As you may know, Beit Halochem Canada, Aid to Disabled Veterans of Israel is committed to rehabilitating, rebuilding and enhancing the lives of over 58,000 Israelis who have become disabled in the line of duty or as victims of terror.
Your support today helps our disabled veterans, like reservist Major Ofir Anidjar, a hero whose life was shattered at age 30.
Ofir entered the Engineering Corps in 2003. By 2013, he had been promoted to Major. He fought on the front lines in numerous operations and combat missions during two wars.
“As an officer, I was responsible for the lives of many. We carried out endless missions to ensure the safety and well-being of the citizens of the State of Israel.”
During Operation Protective Edge (July 2014), Ofir was called up to command a unit of reservists, whose mission was to locate tunnels using civilian drilling trucks and patrol the Gaza border.
When they reached the 17th tunnel, a terrorist squad emerged from an underground shaft and launched an anti-tank missile at them. Eleven, including Ofir, were wounded. The blast sprayed Ofir with shrapnel, injuring his eyes and head and lodging in his arms and legs.
“For the 15 minutes immediately after the explosion, I evacuated several of the wounded. Then I passed out.”
Since being injured, Ofir has suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which has manifested itself in several ways. He cannot tolerate loud sudden noises. He experiences pain where the shrapnel hit him, has dizzy spells, and sleeps no more than three hours a night. Sadly, Ofir has also experienced bouts of depression, at times having little motivation to leave his house.
Ofir married his wife Shai, a platoon commander, in October of 2014. Shai is studying Occupational Therapy to work with wounded war veterans, helping them rehabilitate. The circle of life continues.
Seeking relief from the PTSD, Ofir is a regular at Beit Halochem in Tel Aviv, where he works out in the Fitness Centre, swims in the new Olympic-sized pool, and participates in the Young Disabled Club, which includes skiing and other exciting programs. Ofir still requires weekly hydrotherapy and physiotherapy treatments.
Today he is studying Civil Engineering at Tel Aviv University, thanks to an academic scholarship provided by Beit Halochem Canada.
“When I was introduced to Beit Halochem, despite my pain and invisible scars, lots of good things began to happen. Beit Halochem recognizes PTSD as a severe, chronic and debilitating condition. … Beit Halochem is our second home, it is family, it is friends. Beit Halochem is conversation, as well as silence. It is a warm and loving place where trauma and physical disabilities find peace of mind. Beit Halochem listens, but most of all it embraces and understands.”