How do you save a life when seconds matter and rockets are falling?

That’s the question Israel’s medical professionals have been answering every day since October 7. In field hospitals, trauma bays, and combat zones, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical Corps is delivering trauma care under extreme conditions—stabilizing the wounded, treating mass casualties, and innovating in real time.

They’re not just responding to crisis—they’re reshaping what’s possible in battlefield medicine.

Today, the fatality rate for injured Israeli soldiers stands at around 7%—a dramatic drop from past conflicts. That kind of breakthrough doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strategy, speed, and relentless training. It takes care.

Behind the Breakthroughs: A Nationwide Effort

This life-saving work doesn’t stop on the battlefield. Across Israel, hospitals and trauma centers are stepping up in extraordinary ways:

• At Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, clinicians are pioneering cutting-edge rehabilitation—helping injured civilians and soldiers regain both function and hope.
• At Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva, preparedness proved critical. Even as the hospital sustained damage from rocket fire, its teams saved lives when seconds counted most.
• In Sderot, the International Resilience Institute is helping survivors navigate the psychological toll of ongoing trauma with holistic, community-rooted care.
• At Magen David Adom’s underground blood center in Ramla, Israel’s emergency medical services are safeguarding the national blood supply and enabling rapid response—even under threat.
  These aren’t just facilities. They’re lifelines.

Our Community’s Impact

Through The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Israel Crisis Response grants, we’re helping fund this network of healing: trauma recovery, emergency preparedness, and medical innovation that directly supports Israelis facing physical and emotional wounds.

We don’t do this alone. We do it through trusted partners on the ground—and with the strength of our community behind us.

A Conversation That Brings It Home

Now, we’re bringing that story home.

Thanks to the initiative of the American Physicians Fellowship for Medicine in Israel (APF)—and in partnership with Kol Shalom—we’re honored to host Healing on the Frontlines on Wednesday, August 6, 2025: a rare and timely conversation with Brigadier General Dr. Zivon Aviad Beer, Surgeon General of the IDF Medical Corps. Dr. Beer will share firsthand insights into delivering trauma care on and off the battlefield.

Joining him will be Amir Goldshtein, Executive Director of APF, whose organization connects North American medical professionals to Israel’s healthcare system and invests in its long-term resilience.

Also in attendance will be LTC Dr. Roy Nadler, Director of the IDF’s Trauma and Combat Medical Branch, who will be available for conversations before and after the program.

Why It Matters Now

This is a chance to hear what it takes to care for others in the most extreme conditions—and how our collective support helps make that care possible.

This work is far from over. But thanks to the strength of our partners and the generosity of our community, we’re helping Israelis heal, adapt, and move forward. One act of care at a time.