A nation in healing

Despite this, Soldier A spoke with striking optimism. He hopes to finish rehabilitation and attend medical school so he can one day save lives himself. Delegates gave him a standing ovation — many moved to tears — after he shared a moment that defined his recovery.

A few months after his amputations, and before receiving prosthetics, he learned to walk on his residual limbs so he could stand under the chuppah beside his brother and new sister-in-law, reciting one of the Sheva Brachot on their wedding day. “I’m the same person in my heart and my head, and that makes me lucky,” he told the group. “I’m grateful to be alive.”

The delegation’s visits to Sheba Medical Center and Soroka Medical Center shaped much of the trip’s perspective. At both hospitals, teams described the urgency of treating mass casualties, the coordination required between trauma units, and the emotional toll of working through back-to-back emergencies while operating at world-class standards.

Andrew M. Hutter, MD, Israel Bonds National and International Chairman of the Board of Directors, noted the balance he saw across the institutions: “In Sheba and Soroka, we saw resilience in action — professionals who meet crisis with skill, empathy, and unwavering resolve, even as they carry the personal toll of treating soldiers and civilians under extraordinary pressure. Their stories reflect the inner strength and sense of duty that define Israel’s backbone, and they show why the mission of Israel Bonds matters: we are investing in a nation whose strength lies not only in its capabilities, but in its enduring commitment to care for others.”

Since the attack, Israel Bonds has raised over $5.7 billion globally — an unprecedented wave of support building on more than $55 billion generated worldwide since the organization’s founding over 70 years ago.

Delegates observed how medical staff shifted between routine care and crisis response, and how years of preparedness allowed hospitals to function at high capacity even under extreme conditions. The standout impressions were not only the technology and scale, but the calm precision of the teams who carry the responsibility for treating some of the nation’s most complex cases.

One of the most sobering components of the trip was visiting communities directly affected by the attacks. Dr. Zev Shulkin, Israel Bonds National Medical Division Co-Chair, who joined the trip, said:  “Witnessing firsthand the bravery and determination of those impacted by October 7 reinforces why Israel Bonds is such a meaningful investment. It enables us to stand with Israel’s communities and institutions as they continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience and rebuild.” Delegates left with a renewed understanding of what resilience truly looks like: not the absence of pain, but the persistent choice to rise above it.

A visit to Leket Israel, the country’s leading food-rescue organization, offered another lens into national solidarity. In an open-air packing center, surrounded by crates of fresh produce, the group worked side-by-side with local volunteers preparing boxes for soldiers and evacuees. What could have been a simple service activity revealed the scale of civilian mobilization that has taken place.

Those efforts continued in Beit Halochem, where disabled veterans undergo rehabilitation and adapt to new modes of living. Delegates met athletes training for new milestones, young veterans mastering advanced prosthetics, and families whose lives have been transformed by therapy, camaraderie, and unwavering support.

Dr. Steven Warren, Israel Bonds National Medical Division Co-Chair and delegation attendee, reflected: “Working alongside volunteers at Leket and meeting the veterans at Beit Halochem reminded us that Israel’s strength lives in its people and in the way they lift one another up. This is exactly what Israel Bonds stands behind. We invest in a nation where compassion is not an ideal, but a daily practice.”

Beyond hospitals and rehabilitation centers, the delegation witnessed the intellectual prowess powering Israel’s medical future. Visits to the Dina Recanati School of Medicine at Reichman University and the Gray School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University offered firsthand insight into how Israel cultivates the physicians and researchers of tomorrow.

Delegates noted the optimism among students‚ many of whom are training for their careers shaped by the tragedy of October 7.

With a focus on adaptability, ethical leadership, and interdisciplinary thinking, faculty members discussed new partnerships, global medical collaborations, and the evolving role of Israeli research in shaping global health outcomes. The academic energy was unmistakably ambitious, diverse, and intensely forward-looking.

While the trip may have lasted only a few days, the impressions it created will stay with delegates long after their plane lands. More than anything, the journey revealed something that defines Israel at its core: resilience is not just a response to adversity. It is a way of life.

Dr. Karen Saland, Israel Bonds investor and delegation attendee, reflected: “As a new investor with Israel Bonds, this delegation opened my eyes to the depth of Israel’s resilience and the people who embody it every day. Seeing the impact up close made my connection to Israel Bonds feel incredibly meaningful and reaffirmed why I chose to invest.”