Beit Halochem Athlete Wins Gold at 2012 Paralympics!

Watch the moving award ceremony as Noam Gershony is presented his Gold Medal and Israel's national anthem, Hatikvah, is played. Gershony won the Gold Medal in the men’s singles quad tennis tournament at the London Paralympic Games in August.

Gershony, formerly an IDF Apache helicopter pilot, was severely wounded in his spinal cord and both arms and legs when the helicopter he was flying crashed into another helicopter during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. He suffered multiple fractures. After three weeks in the hospital, Gershony was transferred to a rehabilitation facility, where he spent the next six months.

He continues to receive physiotherapy on a regular basis and trains at our Beit Halochem Centre in Tel Aviv.

“Noam stood out from his first training session, and it was clear that we were dealing with a very talented young man who had a quick grasp and understanding of the game,” says his coach, Nimrod Bichler. “He trains hard three times a week, works out at the Fitness Hall in addition to his physiotherapy sessions and improves constantly.”

MAZEL TOV to the Paralympic athletes who have brought Israel 8 medals - thanks to Beit Halochem and the coaching that made this possible!

 

Zohar Is World's Best Blind Golfer - Again!

We are thrilled to announce that Zohar Sharon has won the World Blind Golf Championship for the fourth time!  The competition, which took place in Nova Scotia, Canada, was preceded by his taking the first place at the Canadian Blind Open a couple of days earlier.

Photos by Lyndsay Goldman and Sid & Nancy Golden

We are so proud of Zohar, a member of Beit Halochem in Israel and Beit Halochem Canada's guest at our 15th Annual Golf Day on July 25, 2012, at Copper Creek in Kleinburg, ON. (See Zohar and others in action in the slideshow at left.)

Blind golf competitions are set in classes determined by the golfer’s level of sight, using the same categories as in other branches of sport played by the visually impaired.  Zohar plays in the B1 category which is categorized as:  No light perception in either eye, or slight light perception but inability to recognize the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction. Read more.

 

Jeanne Beker - Woman of Distinction

Close to 300 women came out to honour Canada’s iconic television personality and journalist, Jeanne Beker, with Beit Halochem Canada's first annual Woman of Distinction Award. The luncheon was held on October 17, 2012, at the Bayview Golf and Country Club in Thornhill.

 

Photography by Lyndsay Goldman

Board Members pose with Jeanne Beker, Beit Halochem Canada’s first recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award (L-R): Rena Godfrey, Julia Sax, Carolyn Lengyel, Dee-Dee Shiffman, Toby Feldberg, Jeanne Beker, Susan Flam, Sara Farajun, Emma Lieberman and Rachel Weisman.

Beker with her new book: "Finding Myself in Fashion"

Host of "Fashion Television" for over 27 years, Toronto-born Jeanne Beker is a contributing editor for the Toronto Star, a columnist for Metro, a published author of five books, and a regular correspondent for "Canada AM" and "eTalk".

Born to Holocaust survivors, Jeanne’s strong connection to Israel, in combination with her significant contribution to the international fashion industry, made her a natural recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award.

Jeanne captivated the audience with her compelling personal story. She highlighted her professional trajectory, her admiration for her mother as a role model, and the importance of moving forward despite life’s challenges.

 

BHC Honours David Azrieli

David Azrieli visits the Beit Halochem Centre in Tel Aviv.

On June 5th 2012, Beit Halochem, Aid to Disabled Veterans of Israel, honoured honouring philanthropist
David Azrieli at our annual concert in Montreal. This special evening was in celebration of Mr. Azrieli’s 90th birthday.

His life is an inspiring account of triumph over tragedy. A man of indefatigable energy, creativity and intellectual acuity, his story is also one of charitable vision and commitment to the Jewish people.

In 1939, Mr. Azrieli fled Poland and eventually arrived in Palestine. In 1948, he joined the IDF and fought in Israel’s War of Independence. Mr. Azrieli settled in Montreal in 1954.

Now regarded as one of the world’s most innovative builders and designers, his entry into real estate was humble, beginning with the modest construction of four houses in a Montreal suburb. Today, Mr. Azrieli's architectural vision and creativity can be seen in the office buildings, high-rise residences, office towers and shopping centres he has built in Canada, the United States and Israel.

Mr. Azrieli has received numerous honourary degrees and awards in recognition of his outstanding achievements. Amongst these he was named to the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honour, as well as named “chevalier” of the Ordre National du Québec.

Mr. Azrieli is a strong supporter of Israel and its wounded veterans. The Azrieli Foundation will be making a generous contribution to Beit Halochem as well as matching the funds raised from our three concerts.

These funds will be directed to the building of the Hydrotherapy Pool at Beit Halochem in Tel Aviv. This pool offers vitally important and life sustaining treatment for paraplegics and quadriplegics as well as people with severe back and head injuries.