'Heroes and heroines': The Herzogs host Israel's Olympians

In an unusually informal event at the President’s Residence on Tuesday, President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal, held a reunion with members of the Israel Olympic team and officials of the Israel Olympic Committee.

Michal Herzog is a keen sports fan and knows several of the athletes. President Herzog has also met some of them in his various stages of public life but became particularly close with them when he and his wife went to Paris last month for the opening of the Olympic Games.

He had also met some of the officials two years ago in Munich at the 50th anniversary ceremony honoring the 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team who were murdered by Black September terrorists at the 1972 Olympics.

Also present at the President’s Residence were representatives of the French Embassy along with Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano, the widows of Andre Spitzer and Yossef Romano, two of the murdered Israeli team members. The two women fought long and hard for justice for all the families of the 11 victims of the Munich massacre. They have become an integral part of Israel’s Olympic family, said Gili Lustig, the CEO of the Israel Olympic Committee.

The Herzogs followed the Israel Olympic dress code of navy blue and white for the event. They walked around the main hall exchanging hugs and warm embraces and later they and the athletes shared anecdotes and impressions.

Lustig emphasized that Israel’s seven-medal achievement was the best yet, and recalled the excitement in 1992 when judoka Yael Arad became Israel’s first Olympic medalist. She won a silver medal. At that time, it was only one silver medal, said Lustig. “This time it was five!”

He and other speakers anticipated that Israel’s achievements would be even better at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

Upcoming Paralympic Games

The gathering was held on the eve of the opening of the Paralympic Games, which are also being held in Paris. Israel always does well at the Paralympics; athletes come home with many medals.

Numerous good wishes for success were sent to them from Jerusalem by the president, officials, and members of the Israeli Olympic team.

The get-together was not just to exchange pleasantries or for the Herzogs to personally congratulate the Olympians. It was to reiterate the pride of a nation in a group of young people who brought moments of joy in the midst of war and chaos.

Two big screens featured photographs of the team, with the large-lettered words “We’re proud of you” superimposed on the photographs.

Both Lustig and Herzog mentioned the significance of the sizable attendance of Israelis waving national flags to encourage the athletes, and the surge of emotion each time Israel won a medal.

Lustig also noted that the athletes resisted provocations, remained true to the  urgency of bringing home the hostages still in captivity in Gaza, and raised the issue of the hostages whenever possible.

“You represented a whole nation,” Herzog told the team. “You are true heroes and heroines. You brought some happiness to the nation and we were all united in our affection for you. You were united. You represented us with honor, and you brought us great pride.”

Herzog added that each time that he met with members of the team in Paris they spoke of the hostages. Yael Arad, who made history as Israel’s first Olympic medalist, made history when she became the first woman and the first Olympic medalist to chair the Israel Olympic Committee.

Arad said that the sports the athletes practiced were their life’s work, and that they had extraordinarily acquitted themselves amid war and a global rise of antisemitism. “We promised to do our best, and we kept our word,” she said.In regards to Ethiopian Jews and other African refugees who found a haven in Israel after enduring terrible suffering as children, she said she was happy that they had found an anchor in sport and that they were a part of various Israeli teams.

Arad also commented on the number of Israelis who came to the games in Paris and waved flags to show the world Israeli solidarity.

She was likewise impressed by President Herzog’s presence at the games. “It was important for you to be there,” she told him. “It was inspiring.”

Arad did not forget to thank Israeli and French diplomats for their efforts to ensure that everything ran smoothly.Brief remarks were also delivered by medalists Tom Reuveny and Inbar Lanir.

Reuveny said that all the athletes had dedicated their lives as far as they could go in their chosen sports, “but what exemplified the team was the solidarity. We knew that people at home were eager to get some good news, and we never forgot the hostages.”

Lanir was acutely conscious of the fact that none of the athletes would be where they are today without the support of the Israel Olympic Committee.

Yesh Atid MK Shimon Davidson, a former member of the Israel National Swimming Team, said that with all the disputes that go on in the Knesset, the one thing on which there is consensus is sport.