Baptist pledges life insurance pay to Kaplan hospital

A 66-year-old Protestant from Midland, Texas, who is voluntarily renovating the pediatric pavilion at Rehovot’s Kaplan Medical Center, surprised management on Monday with yet another gift.

Claude Jewett pledged that upon his passing, his life insurance money would be used to purchase advanced medical equipment for the hospital.

Jewett, a father of seven who recently retired from years as a US Air Force mechanic, is in the country for three weeks as part of the Friends of Israel organization together with 30 other Christian volunteers from the United States and Australia.

The Baptist, who raises money for Israel among members of his Bellevue Baptist Church, is now on his second visit to the country to work at the hospital and meet the children in the pediatrics ward. Jewett said all his children were pleased with his decision to donate posthumously to the hospital.

Prof. Etti Granot, head of Kaplan’s pediatrics division, said Jewett’s was a noble act, and he wished him good health and a long life.

Hospital director Prof. Ya’acov Yahav said the Christians’ voluntary work at the hospital warmed the heart of his medical team.

“There is no doubt that you serve as a personal example for the staffers and the patients at the hospital,” he said.