As the Winter Paralympics begin, I find myself reflecting on the resilience of Israel’s athletes – and the country they represent.

This week, as the Winter Paralympic Games open in Cortina, Italy, Israel will be represented by a single athlete on the snow: Para-alpine skier Sheina Vaspi. In a period when Israeli society continues to face profound challenges, her presence on the starting line carries significance far beyond sport. It represents resilience, determination, and the enduring spirit of the Paralympic movement.

Vaspi’s story is remarkable in several ways. A religious woman from the Chabad community, she competes as a standing Para-alpine skier in the LW2 category, skiing on one leg. At the Milano–Cortina Winter Paralympics she is scheduled to compete across multiple disciplines, including giant slalom, slalom, downhill, super-G, and alpine combined. Vaspi previously made history at the 2022 Beijing Games as Israel’s first-ever Winter Paralympian, competing in the giant slalom. As an observant Orthodox Jew, she competes in a skirt and does not race on Shabbat — a commitment that reflects the unique balance she maintains between elite sport and religious life.

Her participation also reflects the diversity of Israel’s Paralympic movement, which brings together athletes from many communities — Jewish, Arab, and Druze — who proudly represent the country together on the international stage.

The Olympic and Paralympic cycle spans four years — four years of discipline, consistency, precision, and belief. It is a long process in which daily effort gradually shapes performance and........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)