The annual meeting of the Shaare Zedek International Board of Governors took on an additional element of drama with the second day of the meetings taking place in the Medical Center’s underground hospital. The underground facility, measuring at over 15,000 square feet in space was constructed as part of the original medical center design to prepare the hospital for all types of attack, both conventional and non. The opening day of the meetings were no less significant as they were held in the very soon to be opened Wohl Surgical Operating Complex. The Governors were treated to an exclusive “first look” at the Complex and received an in-depth briefing regarding the many advantages that the new facility will provide.

The meeting also served to dedicate the Matloff Emergency Disaster Preparedness Center, a comprehensive program intended to equip Shaare Zedek with the maximum level of properness in the face of all types of threats. “This Center will combine both a physical facility with an educational and academic program,” said Professor Jonathan Halevy, Director General of Shaare Zedek.

The hospital’s experience with disaster preparedness emerges from Shaare Zedek’s unfortunate strong familiarity responding to mass casualty incidents, particularly at the height of the intifada. During that time, the hospital treated more casualties from terror attacks than any of the other Jerusalem area medical facilities.

The session was addressed by Israel’s Deputy Minister of Health Jacob Litzman who Professor Halevy credited as a unique minister “who places the needs of the community before politics.” The Deputy Minister’s remarks concentrated on the unique role that Shaare Zedek plays in the country’s health care infrastructure and pledged to do his utmost to promote the hospital’s forward development. He observed that Shaare Zedek had become Jerusalem’s largest hospital and concluded his remarks saying that he thought it would one day become among the nation’s largest.

The meeting continued with a program entitled the Matloff Mass Casualty Events Emergency Preparedness Symposium. Dr. Ofer Merin, Deputy Director General at Shaare Zedek who directs the hospital’s trauma and emergency preparedness protocols, presented a comprehensive lecture on how the hospital is uniquely prepared to respond in the event of a mass casualty event. 

In a very unlikely but fortuitous coincidence, the Symposium was interrupted by a nationwide drill of the Homefront Command’s emergency preparedness system. Members of the Board were treated to a glimpse of how Israel is forced to remain on a constant state of alert for all types of attacks. At exactly 11:00 as sirens sounded across Israel, in Shaare Zedek staff members trained where to evacuate themselves and patients in the event of a real attack.

Later in the day, members of the Board of Governors were treated to a VIP tour of the Knesset, hosted by MK and member of the Shaare Zedek Board of Directors Dudu Rotem alongside Minister of Finance Yaakov Neeman. The Acting Speaker of the Knesset Uri Maklev even paused the proceedings on the floor of the Knesset to salute the Board’s presence saying, “We welcome the Board of Governors of Shaare Zedek with blessing and appreciation and thank them for coming.”

The annual meeting of the Board is dedicated to a comprehensive review of the hospital’s development projects and intense discussions by Board members to discover innovative means for fundraising and supporting Shaare Zedek’s activities. Among the many resolutions approved at the meeting were numerous decisions that will help Shaare Zedek even further advance its provision of high-level care on behalf of the people of Jerusalem and Israel.

The annual meeting of the Shaare Zedek International Board of Governors took on an additional element of drama with the second day of the meetings taking place in the Medical Center’s underground hospital. The underground facility, measuring at over 15,000 square feet in space was constructed as part of the original medical center design to prepare the hospital for all types of attack, both conventional and non. The opening day of the meetings were no less significant as they were held in the very soon to be opened Wohl Surgical Operating Complex. The Governors were treated to an exclusive “first look” at the Complex and received an in-depth briefing regarding the many advantages that the new facility will provide.

The meeting also served to dedicate the Matloff Emergency Disaster Preparedness Center, a comprehensive program intended to equip Shaare Zedek with the maximum level of properness in the face of all types of threats. “This Center will combine both a physical facility with an educational and academic program,” said Professor Jonathan Halevy, Director General of Shaare Zedek.

The hospital’s experience with disaster preparedness emerges from Shaare Zedek’s unfortunate strong familiarity responding to mass casualty incidents, particularly at the height of the intifada. During that time, the hospital treated more casualties from terror attacks than any of the other Jerusalem area medical facilities.

The session was addressed by Israel’s Deputy Minister of Health Jacob Litzman who Professor Halevy credited as a unique minister “who places the needs of the community before politics.” The Deputy Minister’s remarks concentrated on the unique role that Shaare Zedek plays in the country’s health care infrastructure and pledged to do his utmost to promote the hospital’s forward development. He observed that Shaare Zedek had become Jerusalem’s largest hospital and concluded his remarks saying that he thought it would one day become among the nation’s largest.

The meeting continued with a program entitled the Matloff Mass Casualty Events Emergency Preparedness Symposium. Dr. Ofer Merin, Deputy Director General at Shaare Zedek who directs the hospital’s trauma and emergency preparedness protocols, presented a comprehensive lecture on how the hospital is uniquely prepared to respond in the event of a mass casualty event. 

In a very unlikely but fortuitous coincidence, the Symposium was interrupted by a nationwide drill of the Homefront Command’s emergency preparedness system. Members of the Board were treated to a glimpse of how Israel is forced to remain on a constant state of alert for all types of attacks. At exactly 11:00 as sirens sounded across Israel, in Shaare Zedek staff members trained where to evacuate themselves and patients in the event of a real attack.

Later in the day, members of the Board of Governors were treated to a VIP tour of the Knesset, hosted by MK and member of the Shaare Zedek Board of Directors Dudu Rotem alongside Minister of Finance Yaakov Neeman. The Acting Speaker of the Knesset Uri Maklev even paused the proceedings on the floor of the Knesset to salute the Board’s presence saying, “We welcome the Board of Governors of Shaare Zedek with blessing and appreciation and thank them for coming.”

The annual meeting of the Board is dedicated to a comprehensive review of the hospital’s development projects and intense discussions by Board members to discover innovative means for fundraising and supporting Shaare Zedek’s activities. Among the many resolutions approved at the meeting were numerous decisions that will help Shaare Zedek even further advance its provision of high-level care on behalf of the people of Jerusalem and Israel.