Israeli Olympic medallist judoka auctioning match-worn gi to fund PTSD treatment for disaster response teams

Paltchik, who won Israel’s first medal of the Paris Olympics in 2024 – a bronze in the men's 100kg judo event – said that Zaka’s volunteers “drop everything to respond to mass casualty tragedies with unparalleled compassion and efficiency”.

"But after the sirens stop, the trauma stays,” he added. “Exposure to horrific scenes leaves our heroes fighting a silent daily battle against PTSD."

The Ukrainian-born competitor is auctioning off the judogi he wore on the day of his medal win to fundraise for Zaka’s resilience unit, with a minimum bid of $50,000.

He is planning to call the winning bidder to personally thank them for their contribution.

The judogi “carries the sweat, the tears, and the unbreakable spirit of Israel’s historic first medal of those games”, the 34-year-old said.

“Real sacrifice doesn’t just belong on the athletic mat. It belongs on the men and women of Zaka who wear the yellow vests to protect our national dignity in our darkest hours.”

Paltchik’s 2024 campaign was highly emotional, as his coach, Oren Smadja, had lost his son, Omer, in Gaza just weeks before the competition commenced.

Upon winning the bronze medal match, Paltchik ran over to Smadja and the pair embraced, both in tears.

Oren Smadja embraces judoka Peter Paltchik (Courtesy)[Missing Credit]

Smadja also won an Olympic medal for judo, becoming Israel’s first-ever male Olympic medallist, when he took bronze in the under-71kg category at the 1992 Games.

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