Judo Oren Smadja

It was a moment that brought the Jewish world to tears. Immediately after winning his bronze medal fight at last summer’s Paris Olympics, Israeli judoka Peter Paltchik fell to his knees and bowed to the floor in front his head coach, Oren Smadja, who in turn began to cry.

A video of the pair embracing went viral. Smadja had learnt just a month before the Games had begun that his son, Omer, had been killed in Gaza.

“When I hugged Peter, he told me: ‘This is for Omer,’” Smadja told the JC.

The moment Paltchik honours Oren Smadja

In many ways, Smadja’s achievement – a rollercoaster success story against the odds, and a deep personal tragedy – is Israel’s story.

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.

Oren Smadja with his son, Omer

"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.