Beit Issie Shapiro held its annual sold-out gala at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, celebrating the Israeli organization’s work to improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities. Among the evening’s highlights was an inspiring address by Israeli Paralympic champion Moran Samuel, 44, whose remarkable journey from tragedy to triumph captivated the audience.
Samuel was a 23-year-old member of Israel’s national basketball team when a spinal stroke left her paralyzed from the waist down. Rather than allowing her disability to define her future, she became a physical therapist and helped rebuild Israel’s women’s wheelchair basketball team, later competing in the European championships.
Determined to represent Israel at the Paralympic Games, she turned to rowing in 2010, a sport she had never tried before. She went on to compete in four Paralympic Games as a rower, winning three medals in women’s single sculls: bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, silver in Tokyo in 2021 and gold in Paris in 2024.
One of the most memorable moments of her athletic career came in April 2012, when she won gold at an international rowing competition for athletes with disabilities in Gavirate, Italy.
During the medal ceremony, unfamiliar music began playing instead of Israel’s national anthem. Samuel shook her head in disbelief as the music continued.
On a large screen at the gala, guests watched a clip of the ceremony and what Samuel did next. Seated in a wheelchair onstage, her long hair pulled back into a ponytail, she narrated the remarkable moment.
“I asked for the microphone and then started singing ‘Hatikvah’ a cappella,” she recalled, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
The moment gained international attention and became a powerful example of Samuel’s determination and resilience.
“If you look at an obstacle as an obstacle, there’s a good chance it will knock you down, but if you look at an obstacle as a challenge, then you’ll do the maximum to overcome it,” she said.
If you look at an obstacle as an obstacle, there’s a good chance it will knock you down, but if you look at an obstacle as a challenge, then you’ll do the maximum to overcome it.” – Moran Samuel
During her speech, Samuel urged the audience not to put off pursuing their dreams and ambitions, but to take action today.
“People always say, after the holidays, but which one? We Jews have so many of them,” she said. “We can speak all we want about our will and that we are motivated, but the only way to prove it is by action, not by just talking about it.”
Today, married and a mother of three, Samuel is a pediatric physical therapist, motivational speaker and lecturer.
Living with a disability today is vastly different from what it was decades ago, thanks in part to organizations such as Beit Issie Shapiro, which help people with disabilities achieve greater independence and realize their full potential.
Samuel’s journey offers inspiration to those adjusting to life with a disability following an accident, injury or illness. Her message reflects the philosophy of Beit Issie Shapiro: focusing on what people can accomplish rather than what they cannot.
“Sports are a language of ability, and Beit Issie Shapiro is a place where people can dive in, set their disabilities aside and focus on each person’s strengths,” said Samuel, who joined the organization’s board of directors last year. “It’s about looking at what people can do and recognizing their abilities beyond any disability.”
Another moving moment came when acclaimed violinist Niv Ashkenazi performed “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem, as the audience joined in singing. Ashkenazi, who lives with paraplegia, is a Juilliard graduate who studied under Itzhak Perlman. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center and is known for his work with Violins of Hope, a collection of restored instruments that survived the Holocaust.
Samuel and Ashkenazi are living examples of how a disability doesn’t need to stand in the way of personal achievement. Both have built successful careers despite the physical challenges they face. For countless others living with disabilities, organizations such as Beit Issie Shapiro provide the support, tools and opportunities to pursue their own goals and lead fulfilling, independent lives.
Founded 46 years ago, Beit Issie Shapiro is one of Israel’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with disabilities. Based in Ra’anana, the organization provides innovative therapies, special education, mental health services and assistive technology, while advocating for greater inclusion and equal opportunities. Its programs and expertise reach more than 500,000 people annually across more than 30 countries.
Following the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing war, Beit Issie Shapiro expanded its services to address the growing needs of wounded Israeli soldiers. Just two months after the attacks, it launched ‘Tech for Heroes,’ a program that uses personalized assistive technology to help injured veterans regain their independence and return to everyday life. The initiative provides solutions ranging from voice-activated smart home systems to adapted household appliances and specialized equipment designed around each soldier’s physical limitations.
The program has assisted more than 700 wounded soldiers, helping them perform everyday tasks that many people take for granted, from household chores to moving around their homes independently.
One of those soldiers is Didi, who spoke at last year’s gala about how Tech for Heroes helped him regain his independence after suffering severe leg injuries in Gaza when a 30-ton tractor rolled over his legs as he helped evacuate elderly Palestinian civilians under terrorist fire. His wife, Liz, also addressed the audience, describing how the program helped their family adjust to life after his injury.
The gala, organized by Soraya Nazarian, vice president of philanthropy for American Friends of Beit Issie Shapiro on the West Coast, honored Dr. Soheil and Roya Hekmat with the Legacy Award and Monise Neumann with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
