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Be a Partner in Supporting the American Friends of Kaplan Medical Center (AFKMC).
Sponsorship rates of $100 - $25,000 enable AFKMC efforts to inform America of Israel's dynamic accomplishments and support life-saving projects at the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot.
AFKMC is proud to have produced Zoom seminars of unique content with a personal connection to major leaders in the Jewish and Israel world:
AFKMC Monthly Zoom Events:
10 - February 25, 2021: “Ethiopian Rescue – Operation Moses” Four “Heroes of Israel,” three Israeli Ethiopian leaders, and a Rabbi who was on 27 rescue missions told their personal stories of the rescue of Ethiopian Jews. Each speaker added a layer of understanding to the story that preceded them, ending with the account of the birth of an Ethiopian baby on the rescue flight.
Featured Speakers:
Shlomo Molla — Former MK and Deputy Speaker of the Knesset
Ariella Rada — Consul for Economic and Community Affairs, Israeli Consulate, Chicago
Kasa Bainesay-Harbor — Deputy Consul General, Israeli Consulate, Miami
Rabbi Seth Frisch — Philadelphia — participated in 27 humanitarian missions to Sudan and Ethiopia.
Link to Zoom Event
9 - January 28, 2021: “UN International Remembrance of the Shoah … Why did it take 60 years?” Israeli Ambassador Ron Leshno-Yaar revealed the background of UN and world acceptance in finally recognizing the Holocaust. The annual observance first held in 2006, 15 years ago, came 60 years after the Shoah. Amb. Leshno-Yaar revealed in public for the first time, that Israel's Disengagement from Gaza laid the groundwork for world acknowledgment of the Holocaust. What happened during the summer of 2005, with breaking news live on TV screens around the world, Israel showed what it was prepared to do for peace, relinquishing land so it would not rule over another people. Ambassador Leshno-Yaar also gave an account of the current world challenges of anti-Semitism, and his ongoing work representing Israel to Europe and the world community.
Link to Zoom Event
8 - December 16, 2020: “Global anti-Semitism, the US-Israel relationship, and the anti-Semitism challenge to young leadership.” with Elan Carr, US State Department's Special Envoy for Combatting Anti-Semitism, and Andy Borans, Executive Director, AEPi Foundation. Also acknowledging the 40th Anniversary of Livnot U'Lehibanot in Zfat, Israel with founders Aharon and Miriam Botzer.
Link to Zoom Event
7 - October, 28, 2020: “Israel, the Vatican, and Jewish-Christian Relations- an insider's view.” A comprehensive presentation on world issues and experiences of Ambassador (Ret.) Zion Evrony, Ph.D, Former Israeli Ambassador to the Vatican, Israel Institute Visiting Professor at the Catholic University of America, AFKMC National Board Leader.
Link to Zoom Event
6 - September 8, 2020: “Rosh Hashanah in a Covid-19 World.” Guest speakers: NY Consul General Israel Nitzan and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik – Executive Vice President, NY Board of Rabbis, and AFKMC National Board leader, with a “Rabbinic Roundtable” of eight other rabbis around the US sharing insights on the Jewish response to Covad19 for the High Holidays.
Link to Zoom Event
5 - August 16, 2020: “Conversations on Comedy” - the Israeli-American Relationship & Jewish Identity … What Seth Rogen does not 'get' - arranged with Young Jewish Leadership Concepts (YJLC). A discussion with top Israeli-American Comedians Benji Lovitt and Avi Liberman, including a discussion of the Seth Rogen controversy. With a surprise guest appearance by Tal Brody, Israel's Goodwill Ambassador.
Link to Zoom Event
4 - July 30, 2020: “Israel's Spies” with Mossad's Col. Avner Avraham, operations officer who curated international exhibits on “Operation Finale” the capture and trial of Adolph Eichmann, and “Operation Yonaton” the Miracle Rescue at Entebbe. And with Shir Peled – a real-life “Fauda” undercover agent in an elite counter-terrorism unit. Four years risking her life to gather intelligence and capture terrorists “behind enemy lines.”
Link to Zoom Event
3 - June 29, 2020: “Israel's Heroes” with Ambassador Ido Aharoni, (former) NY Consul General, Sherwin Pomerantz, US state governments' coordinator in Israel's economic miracle. Plus Christian volunteers to Israel, Jerome Baxley and Adeline Smidt.
