Israel Bonds Dinner Explores Healthcare After Oct. 7

Bradley Young, executive director of the Southeast Division of Israel Bonds, ushered in the first Medical Division event at Congregation Or Hadash on Thursday, Dec. 6. More than 80 physicians of various specialties gathered to hear Dr. Arnon Afek, Director General of Sheba Hospital, and Israel’s Consul General to the Southeast, Anat Sultan- Dadon.

Young welcomed the group by reinforcing that buying bonds is not a donation, but a fixed income instrument with safety and security. He noted that since Oct. 7, 2023, more than $4 billion has been committed worldwide. Or Hadash Rabbi Lauren Henderson gave a dvar torah and noted that her parents are both doctors; referring to the meeting’s topic, she posed, “Who will heal the healers?”

Drs. Amira Beeber, Michael Babrov, and Bruce Beeber introduced Sultan-Dadon by sharing that Atlanta’s Jewish population at 135,000 makes ranks as the ninth largest in the U.S. and just under one percent of world Jewry. The Babrovs noted that after the birth of their child, they plan to make Aliyah in the Nfesh B’ Nfresh program.

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Ambassador Sultan-Dadon began by noting that it was the 426th day (from Oct. 7) where “we were forever changed … leaving leaders standing on the wrong side of history from cowardice and misinformation.” She insisted that Israel does not seek war. “We don’t want to conquer Lebanon or Gaza. We want to live in peace … Iran is the root cause seeking destabilization … we have two choices: fight or be slaughtered.” She concluded, “We have 3,000 years of history — a long and brilliant future awaits.”

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Stuart Garawitz, Dr. Steve Wertheim, and Chuck Berk chat prior to the program.

Israel Bonds VP of national dales, shared a touching piece of history where Golda Maier and Ben Gurion came to Madison Square Garden 75 years ago seeking $250,000, and left with $25 million. Former Wall Street executive Garawitz mentioned recent negative events like a real estate bonds meeting where 100 protestors rallied outside. In another instance, funded by Iran and Qatar, Islamists threw red paint at Jewish homes at 3 a.m. to try to deter the sale of Israel Bonds. He ended by praising Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp who “stands up” by buying bonds “turning divest into invest.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Afek stated that Sheeba is the largest hospital in Israel with 2,000 beds, 1,700 physicians, 11,000 employees, and staff of 2,000. “During the war, we got the most severely wounded because of our highly skilled staff.

Seventy percent of soldiers came to us. We were at triple capacity working night and day … and we performed perfectly … taking 69 minutes to get the wounded from the battlefield to a trauma center.”

He shared scenes of medical heroism where a wounded soldier’s leg prohibited him from flying, so they sent an ambulance. Another with an infection stayed in the ICU for 144 days, while they brought in specialists from all over the world and still lost him. Afek the quoted Charles Dickens, “’These are the best of times and the worst of times.’ Iran’s spearheading missiles was a failure, and they know it … we are strong, and the pendulum will reach the right balance again.”

Dr. Marc Greenstein, Dr. Pip Spandorfer, Dr. Julie Zweig, and Dr. Rachel Friedberg represented a full range of specialties.

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He related a horrific incident where an Israeli driving a Tesla was able to escape because the terrorists shot at the front thinking there was an engine. He noted, “Craziness like Libyans being on the Human Rights Commission, and Syria, who knows who’s what there? So, we aren’t so nice, we have to be crazy … only Bitcoin is stronger.”

Open for questions, one doctor asked Afek if Israel was happy about Trump’s victory. He answered, “Yes, we feel he will be more supportive. Without his past action in Golan, where would we be? We may have to pay a certain price for it though. We cannot survive without American Jews.”

Guest speaker Dr. Arnon Afek provided reality and hope and noted that Sheeba Hospital is the largest in Isreal with 11,000 employees.

Dr. Steve Wertheim, president of Or Hadash, closed the program sharing that he first bought bonds in 1969, and continues investing for his grandchildren. He evoked 1991 when Israel was left hanging by President Bush, which could have been an economic disaster, before American Jews intervened. He also spoke of his recent trip to Israel with diminished tourism. “Jaffa was even empty. The stores were happy to see us.”

Jacqueline Miron, Bonds representative, left later in the week for an Israel Bonds staff delegation to Israel to visit the Nova Festival Memorial, Kibbutz Kfar Aza, an Iron Dome military base, then volunteering at Leket Food Bank. She told the AJT, “This trip is meaningful as we will witness why it’s so important to continue to raise funds for Israel.”

Israel Bonds has generated more than $53 billion in worldwide investments, according to Israelbonds.com. Currently, a five-year eMazel Tov Bond offers an interest rate of 5.84 percent (valid through Dec. 31, 2024).