Olympic judo medalist runs marathon to benefit the disabled

Sasson, who will run with his brother Alon, sold his judo suit from Rio for $100,000 to benefit Shalva’s children.

By ALLON SINAI
ISRAELI JUDOKA Ori Sasson raises money for Shalva, the Israel Association for Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. (photo credit: SHALVA)
ISRAELI JUDOKA Ori Sasson raises money for Shalva, the Israel Association for Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.
(photo credit: SHALVA)
Millions of shekels will be raised for charity at the 2017 Jerusalem Marathon on Friday. Among the many organizations which will benefit is Shalva, the Israel Association for Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.
Team Shalva will be led by Olympic medalist, Ori Sasson and by Yehuda Yitzchak HaYisraeli, the soldier who was critically wounded in an effort to save kidnapped Hadar Goldin OB”M during the 2014 Protective Edge military operation in Gaza. Hydrotherapy at Shalva has boosted HaYisraeli’s rehabilitation of body and soul in his complex recovery. Now he is giving back to Shalva by joining Team Shalva.
Nearly 1,000 additional runners will be joining Sasson and HaYisraeli as part of Team Shalva, including Shalva’s children with disabilities, volunteers, soldiers, as well as 400 students and groups arriving from abroad. Together they raised over $1,000,000 to benefit Shalva.
This is not the first time Sasson has chosen to give money to Shalva. Sasson, who will run with his brother Alon, sold his judo suit from Rio for $100,000 to benefit Shalva’s children and is also launching a judo class for children with disabilities at the Shalva National Center, where he regularly volunteers.