Reuven Helman | |
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Born | 1927 |
Died | July 11, 2013 (aged 86) Paris |
Nationality | ![]() |
Known for | Maccabi Olympian War Veteran Weightlifting Champion Track and Field Champion Grenade Flinging |
Children | Noava, Aryela and Hedva [1] |
Reuven Helman ( Hebrew: ראובן הלמן; 1927 – July 11, 2013) was a former Maccabiah Olympian recognized as a weightlifting champion, distinguished athlete in Track and Field, [1] the Decathlon and for his career as an athletic instructor. [2] He competed in shot-put and javelin. Helman came in second in 1957 in the International Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv, and had also competed in 1953. [1] [3]
Helman became an adherent of the Chabad Lubavitch Movement after visiting its spiritual head, Rabbi Menachem M. Schnerson. [1] He attributed his strength to kosher eating, clean living and exercise. [4]
Helman fought in Israeli's 1948 war of independence and was dubbed the “human cannon” for his ability to fling grenades over 75 meters when army supplies were short. [4] He also received a war medal for his service in World War II. [5]