IsraelCast Episode 108

When Riki Golan was born two months prematurely and didn't receive enough oxygen, the doctors diagnosed her with cerebral palsy and told her she would never be able to walk. Riki defied the odds and became a Major in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In honor of Jewish Disability, Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAAIM), host, Steven Shalowitz welcomes her on IsraelCast to discuss her journey through the IDF and the meaningful work of Special in Uniform, who helps integrate young Israelis with disabilities into the IDF and prepare them for life after the army.

IDF Major Ricki Golan serves in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as the Head of the Digital Section in the Human Resources Corps. Ricki is a leader in disability & inclusion work. As a volunteer, she serves as a board member and a leader for Special in Uniform, a Jewish National Fund-USA affiliate that integrates young people with autism and other disabilities into the IDF and, in turn, into Israeli society. Ricki has an M.B.A. in Business Administration from Ben Gurion University and a B.A. in Sociology and History from Bar-Ilan University.