There is a severe shortage of rehabilitation services in southern Israel - the healthcare system is stretched far beyond its breaking point, worsening since the start of the October 7 war. 30% of wounded patients and most of the war victims are residents of the south. 14,000 residents were treated in hospitals following Oct 7, with 42% coming with injured limbs, and 35% seeking support with emotional trauma. The system cannot support the hundreds of thousands of children, adolescents and adults who were physically injured and emotionally crushed by horrific traumas that left deep scars.
Medical professionals and residents have warned for years about the concerning shortage of rehabilitation services in southern Israel. Periphery communities have only 11 rehabilitation centres, while central Israel has 43. Currently, wait times for rehabilitation in the south are at least one year, especially evident in mental healthcare, physical rehabilitation, and paediatric rehabilitative care.
What does this mean for Israelis in need? Children with disabilities do not have rehabilitative daycare within manageable commuting distance from home. Paediatric cancer patients do not have routine treatment services in their area. Southern residents, including recovering patients and children, must travel about an hour and a half to Israel’s centre for care.
Your donation will fund
With your support, JNF Canada is dedicated to realizing the Ashdod Rehabilitation & Therapy Centre, that will serve hundreds of patients in this underserved region every month, where they will receive expert medical care close to home, without waiting months or even years.
Wounded victims - The facility will provide long-term rehabilitative services for injured residents and trauma victims through mental, orthopaedic, neurological and physical therapies for amputations, severe burns and damage to core bodily organs, as well as deep psychological distress.
Children with disabilities - This centre will provide multi-service solutions – prevention & early detection, emotional/physical motor/cognitive/academic development, skill-building environment, and nutrition, from top therapeutic and educational professionals for children, all in one place.
Children with cancer - This centre for cancer patients will carry on the highly-awarded cancer support Rachashei Lev provides in other medical centres, including accommodation for families, medical support, and daily programming for children.
The Ashdod Rehabilitation & Therapy Centre will consist of a main rehab clinic, 6 additional rehabilitation rooms, hydrotherapy swimming pool, modern rehab machines and equipment, short-stay facilities for families, daycare and educational spaces, a preschool campus, and will be located less than 1km from the Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital.
About Rachashei Lev
Established in 1989, Rachashei Lev has provided essential support to patients and their families, often where the national healthcare system cannot. Specializing in support for pediatric cancer, Rachashei Lev provides housing & accommodation for families in long-term treatment through 20 apartments at Tel Hashomer (another JNF Canada project) and 22 rooms at the Ichilov Hospital. They support the procurement of rare medications & treatments that are not covered by insurance, and offer year-round programming for families navigating the devastating diagnoses of childhood cancer and other serious illnesses. In 2017, Rachashei Lev was awarded a special permit to operate day rehabilitation programs. In 2019, the organization won the bid to manage Israeli National Service workers in Ashdod.
Location
Ashdod is Israel’s sixth largest city, located roughly 50km north of the Gaza northern border and with almost 250,000 residents. It is home to the largest Moroccan and Karaite Jewish communities in Israel, and the largest Georgian Jewish in the world. In 2017, after years of advocacy from residents, the first general hospital was built in Ashdod. It was also recognized as Israel's first eco-friendly hospital, meeting standards for green construction and operations.
Community Development
Education
Environment
Healthcare
Senior Support
Special Needs
Youth-At-Risk
