Eleven years ago, I was critically wounded during Operation Cast Lead. The years passed, and I underwent a process of rehabilitation in which I learned to walk, talk, and eat again. I became a father, completed college, and I've been working with youth at risk for a few years.
Eleven years have passed, but the process isn't over. I'm still in a long, exhausting process of rehabilitation, where I'm learning to handle the results of my wounds on a daily basis. It's hard for me to express myself verbally and in writing, and I suffer from pain, epileptic seizures, and other difficulties as a result of the trauma.
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There are tens of thousands of wounded veterans who, like me, are confronted with the results of their wounds on a daily basis.
In the decades the nation has been in existence, it has experienced military operations, terrorist attacks, and wars in which it lost many soldiers, whom it commemorates each year. Alongside them, there are tens of thousands of wounded who carry their pain for years.
Many times, we hear news reports about operations or terrorist attacks that "only" result in wounded soldiers, without casualties, and immediately, we breathe a sigh of relief. When I hear that there are wounded, I understand right away what they are about to undergo, and it's heartbreaking. Many have visible wounds, such as blindness or lost limbs, but there are invisible wounds, like head trauma and post-traumatic stress. Those suffering from these wounds appear fine, but might have difficulty sleeping at night, or thinking and making decisions, or deal with other difficulties that not everyone realizes stay with them forever.
Five years ago, Israel decided on a day to honor wounded veterans. The idea of establishing a special day was raised by good people who wanted to acknowledge and thank those around them who gave their bodies and emotional health for the sake of the state and its citizens.
We, the wounded, need this day because the embrace of the people of Israel gives us the strength to stay alive, to work, to have families, and do good in the world.
This day is very meaningful for me. It gives me strength and bolsters me in my daily work, inculcating ideals of military service in youth.
As a wounded IDF veteran, I feel that the day honoring us is very important. I hope that the state and the Defense Ministry will do everything they can for the wounded, especially when it comes to treating critical disabilities that stay with us for years.
