Eight leading Israeli law firms participated in a charity basketball tournament organized by DLA Piper’s Israeli office on Sunday night at Shalva National Center’s headquarters in Jerusalem, in support of Shalva’s “Rising in Rank” program for the integration of young adults with disabilities into the IDF.

S. Horowitz & Co. beat out Gornitzky in the final to lift the trophy. Other participants included Arnon Tadmor-Levy, FWMK, Herzog, ERM, Meitar and Naschitz Brandes Amir.

Overall ILS 120,000 was raised for the program from the tournament. The money will be utilized by the program to continue to provide comprehensive support to participating soldiers aged 18-21, including housing, studies at the Jerusalem College of Technology (Lev Academic Center), leisure activities and professional guidance.

“We are proud to lead this initiative for the third consecutive year, providing an opportunity to demonstrate the Israeli legal community’s partnership and deep commitment to inclusion and equality,” said Jeremy Lustman, Head of DLA Piper’s Israel Country Group. “It’s a privilege for us to strengthen Israel’s social fabric and, through this project, enable young people with disabilities to fulfill their dream of proudly serving the country. Especially in the current climate, it’s increasingly important to support values of equality and appreciate the contributions of those who volunteer to serve, succeeding without any limitations.”

“In these challenging times for Israeli society, the importance of the ‘Rising in Rank’ program is amplified,” Kalman Samuels, Founder and President of Shalva, added. “We witness how military service is key to integration in Israeli society. Therefore, we are pleased to emphasize the organization’s vision of inclusion and equality, providing young people with disabilities an equal opportunity to contribute to the country and integrate into society. We thank Jeremy Lustman and DLA Piper’s Israeli branch, as well as the leading law firms in Israel, for their contribution to the program.”