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Hanoch Budin is an athlete, motivational speaker and IDF veteran, best known for his incredibly successful gold medal winning Paralympic swimming career for Israel.

 Born in Canada in 1962 to parents who were both Holocaust survivors, Hanoch and his family made Aliyah to Israel when he was three years old.

 Serving in the famous Golani Brigade, Hanoch was deployed in the First Lebanon War, where sadly he was hit by a mortar shell which led to the loss of his right arm.

 Throughout his recuperation and rehab, he was visited by members of Beit Halochem, a charity we now know well from our virtual tour earlier, and whose purpose is supporting injured soldiers throughout their recovery and throughout their lives.

 After training in a pool, his talent for swimming was identified, and Beit Halochem helped him train to represent Israel in the 1984 Paralympics in America. Winning his first medal at the competition, Hanoch returned again for the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul where he won his first gold medal and broke a number of world records.

 Over two decades of competition, Hanoch has won two golds, one silver, and five Paralympic bronze medals, and triumphed in many World and European Championships and even got to light the flame at the Maccabiah Games.

 Since retiring, he has become a motivational speaker and author, speaking about the setbacks of his life and how he has overcome them. He also appeared as the first disabled competitor on Israel’s edition of “Survivor”.

 An advocate and a true inspiration, we are so honoured he is here with us this evening. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, all the way from Israel, tonight’s very special guest, Hanoch Budin.