with all types of injuries.

Tikvot athletes have won world championships in respective sports and many inspiring stories have emerged with victims of terror advancing through the treatment to go on to achieve sporting and professional successes.

It is well known that South Africa has a long and rich legacy of patriotism for Israel and the IDF. South Africans also have a strong and passionate leaning towards sport and Tikvot has combined the two in a most inspiring and idealistic way.

Tikvot has many testimonies of people who have been rehabilitated through their programme. Noam Gershony was a helicopter pilot who was severely wounded during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. He participated in the Paralympics in London 2012 where he won a gold medal for tennis. 

Noam claims: “Sport is first and foremost for one’s soul – unrelated to whether one wins or loses. It is fun, it makes one feel great, and through sports, one can discover qualities about oneself that one never knew existed.”

* To support this amazing organisation, donations can be extended to them through the SAZF.