Three disabled veterans of the Israel Defense Forces received on Sunday evening the "Rehabilitation Medal of Honor" - the annual award given by the rehabilitation department to IDF veterans who underwent an extraordinary rehabilitation process and lead an inspiring life.
Colonel Shai Siman Tov, commander of the 12th Battalion of the Golani Brigade during 2014's Protective Edge counterterror operation, was critically wounded during the fighting in the Saja'iya neighborhood of Gaza City. Despite the severe injury, which required a very complex ongoing rehabilitation process, he showed inspiring determination to continue his life as a parent, as a commander and as a citizen who contributes to society and to the security of the state, and was recently promoted to his current rank.
Anat Yahalom Rimshon - the first woman ever to receive the medal - was wounded in the Yom Kippur War by a bomb fired by an enemy aircraft in the building in which she was staying. She was one of the founders of "Etgarim", a society that promotes disabled people to realize their abilities and social integration through sports and challenging activities in nature. A hand bike marathoner, she has participated in competitions in Israel and abroad for the past 11 years.
Noah Hertz - a fighter pilot and former captive, who dedicates his life to public activity and serves as a role model and an example of the soul over the body. A lecturer on coping with captivity in front of various audiences, including high school students and IDF soldiers, he visits IDF patients in the hospital and encourages them in an optimistic way. Noah became religious and established a magnificent family with 70 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.