Yoseph Haddad was one of three Israeli heroes who shared their stories during the 2019 Celebration of Life Concerts. He is pictured with the Toronto Sun’s Sue-Ann Levy.
Originally published by the Toronto Sun on June 2, 2019 by Sue-Ann Levy.
Yoseph Haddad was one month from completing his service with the Israel Defense Forces when a rocket landed on him and severed his right foot.
The Christian-Arab Israeli was not required to serve. But he volunteered and found himself in the midst of the second war with Lebanon in 2006.
The missile attack occurred just four days before the cease-fire with Lebanon.
Haddad’s foot was reattached surgically and after a year of rehabilitation at the Beit Halochem, he walked into his doctor’s office bouncing a soccer ball.
As a member of the Beit Halochem soccer team — all disabled veterans — he proudly won an Israeli championship against able-bodied soccer players in 2012.
But one of his proudest achievements has been the steps he’s taken to help bridge the gap between Arabs and Israelis both inside the Jewish state and around the world.
Read the full story here.