After being defined as an IDF disabled veteran: The incredible story of Yoseph Haddad
Yoseph Haddad volunteered for the army, was severely wounded in the Golani Brigade, an injury that changed his life, and until the advocacy activity he funded from his own private pocket, these are the surprising stations in the life of the prominent activist Yoseph Haddad.
Yoseph Haddad is known today as one of the most prominent advocacy fighters for the State of Israel, but few know the surprising stations, personal challenges, and lesser-known facts that made him the figure he is today. He was born in Haifa to a believing Arab-Christian family; his mother was a teacher and his father was a priest, businessman, and civilian pilot. In his childhood, the family moved to Nazareth, and his original ambition was actually to be a professional soccer player. He played in the youth departments of Hapoel Haifa, showed great talent, and nurtured a dream to reach the highest levels, but a severe injury cut his sports career short at a young age.
The decision that changed everything
He arrived at military service following the deadly terror attack at the Maxim restaurant in Haifa in 2003, which shocked him. He decided to volunteer for the IDF, was assigned to the Golani Brigade, finished a commanders' course with honors, and became a respected commander in the 51st Battalion. The dramatic turning point occurred during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. During the rescue of a tank crew that was hit in a hard battle, the structure in which he was staying was hit by an anti-tank missile. Haddad was critically wounded: his right foot was amputated, a bullet penetrated his thigh, and shrapnel hit his face, leaving the prominent scar on his cheek that characterizes him to this day.
From surgeries to recovery
The doctors fought for his life at Rambam Hospital, and in a series of complex surgeries, they managed to reattach his leg. At the beginning of the rehabilitation process, he was told that he would not be able to walk normally again, but Haddad refused to give up. After a year of intensive physiotherapy rehabilitation at Bnai Zion Hospital, he returned to standing on his feet. In the spirit of his determination, he arrived at the summary meeting with the doctor smiling and walking.
The world of advocacy
He began his path in the world of advocacy precisely from a completely private initiative. After the rehabilitation, he turned to political science studies at Bar-Ilan University, but later stopped them to focus on public activity. Few know that he delivered his first lectures on campuses in the United States on a fully voluntary basis and financed the flight tickets from his own private pocket. At the same time, he was selected for the prestigious LEAD20 program for young leaders at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked as an operations manager at a market research company. His full command of Arabic, Hebrew, and English allowed him to deal with the most complex media arenas in the world, from foreign network channels to direct confrontations against BDS activists on campuses.
Together, Arabs for each other
Today, alongside being the CEO of the "Together, Arabs for each other" association, which promotes integration and mutual responsibility in Israeli society, Haddad is also an international social media personality and the author of the book "Let Me Explain". For his work, he has won many official awards, including the Begin Prize, an honorary doctorate from Ariel University, and even the right to light a torch at the torch-lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl. Behind the stormy media activist stands a man who experienced loss, severe injury, and mental struggle, but chose to turn the personal crisis into a life project of connection, Israeli pride, and world-encompassing advocacy.
Private life
Emily Schrader, Yoseph Haddad's wife, is a journalist, researcher, and international advocacy activist who was born and raised in the United States and made Aliyah to Israel. Schrader, who holds a master's degree in political science and international relations from Tel Aviv University, is an expert in public diplomacy, fighting antisemitism, and combating disinformation on social networks, and her columns are published regularly in major media outlets such as The Jerusalem Post. Beyond her activity for Israel's image, she is one of the most prominent voices in the West expressing support for the Iranian people's struggle for freedom and human rights against the regime. The two met following their joint activity in the world of advocacy, got married, and since then they have been working together as a strong couple in the public and media arena in Israel and around the world, as they join forces in the fight for the truth on the advocacy battlefield.
