by Emma Corney

I went to Ben-Gurion airport last night to greet Gal Fridman (see biography) and our other super heroes from their wins in Athens, Olympics 2004. I got to touch Arik (the judo bronze medalist)'s medal and personally wish him mazal tov.

It's not something I'd ordinarily do – bother to go to the airport to “see it live.” Indeed, all other such historic events I've been happy to watch on TV, eating chocolate, lying comfortably on my sofa, because quite simply, “I get a better view on TV.” True – aesthetically the cameramen would've bought me something “sharper,” but I gained something else by going… something so much more. I don't think that “something more” was the champagne that sprayed over my hair as the Carmel (kosher) bottle popped open, milimeters away from me, nor the sense of being crushed as excited expectants broke through the police barrier when our heroes stood facing us. Rather, it was witnessing firsthand – being in spitting distance of all our Biblical heroes.

Also there were a blue-and-white clad dance group of early-teens from Pardess Hanna, the neighbourhood Tzofim (Scouts), family, friends, and other excited well-wishers. It wasn't as mobbed as I'd imagined, but that fitted with what I've learnt so far of Gal and the other “superheroes.”

Daniel said Olympians often have these characteristics – they have to work hard for their dreams so are self-disciplined, hard working and non-arrogant. With Israelis, this is even more so as the country simply doesn't have the resources readily available to potential Olympians in wealthier, more established countries.

For me, Gal made waves when he returned home to his teeny-bopping blue and white clad local dancers, his 4-year-old, overwhelmed ginger-haired, blue-eyed, cousin, and - most importantly - his parents, to whom he gave so many thanks. I'm sure he enjoyed the champagne bottle-opening in his honour, but standing by his family and showing us he will never forget where he comes from and to where he is returning, was the “something more.”

Points to Ponder:

In his book, The Private Adam: Becoming a Hero in a Selfish Age, Shmuley Boteach talks about the greatness of striving to be a Biblical hero (the good guy, like Avraham the water carrier) rather than a classical hero (the famous movie star who never sees his kids). Such heroism is “based not on attention-grabbing but soul-searching.”

- Why?

“If I’m correct,” Boteach adds, “then the secret to a fulfilling life, and the first step toward heroism, is to master the art of goodness.”

- How do you perceive our Olympians' personalities?