Pod Save America Hosts Call on Democrats to Cut All Israel Military Aid, No Longer Accept AIPAC Funding
Jews, Israelis Targeted in Austria Amid Surge in Antisemitic Incidents; Local Jewish Community Calls for Action
‘All of Our Strength’: Over 1,000 Pro-Israel Activists Gather in DC for Solidarity Conference
‘Devastated’: Wesley LePatner, Killed in Manhattan Mass Shooting, Was a Jewish Communal, Philanthropic Leader
Sen. Angus King Vows to No Longer Vote for Israel Military Aid Until Gaza Conditions Improve
Europe Won’t Pressure Israel to ‘Commit Suicide’ Amid Gaza Backlash, Palestinian State Push, Says Israeli FM
Israel’s National Soccer Coach Attacked in Athens Before Soccer Fans Chant ‘F–K Israel, Free Palestine’ at Match
New York Judge Sentences Neo-Nazi to 5 Years for Livestreaming Bomb Threats Against Jewish Hospitals
US Pressures Lebanon to Issue Cabinet Decision to Disarm Hezbollah Before Talks Continue
UK Plans to Recognize Palestinian State in September Unless Israel Meets Conditions, Starmer Says
Israel’s Special Olympics Delegation Wins 25 Medals at International World Games in Berlin
by Shiryn Ghermezian
The Torch Lighting Ceremony for the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 on June 7, 2023. Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023
The Israeli delegation that competed in the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 won a total of 25 medals by the end of the international competition, which concluded on Sunday.
The 35 athletes competing on behalf of the Jewish state won nine gold medals, eight silvers and eight bronze medals in eight sports including track, judoka, cycling, swimming and bowling, according to Israel’s Channel 12.
Levav Barkan won a gold medal in men’s judo after a final bout against Mongolia. Ron Beck, 16, won the gold medal in the 3,000-meter men’s track race in level A and also won a silver medal in the 5000-meter race in the same level. He additionally helped his teammates Adi Madmon, 29, Saar Buchbinder, 30, and Pele Abudy, 29, win the bronze for Israel in the mixed 4×400-meter relay.
Buchbinder also took home two gold medals — in the 5,000-meter level B and 10,000-meter level B races — while Madmon won a bronze medal in the women’s 100-meter race level A.
Aran Bar Peled won silver in the women’s 800-meter freestyle in level B while Noga Koren and Tal Golani won bronze in two separate women’s cycling competitions. Rivi Cohen, 38, and her partner Hana Duanis, 66, won silver in women’s United Sports double bowling. Seventeen-year-old table tennis player David Kersenti, whose Iranian opponent was prevented from competing against him last week after the latter’s coach pulled him from the competition, went on to win the gold medal in the men’s single, under-17 table tennis tournament in division 1.
Yakov Hamama won silver in 2-kilometer men’s cycling for the age group of 30 and over even while suffering a tear in his lower leg, the Israeli delegation said in Facebook post. Israel’s women’s soccer team, which made its first appearance in Berlin, also took home a silver medal after losing 2-0 to Bangladesh in the finals of the F3 division.
Israel reportedly won 19 medals at the last Special Olympics World Games in 2019.
A total of 7,000 athletes from almost 200 countries competed in 26 sports in this year’s Special Olympics.
