Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday praised the country’s medical institutions for their resilience throughout two years of multi-front war.
Speaking at an event in New York hosted by the American Friends of Shamir Medical Center, he said, “If you really want to know what Israel is all about, go and see the incredible medical institutions. You truly see Israel’s resilience when you walk through those corridors.”
The Israeli president then noted why it was important to make this point in New York City.
“We have only one nation-state—that is the story of Zionism. To be here in a city where the mayor-elect has declared that Jews have no right to their nation-state is precisely why I wanted to make this point and be here,” he said.
Herzog called for greater connection between American Jewry and Shamir Medical Center, praising its role since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion of Israel and throughout the ensuing conflict, under the leadership of Director General Osnat Levtzion-Korach.
“Shamir Medical Center was not traditionally on the radar of American Jewry. It sits on the outskirts of the country’s center, toward the south, and today treats well over a million people. It is a vast campus, and under Osnat’s leadership it has become a true gem with an extraordinary staff,” said Herzog. “We were deeply impressed. It’s a place American Jewry should know and feel connected to.”
The president, who visited the hospital on Oct. 8, 2023, recalled the chaos of that day and the staff’s extraordinary composure.
“It gave us light during a time of darkness. We all remember Oct. 8—there was total havoc in the country—but under the leadership of Osnat, a truly outstanding, exceptional and quintessentially Israeli leader, ambulances were arriving every second with wounded people, and she led the place like an army general,” said Herzog.
Introducing Herzog at the event, Levtzion-Korach spoke about his visits during moments of national crisis.
“On Oct. 8, just one day after the war began, the president and the first lady came to our hospital to stand with our teams and our patients, and we walked together among the wounded,” she said. “And later, during the Iranian missile attack, when hundreds of missiles were launched toward Israel, the president and the first lady still came to visit our underground emergency hospital, where we had transferred 400 patients, arriving despite the real danger.”
“Their presence, their words, and their genuine care deeply moved our staff. The president and the first lady, Michal Herzog, are truly leaders of the people,” she continued.
The evening also offered an intimate look into the challenges Israel’s medical system has faced throughout two years of continuous conflict—and the determination that has carried it through.
Among the honorees was Sgt. Maj. Reuven Ben Parash, from a police special forces unit, who ran toward terrorists on Oct. 7 wearing only flip-flops and carrying a handgun. Shot six times while battling a dozen terrorists, he still managed to drive several kilometers under fire while bleeding heavily. Though doctors initially recommended amputation, Shamir’s Limb Reconstruction Unit rebuilt his shattered leg “millimeter by millimeter.” Today, he is walking again—steps that few thought possible—on the journey to becoming a father able to stand on his own legs to hold his child.
The event drew prominent figures from across the Jewish and philanthropic world, including representatives from Israel Bonds, the World Jewish Congress, the Helmsley Foundation and the Jewish Federations of North America.