Link to Zoom Event
2 - May 14, 2020: “Israel's Heroes” Yom Ha'Atzmaut with Tal Brody, Israel's Goodwill Ambassador, “Officer Netta” of the IDF Elite Unit #669, operations manager for Israeli International Rescue, and Niv Nehemia, hero who fought off the Yavna Supersol stabber in 2017.
1 - April 6, 2020 - AFKMC's First Zoom Event, 2020: “Israel's Response to the Coronavirus” with our partners, Magen David Adom, Hadassah, Ben Gurion University, Rambam Hospital, and the Consulate General of Israel in New York sharing Israeli “Best Practices” to US officials.
Link to Zoom Event
▲ Watch the video (in Hebrew; English transcription coming soon)
► Read The Jerusalem Post article
(Photo courtesy The Jerusalem Post)
AFKMC recognizes Heroes of Israel who highlight the life-saving mission of Kaplan Medical Center, especially in Trauma Response to Terrorism:
Niv Nehemiah is an Israeli hero who fought off a knife-wielding terrorist with his bare hands. The 55-second YouTube video of his heroism made international news in August, 2017.
Niv was declared a hero by President Rivlin and Prime Minister Netanyahu. While Niv saved the lives of Israeli supermarket shoppers, Kaplan Medical Center Emergency Trauma doctors saved his life and continue his treatment.
Niv's wife Sigal is also an Israeli hero. She manages the medical and therapeutic needs of her husband, along with caring for their five children, one with a debilitating illness, all with the warm smile of a caring mother and wife.
Honoring dynamic American women leaders at the forefront of building community and support for Israel.
Due to Covid-19, the March 23rd, 2020, AFKMC “Women of Valor” Awards Gala was postponed.
Please stay tuned for details of the rescheduled Awards event to honor:
Linda Richman, Emeritus Regional Director, American Technion Society and Vered Nohi, Executive Director, Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce.
As we get through this challenging period, we will determine if it will be a “live” event or otherwise, with the safety of our community as the primary concern.
The AFKMC team and leadership appreciate your understanding and engagement.
Be part of AFKMC's mission in enabling Kaplan Medical Center, Israel's biggest hospital…that you never heard of!*
► Located in Rehovot, the center of Israel
► Providing life-saving health services to more than one million Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens
Kaplan is critical…
★ To Israel's strategic defense for mass casualty preparedness
★ For Israel's trauma response (Kaplan is a world leader)
★ For international medical rescue, with Kaplan doctors on-call 24/7 to the nearby Tel Nof IDF air force base
And is a leader in hi-tech innovation in Israeli medicine, with Professor Kobi George, Kaplan's Chief Cardiologist…
★ Leading a team of 30 top Israeli heart doctors, as we build the Largest Hi-Tech Cardiac Center in the Middle East
★ Introducing 3D heart imaging, using the latest hi-tech equipment in the newest cardiac catheterization operating room in Israel
* Only 0.08% of non-Israeli American Jews know about Kaplan Medical Center (KMC) but 99.9% of Israeli-Americans know about KMC — Many of them were born there.
Kaplan Medical Center (KMC), one of Israel's major general hospitals, is a recognized Center of Excellence in major departments including Trauma, ICU, OBGYN and Obstetrics, ENT, Ophthalmology, and Pediatrics.
KMC in Rehovot serves more than one million Israeli citizens (11% of the population). Kaplan is often in the news for life-saving procedures and major advances in medical research.
Our Projects:
We're working hard to build a new state-of-the-art Cardiac Center, to be the largest in the Middle East. We are also building a new Pediatric Oncology Unit at the Beit Ida Children's Medical Center.
Newest Israeli Cardiac Catheterization Operating Room
► Watch amazing 3 minute video describing the background of Kaplan Medical Center and our high-tech cardiac advances.
► To bring lovers of Israel together to do good work
► To enable life-saving hi-tech Medical Miracles at the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot, Israel
► To build up the critical relationship between North America and Israel through creative initiatives, especially in collaboration with other Israel-loving organizations
► To foster the next generation's support for Israel through young leadership development and collaborations with local communities throughout North America
This is an AFKMC project with 17 national US and Israeli organizations (currently) working together to invite young professionals to be “foot soldiers” for the “Heart & Sole” project. We are building the largest Hi-Tech Cardiac Center in the Middle East, in Rehovot, Israel, with the message in America of “Israel Saving Lives with Cutting-Edge Medical Miracles.”
