His father, having fled Nazi persecution in Tunisia, worked hard to turn him into a champion judoka – and that is what he became, winning Israel’s first men’s Olympic medal in 1992, aged just 22. Today, Smadja, 54, is dubbed by Israeli media as the country’s “double hero” – not just for his sporting achievements but for his display of incredible resilience and determination.
One month before the 2024 Olympics, Smadja was in Japan preparing with the Israeli judo team. On June 20, he celebrated his birthday with his wife, friends and the Israeli judo team. He managed to exchange text messages with Omer later in the day, after several hours of trying to reach him.
Just a few hours later, around 11pm, he and his wife were told that Omer had been killed in a Hamas mortar strike in central Gaza.
Speaking to the JC ahead of a UK speaking tour later this month, Smadja said: “There is life before and after losing Omer. He was a beautiful guy, and he was different. He lived in the moment and in his way.
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Oren Smadja with his son, Omer[Missing Credit]
"His world was fun and about having fun, it was about party and dance and enjoying every day. Everyone asked if I still wanted to be at the Olympics, including Netanyahu, who called me. I told him I would make it there for Israel.
“It was a very difficult decision and position to be in,” Smadja said, “with such pain, to leave my other son and daughter and wife behind to be in France for flag and for country. But after October 7 everybody, not just me, was sad and in shock. If we could bring home a medal, everybody in Israel might smile again and be proud.”
Omer, a 25-year-old sergeant-major in the IDF, was drafted on October 7, insisting he take a combat role. His unit was later involved in the operation that rescued Noa Argamani and three other hostages.
Toughness evidently runs in the family.
After winning Israel’s first men’s Olympic medal – a bronze –in Barcelona 33 years ago, Smadja descended from the podium to speak to father, Maurice, who was in tears. But his father’s first question was: “Why couldn’t it be the top podium?”
He was a warm and loving father at home, Smadja said, but in the gym Maurice was a “very tough” coach. As the second youngest of five brothers, all of whom were taught judo by their dad, Smadja “grew up on the mat”.
Maurice Smadja, one of the founders of judo in Israel, taught his children to take pride in their country. “We would speak about what the flag means and the Hatikvah, and he would often tell me he wanted me to contribute something special to this country, and to become a champion,” said Smadja, who grew up in Ofakim, a small city in southern Israel.
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Oren with his father, Maurice[Missing Credit]
Smadja came back from the 1992 Games as a household name. But Smadja said he did not enjoy the fame. “I’m a very shy guy,” he said.
His father died aged 92 on September 7, 2023, exactly one month before Hamas’s surprise attack.
Despite the tragedies in his life, Smadja said: “I feel lucky to have the story that I have to tell and to have given something special to Israel.”
A play about Oren Smadja’s life, ‘Champion of Israel’, will be performed in the UK later this month with the Hashaa Theatre as part of the Festival of Spoken Ivrit, in collaboration with the World Zionist Organisation. Oren himself will speak at the festival’s opening at JW3 on January 26.
The moment Paltchik honours Oren Smadja[Missing Credit]