American Friends of Herzog Hospital

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American Friends of Herzog Hospital

American Friends of Herzog Hospital raise awareness and funding to support Herzog Hospital, Israel's leading center for geriatric, respiratory and mental health care, treatment and research. We are build a NEW Medical Pavilion that will consist of 6 floors of clinical departments and 2 basement floors,including a sheltered underground emergency hospital. The new Pavilion will incorporate the latest in hospital design, and be a totally ‘green’ environmentally friendly facility. The Sheltered Underground Hospital will be built to withstand the impact of missiles and provide protection from chemical and biological attack. The Pavilion will house a number of departments, including:
- a Department of Psychogeriatrics (to treat those with dementias such as Alzheimer's Disease)
- a greatly expanded Children’s Chronic Respiratory Care Department
- significant additions to the Adult Respiratory Departments
- Internal Medicine
- Acute Geriatric Care
- Complex Nursing Care
- Dialysis

09/30/2025

🌿 The Road to Resilience
A special virtual event with Dr. Yehezkel Caine, President of Herzog Medical Center, Jerusalem

As we mark the anniversary of the October 7th massacre, join us for an insightful conversation on trauma, resilience, and healing. All friends and supporters of Herzog Hospital worldwide are warmly invited to attend.
Dr. Caine will share a firsthand perspective on Israel’s journey through this challenging year, including:

Initial Response – How Herzog’s psychotrauma units mobilized immediately to treat survivors, families, veterans, and first responders.

Long-Term Impact – What clinicians are witnessing today in trauma and psychiatric wards: the ongoing effects of mass grief and PTSD.

The Power of Unity – Stories of resilience and solidarity across Israel’s diverse society.

Tangible Support – Practical ways communities worldwide can strengthen Israel’s trauma recovery efforts.

📌 Event Details
Speaker: Dr. Yehezkel Caine, President, Herzog Medical Center
Topic: October 7 Commemoration & Trauma Resilience
Date: Sunday, October 5
Time: 10:00 AM EDT (convert to your local timezone)
Format: Online (Virtual Event)
Hosted by: The Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton
➡️ Register here: https://www.jfgb.org/

09/29/2025

We are proud to celebrate a truly special person at Herzog Hospital.

Our longtime Chairman of the Board, Shamai Keinan, has been awarded the Israel Presidential Award for Volunteerism – one of the country’s highest honors – in recognition of his 26 years of dedicated, fully voluntary service to Herzog Hospital and to the Israeli public healthcare system at large.

At a special ceremony held at the President’s Residence earlier this month, hosted by President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog, Shamai was honored for his longstanding leadership and significant contributions to public health in Israel. Under his guidance, Herzog Hospital has experienced remarkable growth and expansion, while continuing to serve as a center of excellence in geriatric, psychiatric, and respiratory care.

We are incredibly proud of Shamai for his commitment, vision, and leadership. But above all, we're grateful for his incredibly kind, warm and righteous heart.

Read more in the Jerusalem Post article about the 2024 Presidential Awards for Volunteerism. Scroll to the bottom under Individual Honorees to find Shamai’s mention:
🔗 Read more herehttps: //https://lnkd.in/dYJ_Xfkk

Mazal Tov Shamai – this is a well-deserved honor and a moment of great pride for us all.

09/21/2025

No One Left Behind: Herzog Opens New MRI & Imaging Center

A man with developmental disabilities needed an urgent MRI under anesthesia for a suspected spinal tumor. His referral was denied (“anesthesia is for children only”), appointments were delayed for months, and when a date was finally set, the staff wasn’t trained for his needs. By the time the scan was done, surgery was no longer possible. What could have been life-saving care became only palliative.

This is exactly the kind of tragedy Herzog Medical Center is working to end.

Early this month, we inaugurated Herzog’s new MRI & Imaging Center, designed to make advanced diagnostics accessible for everyone—especially people with disabilities and complex needs.

The center provides:
✅ Adapted anesthesia, including for adults
✅ Dedicated appointment blocks to cut wait times
✅ Specialized staff trained in dignity-centered care

As leaders from Israel’s Ministries of Health and Welfare emphasized at the opening, this center is more than technology, it’s a values statement: health care is a right for all.