Nationwide Young Professionals
Rosh Hashanah 10-Minute Meetup
September 30, 2019
• At your neighborhood participating synagogues
• 17 US and Israeli organization partners
Help us build a Kids Cancer Care Center in Rehovot, Israel
The American Friends of Kaplan Medical Center has taken on a new challenge, to help build a new Kid's Cancer Care Center in Rehovot.
Children undergoing cancer therapy in the Center of Israel, the Rehovot region, have, up until now, only had a Day Unit that they could go to with their families. For more involved care or for stays requiring overnights in the hospital, they had to travel to other hospitals in Israel to receive this care.
AFKMC is looking for Partners in American leadership to play a significant role in raising the $600,000 needed to create a new comprehensive Pediatric Oncology Unit in the new Ida Kabakoff Pediatric Hospital at KMC.
Please help us make this Cancer Unit a reality for Israeli kids and their families!
This crucial project will create a breakthrough for Israel and the Middle East in finding solutions for heart diseases and heart disease prevention, the main cause of medical fatalities in the western world.
The Center's hospitalization rooms, labs, and clinics will house the most advanced technologies available and will take its position at the forefront of advanced treatment and medical care.
By establishing a cardiac research center, in collaboration with the Hebrew University and the Weizmann Institute, the Cardiac Center will be amongst the most advanced Cardiac Centers in the world.
≫ Read more about the Cardiac Center and how you can support it.
Newest Israeli Cardiac Catheterization Operating Room
Heart Center currently located in barracks from 1953!
“Thank you to the American Friends of Kaplan Medical Center for their generous support of GA 2018 and the Israel Anniversary GA Mission.”
—Jewish Federations of North America
American Friends of Kaplan Medical Center (AFKMC) has been developing a strategic partnership with Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). The partnership has included AFKMC's EXCLUSIVE role as the Sole Sponsor of the October 2018 JFNA 4-day Israel Mission for the GA for “Israel 70!”
Additionally, AFKMC is working directly with JFNA and local Jewish Federations in programming support for local Maimonides Society Chapters. As a part of this effort, we are also collaborating in finding new funding directed through local Jewish Federations to share in supporting the life-saving medical innovation at the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot.
Federation leaders, please contact us for more information, and to partner.
2018 GA in the Cardiac Center Control Room
Newest Israeli Cardiac Catheterization Operating Room
Cardiac Center Ceiling - in Barracks from 1953
✡ Located in the center of Israel, halfway between and just south of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
✡ Affiliated with Hadassah Medical Center and the Hebrew University Medical School
✡ Serves a growing population of more than one million Israeli Arabs and Jews.
✡ As a Community Hospital it provides programs of direct medical and outreach community services to:
— 39% of Israel's Ethiopian community
— Large community of immigrants from the former Soviet Union
— Large Sephardic community
— Large minority population
✡ Among the “Centers of Excellence” and Hi-Tech Medical Care departments include:
— Ilan Ramon Emergency Care and Trauma Center, recognized as a world leading trauma center
— Advanced Cardiology Center with open heart surgery and Catheterization Lab
— Hartzfeld Geriatric Rehabilitation Center
— Ambulatory Surgery
— Breast Health Center
— Ears, Nose, and Throat Center
— Gynecology and Obstetrics
— Hemato-Oncology Center
— Cancer Research and Treatment Center
— Intensive Care Unit
— “Neve Or” AIDS Treatment and Research Center, Israel's premier AIDS clinic
— Nuclear Medicine Department and Isotopes Unit
— Oncology Institute and the Digestive System Tumor Unit
— Ophthalmology Department
— Ida Cabakoff Children's Medical Center - Pulmonary Institute
Help us build the largest high-tech Cardiac Care Center in the Middle East.
Help us build a new Pediatric Oncology Unit at the Beit Ida Children's Medical Center.
At national conferences like the GA, AIPAC, IAC, and while visiting local communities around North America, we find Israelis who tell us, “I was BORN at Kaplan!”
We also hear amazing life-saving stories from Israel visitors and Israelis in America.
If this applies to you, please send us your details — we'd love to hear your personal Kaplan story.