ZAKA CEO Dubi Weissenstern said the donation reflected a stirring recognition for the organization’s volunteers.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli judoka Peter Paltchik announced he is selling the judo uniform he wore while winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, aiming to raise $50,000 for mental health care for volunteers of ZAKA, Israel’s search, rescue and recovery organization.

Proceeds will fund mental health care and resilience programs for ZAKA volunteers, who treat victims in the aftermath of terror attacks, wars, natural disasters and mass-casualty accidents in Israel and abroad.

The Ukrainian-born Paltchik is among Israel’s most decorated athletes, having also won a team bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, an individual bronze at the 2023 World Championships in Doha, and a gold medal at the 2020 European Championship in Prague.

Paltchik dedicated his Paris medal to his coach, Oren Smadja, whose son, Omer, fell in combat in Gaza in 2024.

“Real armor doesn’t just belong on the judo mat. It belongs to the men and women of ZAKA, who wear the yellow vest to preserve human dignity in humanity’s darkest moments. They leave their families and run to arenas that most people can’t even imagine, but when the mission is over, the memories remain,” Paltchik said.

“I’m exchanging my armor to help fund them.”

ZAKA CEO Dubi Weissenstern said the donation reflected a stirring recognition for the organization’s volunteers.

“Peter Paltchik’s moving gesture goes far beyond a financial donation. This is an expression of deep appreciation for the ZAKA volunteers, who work with endless dedication in the most difficult arenas, while also bearing the mental cost of their work,” ZAKA CEO Dubi Weissenstern said.

“Caring for the mental resilience of the volunteers is an integral part of our commitment to them, and we thank Peter for choosing to volunteer for this important cause.”

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Israeli Olympic bronze medalist Peter Paltchik is auctioning the judo gi he wore while winning his historic medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics to fund PTSD treatment for ZAKA volunteers who endured the horrors of recovering victims of the October 7 Hamas massacre and the war that followed.

Describing the gi as the “armor” that carried him to Olympic glory, Paltchik said it now belongs to the volunteers who stood on Israel’s darkest front lines. “Real armor doesn’t just belong on the athletic mat,” he said. “It belongs to the men and women of ZAKA.”

The proceeds will fund therapy, trauma recovery, crisis support, and mental health programs for volunteers and their families. Bidding begins at $50,000, with Paltchik personally thanking the winning bidder.

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Paltchik, 32, beat out a Swiss competitor to win his bronze medal in Paris on Aug. 1, eliminating judoka Daniel Eich in the under-100-kilogram competition.

By David Isaac, JNS

The International Olympic Committee may be investigating Israeli judoka and bronze medal winner at the 2024 games, Peter Paltchik, over his social media posts supporting the war in Gaza against the Hamas terrorist group.

Le Matin, a Swiss French-language daily newspaper, reported on Monday that it contacted the IOC on the matter.

The committee said it is “in contact” with the Israel Olympic Committee over a “sensitive issue.”

The IOC did not say whether it intended to impose sanctions on Paltchik, according to the report.

“Is Peter Paltchik at risk of sanctions? Are his comments and online activities compatible with the Olympic spirit?” the newspaper asked.

Paltchik had posted a picture of IDF artillery shells with the caption, “From me to you with pleasure.” He later deleted the post.

The Swiss paper appeared to suggest that Paltchik was in favor, or at least indifferent, to the bombing of civilians, repeating Hamas numbers that have been shown to be fabricated of 40,000 civilians killed, including 14,000 children.

On May 8, the U.N. suddenly revised those numbers down by nearly half, reporting that 7,797 children had been killed.

Yael Arad, Israel’s first-ever Olympic medalist—for judo in 1992—and chairwoman of Israel’s Olympic Committee, when asked about the post, said, “It is not against any country. It is not against people. It is against the terrorist organization Hamas.”

Undated post of Peter Paltchik that was erased.

She denied that he had written “Ippon” on one of the shells, referring to a judo move comparable to a knockout blow in boxing.

Paltchik, 32, beat out a Swiss competitor to win his bronze medal in Paris on Aug. 1, eliminating judoka Daniel Eich in the under-100-kilogram competition.

Paltchik, who was also chosen to be an Israeli flag bearer at the opening ceremony together with swimmer Andi Morz, burst into tears after he won bronze, saying:

“I did it for everyone, for the entire people of Israel. For [coach and 1992 Olympic medalist] Oren [Smadja], for Danielle my dear wife, and for my children. I can’t describe in words the feelings. Nothing ever comes easily to me. The time we are going through as a country: the war, the injuries. I just wanted to make everyone happy. I wanted everyone to be proud of me, to know that my father was a hero and I fought for them, for their flag.”

Israel’s men’s judo team coach, Smadja, lost his son Sgt.-Maj. (res.) Omer Smadja, when he was killed by mortar fire in the central Gaza Strip on June 23.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Smadja after Paltchik’s win.

“This could happen any time but at this time it is something else entirely. The fact that you are there and leading this, it makes this doubly meaningful,” Netanyahu said, noting Smadja’s personal loss.

Israel’s judo program reached new heights in Paris with three medals as Raz Hershko won silver, beating Turkey’s Kayra Ozdemir in 15 seconds in the women’s over-78-kilogram weight class semifinals, and Inbar Lanir took silver in the under-78-kilogram weight class after losing to Italy’s Alice Bellandi in the finals.

Of Israel’s 19 Olympic medals since 1992, nine have come in judo.

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Peter Paltchik won the bronze medal in men’s judo 100 kg and Inbal Lanir won silver in judo as well, securing Israel’s 14th and 15th medal ever in the Olympics.

Israel’s Peter Paltchik breaking down with coach Oren Smadja after winning bronze in Judo just now.

Smadja lost his son Omer in Gaza just a month ago. An entire country is crying with them. #Olympics pic.twitter.com/umnQJYSVmo

— Yael Bar tur ️ (@yaelbt) August 1, 2024

Israeli judoka Inbar Lanir makes it to the final, assured of an Olympic medal for the Jewish State! #Olympics pic.twitter.com/QuukYM5KiL

— Michael Dickson (@michaeldickson) August 1, 2024

Israel wins bronze

Peter Paltchik takes it in judo men's 100kg.@judo | #Judo | #Paris2024 | #Samsung | #TogetherforTomorrow pic.twitter.com/sgNM19jA4s

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 1, 2024

Second place for Israel

Inbar Lanir earns #silver in judo women's 78kg. @judo | #Judo | #Paris2024 | #Samsung | #TogetherforTomorrow pic.twitter.com/sFTV5ce5Co

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 1, 2024

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