Sponsor an Olympic Judo Champion 🇮🇱

Here in Israel, the Olympics came and went. But there is one group that remains in the spotlight and that is the incredible judo team, guided and inspired by Oren Smadga🎗️

This is a group that's already discovered the key to success - how their "family" is their superpower, fueling all their success.

They are extremely active and it's incredible to see them featured at major Jewish events across the US, and engaging here on LinkedIn since the war began.

Olympic champion 🥋 Shaked Amihai - שקד עמיחי thought her life was over when her parents insisted on moving from Jerusalem to a place called Kadima in the center of Israel, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her.

Today she is 24 years old, has won 12 medals, is planning to win again in Los Angeles (2028), and is seeking a sponsor.

Today she is 24 years old, has won 12 medals, is planning to win again in Los Angeles (2028), and is seeking a sponsor.

How much does it cost to support this Olympic champion's dream? $3000 - $5000 a month.

Her track record is solid. She won the European Cup U21 Lignano in 2018. She clinched a bronze medal at the European Cup U21 Sarajevo in 2019. She took bronze at the Junior European Championships in Porec in 2020. She won the Maccabiah Games in 2022 in Jerusalem. Captured bronze at the 2024 European Open in Prague.

Yesterday she posted about how she was bullied in her first session. Oren Smadga🎗️ invited her to his club and was waiting for her at the entrance. He looked into her eyes and said: now we're going to fix this together. She was nine years old.

Clearly this is a group of athletes who've been exposed to a superior kind of leadership. I asked her to share what that looks like from her perspective.

Here is what 🥋 Shaked Amihai - שקד עמיחי said -

*Oren promotes a sense of belonging and family in the club, where every trainee feels like they are part of something big and meaningful. As a member of the club, I feel the family support and it gives me the confidence to succeed.

*When we were little, he would line us up and ask who wanted an Olympic gold medal? He instilled in us the belief that it was possible from a young age.

*He is an example of hard work: he had to travel from Ofakim (South of Israel) to Wingate Institute and back on 3 buses, returning home at midnight.

*They made a play about his story - from the boy who grew up in Ofakim to winning an Olympic medal.

*At his son's funeral, at the most difficult moment of his life, he found the words to strengthen the other soldiers and give them encouragement.