Translated from https://jerusalem.mynet.co.il/local_news/article/rkycvh8pyx
When You See This Group Running Next to You at the Jerusalem Marathon – Salute Them
Sergeant Yehuda could barely walk due to his leg injury – and now he’s running. Staff Sergeant Y’ will run in memory of his fallen commander and in honor of his friends still fighting. Lt. Col. (res.) Asaf Ilan is aiming to complete 10 km. Dozens of patients and therapists from the Gandel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Mount Scopus will participate in the Jerusalem Marathon to show what victory against all odds really looks like.
By Avishag Zohar
Tens of thousands of runners will take part this Friday in the 2025 WINNER Jerusalem Marathon, filling the city streets with vibrant colors and an uplifting spirit of determination and celebration. But if you notice a large group of runners wearing Hadassah Medical Center shirts — some bandaged, some visibly in recovery — pause for a moment and salute them.
These are true heroes. Civilians, soldiers, and members of Israel’s security forces — some wounded in the Iron Swords War, others injured in civilian circumstances — all currently undergoing treatment at the Gandel Rehabilitation Center (GRC) at Hadassah Mount Scopus. Over the past months, in between physiotherapy sessions, occupational therapy, swimming, and psychological treatment, they have been training side by side with their therapy team in preparation for the marathon.
Someone to Run With
The person behind this initiative, called ‘Someone to Run With’ (with the blessing of author David Grossman, who wrote a book by the same name) is Ayelet Hirst, a physiotherapist at the GRC. “When I came up with the idea, I had several goals in mind,” Hirst shares. “I wanted our patients to set themselves a challenging rehabilitation goal, which really helps with the rehabilitative process. The second objective was to help ease the transition period after they complete their intensive rehab process — to avoid the emptiness that often comes after leaving such a structured, intensive treatment environment. Having a challenge during this adjustment phase gives purpose, routine, and increases their sense of capability.”
“Ultimately,” she adds, “I wanted to create a moment of celebration — for them and for us, their therapists.” We go through a long, emotional journey together — full of ups and downs, which includes setbacks and incredible achievements — so this is an opportunity to pause and celebrate not only each individual’s success but also our shared success as a rehab team.”
The word about the running group quickly spread through the GRC. The center itself was fast-tracked for completion at the outbreak of the war and designated a national priority. Since its opening in January 2024, hundreds of injured individuals have been treated there.
The response was overwhelming,” Hirst says. “Our Hadassah team now includes no fewer than 100 people — half of them therapists, and half patients in rehab. Many are soldiers injured during the war who have made an incredible journey — from severe, life-changing injuries to gradual, steady recovery, regaining both physical and emotional strength. Alongside them, we have patients who have completed their rehabilitation in recent years joining us.”
How do you balance the demands of rehabilitation with the challenges of marathon training?
“We incorporate the training into their rehabilitation sessions. Each participant follows a personalized program tailored to their abilities, supported by an app. We also use a shared WhatsApp group where we send them exercises and training tips. Some patients even train outside of their treatment hours, running outdoors alongside one of our staff members. It’s truly inspiring — some will walk the course, some will run 5 km, and others will complete a solid 10 km. Every participant carries an incredible personal story, and it deeply moves our entire team.”
“Always Improving”
Staff Sergeant Y’., a team commander in the Multidimensional Unit and a Jerusalem resident, was seriously wounded by terrorist gunfire. During his months of rehab at the GRC, he heard about the running group from his physiotherapist and decided to join.
“The staff here constantly pushes you to improve,” he shares. “They are amazing in every aspect — encouraging independence and making sure I do everything I can to move forward. Thanks to them, I’m able to run.”
Last December, Y’s team was on a mission in Jabaliya when a drone spotted a group of armed terrorists nearby. “We began closing in on the buildings where they were hiding. At one point, we came face to face with the terrorists. During the exchange of fire, shots were fired from the floor below me. I realized that our company commander, Hod Shribman z”l, had been hit. I tried to take command and rescue him. When I stepped out from cover, a terrorist caught me by surprise and opened fire. I was hit twice in my right arm and once in my left. During the incident, my team eliminated the terrorist — throwing grenades over me to reach him. Those were long minutes, in which I wondered whether I would survive. But my team managed to get to me and treat me. When I saw the extent of my injury, I feared I would lose my arm.”