Together with the MAR Institute and partners, Herzog is proud to advance a more compassionate, inclusive health system, one where no one is left behind.
🍎✨ From all of us at Herzog, Shana Tova U’Metuka- a sweet new year of health, dignity, and healing for all.

08/11/2025

"We are just so delighted to be a part of this in some small way. It may not appear to be a happy place. But for families in this situation — G-d forbid — this is their happy place, knowing their child is receiving the most wonderful care possible. We are so impressed and proud."

Last week, in Herzog’s Pediatric Chronic Respiratory Department, we dedicated two new plaques in a heartfelt ceremony.

The David and Miriam Hakimi Foundation generously dedicated the multi-purpose communal space in loving memory of David and Miriam Yousefzadeh Hakimi, and the terrace in loving memory of Abdolhamid and Zomorod Yousefzadeh Hakimi.

This thoughtfully designed space offers families dignity, comfort, and a warm ray of sunlight during challenging times.

Plaques were unveiled by trustees Malka Rahmanan and Yoel Rafinia, alongside Dr. Jacob Haviv, CEO of Herzog, and Steve Schwartz, International Director of Development.

"We are honored to carry this memory forward with gratitude".

08/05/2025

“Even the one millimeter of a smile I got from singing with the children gave me so much joy… I felt I had to come here to see for myself if Herzog was even half as amazing as Dr. Haviv described it. It wasn’t. It was 4x as amazing.”
– Gail Flaum

Yesterday, we were blessed to welcome Gail, a spirit-filled visitor from Northwest London who brought music, light, and love to the children in Herzog’s Chronic Respiratory Department.

Gail first heard about Herzog in her shul, when she met our CEO, Dr. Jacob Haviv. Something he shared moved her - enough to leave behind her life and work and fly to Israel to volunteer.

The children she sang to may not have been able to speak, but they responded - with their eyes and tiny smiles, and the feeling of connection.

At Herzog, where many children live with chronic and complex conditions, every act of care counts. Whether it’s a song, a smile, or a gentle touch - it helps transform their experience of the world.

💗 Thank you Gail and thank you to ALL of our volunteers, for following your heart - and lifting theirs.

07/31/2025

“The most searing and unforgettable moment of our mission… occurred during our visit to Herzog Hospital.”
– Dr. Deborah Boyar, AJMA delegate & trauma psychologist from California

Last month, just days after the outbreak of war with Iran, a small but courageous group from the American Jewish Medical Association visited Herzog Medical Center- despite cancelled flights and active missile threats.

They toured our underground hospital, which protects some of Israel’s most vulnerable patients- including babies and ventilated children- from missile and chemical attacks. Just days before their visit, over 200 fragile patients were relocated underground.

"Even in this basement bunker, music therapy brings light to these children—regardless of their identity. The scene wasn’t staged, rehearsed, or designed to impress us; it simply reflects a core Jewish value: that life matters."

🎵 Watch this moment here: https://lnkd.in/ddGz7U3V

📖 Read the full article in Times of Israel here: https://lnkd.in/gyyyeEEH

We sincerely appreciate the support of the AJMA visitors who made the journey in these uncertain times, and to all those standing with Israel’s healthcare heroes.

07/17/2025

Strengthening Emergency Preparedness: A New Bomb Shelter for Psychiatric Patients at Herzog

One of the critical lessons we learned during the recent war with Iran was that protecting psychiatric inpatients during missile attacks poses unique and urgent challenges.

While most of our patients can be relocated to our underground hospital, individuals in psychiatric care often cannot easily be moved without disruption.

That’s why today marks a major step forward: Herzog Medical Center has installed a dedicated, permanent bomb shelter directly adjacent to our psychiatric ward.

During the conflict, we relied on temporary solutions. But now, thanks to this new shelter, our psychiatric patients can remain in their specialized, therapeutic space- safe, secure, and supported — even under fire.

This installation is part of our continued commitment to national emergency preparedness and ensuring no patient is left unprotected in a time of crisis.

We hope we won't have to use it but are prepared for any scenario.

07/08/2025

Herzog Opens ‘Home Away from Home’ for Families of Hospitalized Patients

This week, we celebrated a powerful moment at Herzog Medical Center in Jerusalem: the opening of a new residential caravan for families of patients.

Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Rachel and Menachem Yosef Chaim Wirzbourg and the initiative of Lev Chabad, this warm, welcoming space gives families—especially those traveling long distances or observing Shabbat—a place to rest, recharge, and remain close to their loved ones.

One father of a long-term pediatric patient reminded us: being nearby isn’t just a comfort—it’s a lifeline.

As Dr. Caine, Herzog’s President, put it: “Family presence, compassion, and community are part of the healing process.”

This project reflects what Herzog stands for: care that goes beyond medicine.

06/26/2025

We are so grateful for the ceasefire, and pray it holds so we can live in peace.
We wanted to share a real moment from the day before the ceasefire, when a siren sounded at Herzog Hospital.
At 10 AM, an alert warned of a possible incoming missile. This video takes you inside Herzog’s Sheltered Underground Hospital to see how our patients, visitors, and staff responded.
Our dedicated staff continued to care for patients, even as the siren blared. Teams from various departments calmly gathered together, waiting for the all-clear. They showed up every day of the war, demonstrating incredible commitment.
This is what true resilience looks like.

For more updates and to support our vital work in Jerusalem, please visit www.herzoghospital.org.

06/22/2025

This Photo Says It All

No words can fully capture what we witness daily at Herzog Medical Center. Pictured here is one of our incredible physical therapists providing crucial care to an elderly patient in our Physical Rehabilitation Department – all while carrying her baby safely on her back.

Amidst breaking headlines and the security challenges we're currently facing, our staff continues to provide the highest level of professional care, day in and day out, uninterrupted by the war.

This is this is what love, resilience, and true dedication look like.

We are sincerely grateful to every member of the Herzog family: our doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, logistics, and maintenance staff. Your commitment shines at the heart of our hospital.

Stay connected for more updates on Herzog's vital work: www.herzoghospital.org

06/19/2025

In view of the missile impact of today, we decided to immediately relocate all of our patients in the Psychiatry Departments to Herzog’s Sheltered Underground Hospital.

The two floors of the Psychiatry Departments are all still located in the old building. It is the most exposed part of the hospital. It was purposely designed with wide windows to give the hospitalized patients a sense of openness, with a view of the Jerusalem Hills. However, this positioning of the building puts it in special danger from missiles or shrapnel that may fall in the area.

While we gave emergency priority to relocating the bedridden patients on respirators during the first days, it now has become urgent to find even more space to relocate the patients in psychiatry.

This adds to the over 200 patients who have already been relocated to our Sheltered Underground facility.

We also opened today a sheltered supervised day care service for children of hospital staff aged 3-12 in our sheltered ambulatory building. This enables the staff to come to work. But is also helps the entire family. There are many families who have a spouse-men or women in reserve duty, or enables the spouse to also go to work.

But especially important is how it helps the kids. It gets them out of their homes (and bomb shelters).

But it also helps them get some relief from their anxiety, stress and fear. Almost 100 children came on this first day.

For more information and updates, visit our website www.herzoghospital.org

06/18/2025

Herzog Medical Center Emergency War Update Day 6

The headlines don’t show it all—and sometimes, they get it wrong. But here’s what’s really happening on the ground at Herzog:
We are doing everything we can to protect our most vulnerable patients.
In coordination with the Ministry of Health, we’ve expanded our sheltered underground hospital. Nearly all ventilated patients—including children—have now been safely moved below ground for their protection.
To keep families informed, we’ve set up clear signage and a dedicated visitor information desk—so no one is left confused or alarmed when visiting loved ones.
We’re also working to launch on-site childcare so that our medical teams can come to work knowing their children are safe and cared for.

If you live in Israel and can volunteer—we need you.
📩 Reach out to us directly.

And if you're abroad and want to support us, now is the time. These emergency measures come with real costs—from protective infrastructure to urgent medical equipment. Every donation helps us keep going.

🌐 Donate or learn more:
🇮🇱 Israel – www.herzoghospital.org
🇺🇸 U.S. – www.afherzoghospital.org
🇨🇦 Canada – https://www.herzoghospital.ca/
🇬🇧 U.K. – ukfriends@herzoghospital.org
Thank you for your support.
We’ll continue to keep you updated.

Address

57 W 57th Street 4th Floor
New York, NY
10019

Telephone

+12126833702

Website

http://www.afherzoghospital.org/

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