Join a private tour of Jerusalem facility
Taking place on January 8 and 15, special visitors will have the chance to get a behind-the-scenes view of the new facility.
For members of the local community who are planning to be in Israel in January 2025, Hadassah Australia is hosting exclusive guided tours of their state-of-the-art Gandel Rehabilitation Centre at Mount Scopus in Jerusalem.
Taking place on January 8 and 15, special visitors will have the chance to get a behind-the-scenes view of the new facility.
John Gandel, in a speech at a Hadassah event in London last week said the family’s involvement was driven by “the statistics, that spoke for themselves, and the most stark one was before this facility, the whole of city of Jerusalem had 38 rehabilitation beds … for a city of over a million people”.
He said he felt that Hadassah was the best medical facility to partner with because they “ticked all the boxes”.
“They are an innovative and compassionate leader in medical care, treatment and research; a world-class university-linked medical institution; have a talented, professional, qualified and caring staff; and importantly, that staff is comprised of people of all faiths and nationalities, serving all populations in Jerusalem and across Israel, living and breathing every single day their stated mission to bring hope and healing to the world, and extend a hand to all, without regard for race, religion or ethnic origin.”
Construction took approximately three years due to an extensive design to withstand attacks from bombing, rockets and gas.
The underground floors, designated for parking, can be converted into hospital space if needed.
Hadassah Australia president Ron Finkel said, “It is an amazing, state-of-the-art rehabilitation centre.
“It caters for the needs of amputees, seriously wounded and the those that have been psychologically damaged during the war.”
It is the leading facility of its kind in Israel offering a number of innovations to assist in the rehabilitation process to get the wounded fit for release to home and then back into society.
“There is a model supermarket there, so patients get used to moving around aisles and taking things off shelves, plus a bathroom that you have to navigate, and there is also a baby’s changing table for practice,” Finkel said.
There is a motor vehicle that is used to train eye and hand coordination and all motor skills needed for driving.
“People probably aren’t aware of the complexities and the challenges, and the opportunities to really rebuild lives,” Finkel said.
“This is what the Gandel Centre is designed to do.”
Guests taking part in the tour will meet the dedicated medical teams and engage with a wounded patient to hear their story of resilience and recovery.
Spaces are limited, please register at bit.ly/HadassahTour
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