Terror Victim Overcomes Injuries to Light Menorah

Major Ziv Shilon, of the Israel Defense Forces, was at the border of Gaza a year ago when he was severely wounded. His left hand had to be amputated and it was touch and go whether his badly injured right hand would also be lost.

Thank G-d, it was not, but it has been a long and painful road to recovery for this brave soldier, one of Israel’s true heroes.

Ziv was one of the wounded soldiers who took part in a Chabad Terror Victims Project (CTVP.ORG) trip to New York recently. These ten-day trips bring the soldiers to the U.S. where they meet people from the American Jewish community who demonstrate to them how much they are loved and respected, and how much Jews everywhere are so grateful to them for all that they do for Israel and the Jewish people. The trip is a once-in-a-lifetime event in which they are taken to see sites around the New York area and feted everywhere they go.

During Chanukah, Rabbi Menachem Kutner, Director of CTVP, went to Tel Hashomer Rehabilitation Center and visited Ziv. Together they lit the first candle of Chanukah, Ziv using his injured right hand that had been saved from amputation.

Ziv’s family was there with him and there were tears in everyone’s eyes as he recited the blessings and lit the candle, pride in his accomplishment shining in his own eyes. Click here to see a short video that will touch your heart as this brave young soldier overcomes his injury to proudly celebrate Chanukah.

While Ziv was in New York on the CTVP trip, he visited the site of the Rebbe’s Ohel where, as he prayed, he felt he received a sign from G-d that he would recover from his wounds.

He went back to Israel determined to do his part to make this happen. He began hand surgery rehabilitation with faith in G-d that full restoration of his hand would take place. He continues to work hard today and readers are asked to pray on behalf of Ziv Ben Margalit that his recovery should continue to go well.