David Greaves

BIO

 

In 2002 David embarked on a journey to establish the Israeli Bobsled team with the hope that he and his teammates would qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino. Their dream, to compete as Israel’s first ever Olympic bobsled team. Along the way the team qualified for the 2004 and 2005 world championships, including in their first competitive year.

 

During the team’s journey they experienced a paradigm shift that revealed to them that this ‘ride’ was less about sport and more about igniting their Zionism. Realizing that they were ambassadors and the importance of that role, this slide downhill became life changing in ways that they never anticipated. In the end, the team missed qualifying for the games and disbanded. David, however, feeling the void, continued on to breath life back into and rebuild the program in order to assist other Israeli athletes in pursuing their Olympic dreams. 

 

David is now President of the Israeli Olympic Bobsleigh Skeleton Federation and 16 years after his dream began, he marched in the opening ceremonies as a member of Israeli Olympic team during the Winter Games in 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea with athlete, AJ Edelman. Although he himself did not compete, his story of persevering, charting a new path and helping other athletes pursue their Olympic dream, in then end, rewarded David in realizing his own dream. David asks the question: “what are your Olympics? And how will you get there? There is always more than one path, find your path…”

 

David is also a dual Canadian/Israeli and spent 10 years as the development director for the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. In 2014 David established his own fundraising consulting firm, Protexia, for the not-for-profit sector.

 

In 2020, David accepted the position of Executive Director of JNF Canada, Manitoba/Saskatchewan (his day job), where he works every day to enhance the State of Israel by connecting donors and lovers of Israel to the many meaningful projects and important initiatives that impact the lives of our Israeli family and friends. 

 

So, let David inspire you with his heartfelt story and help you ‘find your Olympics’. It is a Jewish story but also a story for everyone. For anyone that ever failed, lost, struggled or could not find their way, this story is for you. 

 

David’s book, ‘The Unlikely Olympian’ will be out in the fall of 2024. David was recently voted in as a member of the National Olympic Committee of Israel's Plenum. David has two beautiful and brilliant kids: Nesya and Aaron.