Golani Brigade soldiers, who are taking part in their annual Mount Hermon to Eilat run were spotted in the capital on Monday, easily detected with their distinctive yellow running shorts, yellow tee shirts bearing the famous green Golani emblem and their dark green Golani baseball caps.

This year however, they made a detour, a stopover that brought immeasurable joy to one of the brigade’s combatants, Neria Biderman, 20, a member of the 51st Battalion who sustained very serious injuries in Operation Cast Lead.

They stopped in Netanya to visit Biderman, who is undergoing intensive rehabilitation in Bet Levenstein. Biderman was very seriously injury on January 4th, one of the first to enter Gaza. He remained in Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva, in a comatose state. After regaining consciousness, he was transferred to Levenstein on February 6th, where he is rehabilitating himself.

Biderman was truly emotional at the sight of his buddies, explaining that Baruch Hashem he ambulates unassisted today, and the injured arm has returned to almost 100% functionality.

When Biderman came downstairs for a daily rehab session he was startled to see his comrades waiting for him. They left the north two days earlier, and hope to complete the run in Eilat on Thursday. This year’s runners are from the 13th Battalion,  soldiers who recently completed basic training. The company commander and his deputy gave Biderman a certificate of appreciation from the division, with Biderman expressing his gratitude for the gesture, adding, “If only I could continue with you guys to the end of the run”.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)