Olympic melodrama

Editorial

Israel's single Olympic medal – a bronze for windsurfer Shahar Zubari – elicited a great rejoicing back home.

By contrast, Canada's 18 medals – three gold – looks magnificent. But Israelis who feared their country would return from Beijing medal-less at least rested more easily.

Israel's still-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Zubari: "I couldn't help but be impressed by your coolness, that soulful silence of yours, and the inner feelings that caused you to secure us a medal.... You have no idea how exciting it was when I saw you waving that flag. Know that you have brought many tears of joy to Israel."

Israel's President Shimon Peres was even less prosaic.

"You brought a new dawn to the state of Israel," Peres told Zubari. "Israel was almost mourning in a sea of despair."

We enjoy an Olympic victory as much as the next guy, but were Israel's leaders a tad over the top in their jubilation? An Olympic medal will stave off a sea of despair?

Perhaps.

But while some countries depend on athletic games to provide heroes and medals, Israel's self-image shouldn't be so fragile. Israel has no shortage of heroes in a variety of fields, as well as Olympian achievements in areas of science, research and development, medicine and a litany of other disciplines.

Kol hakavod to the bronze windsurfer. Now back to our regularly scheduled heroism.

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