New National Basketball program for Injured IDF Veterans

The Center for Jewish Impact (CJI), together with the Israel Basketball Association and the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization, has launched a new national initiative to establish dedicated basketball teams for injured IDF veterans and trauma survivors of the “Swords of Iron” war.

This joint initiative reflects a shared commitment to building long-term rehabilitation frameworks that combine sport, community, and professional support to strengthen physical recovery and mental resilience.

The first two teams will be established in Ashdod and the Upper Galilee as part of a pilot phase. The long-term vision is to expand the model to additional regions and create a dedicated national league.

Rehabilitation Through Structure, Community, and Sport

The teams will provide injured veterans with structured training, professional coaching, and a supportive social environment designed to rebuild confidence, reduce isolation, and restore a sense of belonging.

Beyond the court, the framework will integrate social workers, peer support mechanisms, and community-building activities, recognizing that many veterans are coping not only with visible injuries but also with trauma that requires long-term support.

The initiative builds on previous cooperation between the organizations, including joint events, the participation of injured veterans in national team delegations abroad, and institutional meetings held at Beit Halochem in Tel Aviv.

A Shared Responsibility

Dan Halperin, Chairman of the Basketball Association’s Friendship Foundation, welcomed the initiative:

“The establishment of these basketball teams is the first flagship activity of the Friendship Foundation, and we are excited to begin with an initiative that so clearly reflects our core values: solidarity, resilience, and meaningful action on behalf of communities in need of support. By harnessing the healing power of basketball, we can truly impact the lives of those who were injured and provide them with the tools to rehabilitate, grow stronger, and return to life.”

Yossi Matityahu, CEO of the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization, added:

“The ongoing cooperation between the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization and the Israel Basketball Association enables us to build broad and unique rehabilitation frameworks for veterans who have been wounded, both physically and psychologically. In the recent war, thousands of injured individuals joined our ranks, many of them coping with invisible psychological injuries that accompany them daily. Sport is far more than physical activity. It is a rehabilitative tool that strengthens self-confidence, reinforces mental resilience, and creates a supportive community that is an essential part of returning to full and meaningful lives.”

Sonia Gomes de Mesquita, Executive Director of the Center for Jewish Impact (CJI), stated:

“Community and national resilience are built through human connection, a sense of belonging, and real tools for recovery. This unique partnership reflects our belief in the power of collaboration between civil society, sport, and community to generate deep and sustainable change. For us at the Center for Jewish Impact, it is a mission to be partners, within the framework of our ‘Wraparound Support’ emergency campaign, in initiatives that provide injured soldiers not only with assistance, but with a strengthening framework that helps them return, step by step, to full and meaningful lives.”

Raviv Limonad, who will manage the initiative, said:

“This initiative was born out of a real need to support our soldiers who gave everything for our country and now deserve something in return. On a personal level, it is a great privilege and a true sense of mission to lead this project forward and give it everything possible to ensure it becomes the strongest framework for our people.”