ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran and the Harvey and Gloria Kaylie Rehabilitation Medical Center are glad to partner with the Emergency Volunteer Project in bringing highly-motivated rehabilitation experts to Israel for short, significant stints of professional volunteerism.
The atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, and the ensuing Iron Swords War brought about a sharp increase in the number of people needing rehabilitation. Numerous professionals in health-related rehabilitation fields living and working in the United States selflessly responded to this need, leaving family and employment behind for two weeks of intense volunteerism, providing much needed care to injured citizens and soldiers undergoing treatment at the Negevโs first rehabilitation hospital.
Specialists who served at the ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran rehabilitation village include:
Dr. Avi Friedman, doctor of physical therapy, who came from New Jersey to work with soldiers and patients at ADI Negev. โWe are all brothers and sisters and I just wanted to come here to help and do whatever I can . . . I wish there were more people like me that were coming here and helping any way they can.โ
Rachel Jonas of New York has worked at the Montefiore Medical Center for the past 16 years. While volunteering at ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran, Rachel was duly impressed by the flexibility and creativity of village staff. โThe therapists here are fantastic. They just create from scratch. โOh, I need this? Iโll just put this and this together,โ and they create amazing things. We treated all different types of people from every different type of environment. We were able to work with patients in Hebrew, in English, in Arabic . . . it has been so special just being here.โ
Esther (Esti) Taragin, grandchild of a Holocaust survivor and physiotherapist at Sinai Hospital for over 20 years, chose to show her support of Israel by spending two weeks working at ADI Negev. โI was ready to come. I felt that I could help ease whatโs going on here and give people some level of support . . . Israelis continue to live their lives to the best of their ability. They stay positive even though they are feeling devastation. The duality is very striking here.โ
The Emergency Volunteer Project is a disaster relief and rescue organization whose primary mission is to deploy volunteer teams to Israel in times of crisis. Health and health-related fields professionals interested in volunteering at ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran and the Kaylie Rehabilitation Medical Center through EVP can contact the organization through their web site at https://www.evp.org.il/contact.cgi
