Staff Sergeant Michael Varda, a tank commander in the 401st Brigade, was severely wounded exactly one year ago, on the second night of Hanukkah, by sniper fire during combat in Gaza. As he lay bleeding, he already mentally saying goodbye to his family. After his condition stabilized, he began a rehabilitation journey at the Gandel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Mount Scopus, where he works hard with the goal of returning to life:

It’s a full year since last Hanukkah, when Michael was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after being hit by sniper fire in Gaza. Sedated and ventilated, he underwent several surgeries until he was stable enough and strong enough to begin his recovery at the Gandel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Mount Scopus.

“At first, when I arrived, it was very hard to cope with my lack of ability,” Michael says. “One minute, I was commanding a tank. The next, I needed help to shower. It wasn’t easy, but over time and with treatment, you see improvement.”

Maayan Hadad, a physiotherapist at the center who treats Michael, outlines his case: “Michael came to us with a severe injury to his arm and chest area. During treatments, we work on strengthening the arm, lifting objects, and improving grip strength, including weightlifting and grip exercises. Because of his chest injury, Michael has endurance difficulties, and we work on that with aerobic exercises.

“It’s fun to work with Michael—he always comes in a good mood and makes jokes, and most importantly, he’s determined and works hard to get back to himself.”

Michael says that thanks to the treatments, he already feels improvement in his functioning:

“The team treating me here in rehab is like a perfect fit. First of all, they understand me and care for me, and every treatment is done with joy and a smile. That’s important for morale. I work hard, no doubt, but I always feel supported and on the right track, and the improvement is already very noticeable.”

It’s a Hannukah of light for Michael.