A year after a direct strike by an Iranian missile shut down extensive parts of the hospital, Bank of Jerusalem announced a donation of hundreds of thousands of shekels to assist in establishing a new rehabilitation center at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, which will include the southern region's first pediatric inpatient rehabilitation service.
The rehabilitation department had been operating in the northern surgical inpatient building, which sustained a direct hit during the Iranian missile attack in June of last year. Following the strike, the building was taken out of service, alongside inpatient wards, laboratories, and additional medical services. In addition, two adjacent buildings were evacuated due to the force of the blast wave, and parts of them remain unfit for activity.
Hospital officials noted that the donation will help advance the establishment of the new rehabilitation center, which is designed to quickly restore rehabilitation services to residents of the South and significantly expand them.
Bank of Jerusalem CEO Yair Kaplan visited Soroka and met with the hospital's director, Prof. Shlomi Kodesh, to gain an impression of the rehabilitation efforts and the activities to restore the damaged services. Yair Kaplan, CEO of Bank of Jerusalem, said: "The healthcare system in the Negev is a national asset, and in these times its importance is greater than ever. After the extent of the damage to the hospital became clear, along with the urgent need to establish an alternative rehabilitation center, it was clear to us that we had to join the effort. The donation is intended to help ensure the continued provision of care to the residents of the South at the highest medical standard, precisely during this period. We wish a speedy recovery to all the wounded and strengthen the medical teams, who act with extraordinary devotion."
Prof. Shlomi Kodesh, director of Soroka Medical Center, noted that the donation is expected to enable a significant expansion of rehabilitation services in the South, adding: "We thank Bank of Jerusalem for the significant donation, which will help advance the opening of Soroka's new rehabilitation center. The new center will double the scope of inpatient rehabilitation in the South and will also include an inpatient rehabilitation service for children - significant news for residents of the region. Partnerships with leading entities in the economy, especially during this challenging period, are an expression of mutual responsibility and a true commitment to strengthening the healthcare system in the South. I am certain that this is the beginning of an excellent partnership that will contribute greatly to the residents of the Negev and the State of Israel."
It should be noted that the establishment of the new rehabilitation center is part of Soroka's broad rehabilitation efforts following the missile attack, which was considered one of the most severe hits sustained by Israel's healthcare system during the fighting against Iran. At the medical center in the Negev, officials hope that the new center will allow for not only the restoration of damaged services, but also the expansion of the rehabilitation response for residents of the South, who currently require services on an increasing scale, particularly following the terrorist attack of October 7.