Almog is Back on His Feet!

July 5, 2024

Almog Tzadok’s family moved from Israel to New Jersey when he was in highschool. But he was always determined to serve in the IDF, even if that meant as a lone soldier, far from family and friends.

Almog eventually moved to Israel for his service and became an officer in a combat engineering unit – Division 603.

Lieutenant Almog Tzadok was a team commander at his unit’s training base on Oct. 7th. His soldiers and the other fresh units were still in training and not ready to enter actual combat. However, they were needed for the coming ground war, so they trained them as intensively as possible. After a month of highly intense preparation and work, they finally finished the course and joined the fighting forces of the division.

Tzadok was leading a platoon in Gaza – their responsibility was to eliminate tunnels as well as destroy Hamas explosives and booby-traps.

In early December Tzadok and his team were on a mission to check and investigate a building in Khan Yunis. After they entered the building, an RPG was fired at them. This created a multiple casualty incident that made the news – 11 injured and two killed. Tzadok had multiple shrapnel wounds across his body, including a large one in his leg, and he also lost half of his right palm.

The sheer number of casualties was a serious challenge for the rescue team. Eventually they managed to evacuate everyone, requesting an emergency evacuation for Almog because of the severity of his injuries. He was flown to another hospital where he had emergency surgery, and two weeks later Almog was transferred to Sheba Medical Center for rehab.

Almog was hospitalized for 4 months in “Returning to Life” rehab department.

Almog says: “During my time in Sheba I made an incredible progress, got back on my feet, literally, and made good friendships, such as the one with my physiotherapist Uri. Uri is an Israeli who lived in the US and when the war started he decided to come to Israel and volunteer at Sheba to help wounded soldiers. Uri really helped me and was truly careful with me”

“I also got to know the strength and love of the Jewish communities from all around the world that kept visiting and hugging us every day, all day long and showing their appreciation for us. So I want to say thank you personally to the Jews in America for everything that you do for us.”

Almog concludes: “Today I’m in outpatient rehab, getting better every day, and still visiting my friend Uri every day I come to Sheba.”

Uri and Almog both came back from the US to Israel to serve in Israel’s hour of need, and after their journeys intersected, they will forever be connected.

Am Yisrael Chai

Brian