After a month in the hospital, during which he underwent complex surgery, Y’ began his rehabilitation at Mount Scopus. Since then, he has felt continuous improvement. “When my physiotherapist suggested I join the marathon and told me I could run, it became a powerful goal to work toward. Despite also having undergone surgery on my leg, I train here every day, and little by little, I feel myself getting stronger. This run is symbolic for me — a challenging and meaningful step in my recovery and in returning to who I was. I’m dedicating my run to Hod Shribman z”l and to my team, who fought alongside me and are still out there, training and working hard.”
When I Opened My Eyes, the Building Was Burning”
Sergeant Yehuda, a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade unit, has been training intensively in recent weeks for the marathon, after months of rehab at the GRC. Yehuda, who lives in Jerusalem’s Nachlaot neighborhood, had previously run a marathon before being severely wounded in Gaza. Thanks to daily training with the rehab team — and after regaining his ability to walk through physiotherapy and occupational therapy — he decided to start running again.
In January, we were operating in Beit Hanoun, our team,” he recalls. “During a raid, we passed through a house that another team had cleared before us. A hidden camera was embedded in one of the walls, and as soon as it detected us, an explosive device was triggered. I don’t remember the moment of the blast — I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes, the entire building was on fire. A teammate who had regained consciousness moments earlier started pulling me away from the flames that had reached my legs. My team evacuated me by vehicle to Barzilai Hospital, and from there I was transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem’s Burn Unit, where I received treatment for burns and underwent debridement procedures. Afterward, I was moved to Mount Scopus for rehabilitation.”
“My recovery has been going really well,” he says. “I’ve made significant progress, thanks to a professional team that knows how to motivate you and reminds you of what you’re capable of. Being hospitalized here was incredibly meaningful. When you’re surrounded by others who’ve gone through similar experiences, strong friendships form. We’re still in touch today in a WhatsApp group. Now, I come to rehab and train for the marathon, running with my physiotherapist. When they first suggested I join the team, I hesitated, but my therapist encouraged me to go for it. Not long ago, I struggled even to walk because of the injury — today, walking is so much easier, and now I want to prove to myself that I can run.”
Looking the Sniper in the Eye
Lt. Col. (res.) Asaf Ilan, commander of the 363rd Armored Battalion, hopes to be released from his duties in Gaza in time to join the Jerusalem Marathon, where he plans to run as part of the Hadassah rehabilitation team. Lt. Col. Ilan was seriously wounded in January 2023 while his battalion was deep in combat in Gaza. Since then, he has undergone complex surgery on his arm by Prof. Yoram Weil, Director of the Orthopedic Trauma Unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem., and Prof. Shai Luria, Head of the Hand Surgery Unit at Hadassah, followed by extended rehabilitation at Mount Scopus.
“During a mission in Khan Younis to locate tunnel shafts I got off the tank to inspect the area — a routine step — and was shot in the elbow by a sniper. I immediately realized the severity of the injury and applied a tourniquet, which my soldiers helped secure while I remained fully conscious.”
Lt. Col. Ilan, 43, married and a father of three living in Jerusalem, continued commanding the battle and giving orders. When it was time to evacuate him, he refused to be carried on a stretcher. “I insisted on walking to the tank evacuating me — it was important to me that my soldiers see me standing and walking, projecting strength. From there, I was quickly taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem for major surgery, and then began the long road of rehabilitation with an outstanding professional team. I soon began to see the results of my hard work and understood that they know exactly how to rehabilitate both body and spirit.”
In recent months, Ilan has continued his reserve duty, serving alongside his battalion while balancing his personal and family life — with additional medical procedures still awaiting him at Hadassah. “I’m training to run 10 km — it’s not the first time I’ve run this distance — and I’m deeply grateful to the team at Hadassah who operated on me, cared for me, and have helped me reach new milestones every day. I will run alongside the Hadassah team with pride.”
Hadassah Physiotherapist at the Gandel Rehabilitation Center, Ayala talks about this initiative: