Emek Medical Center in Afula brings "art to the place where it is most needed."
By MICHAEL OMER-MANEmek Medical Center 521(photo credit: Courtesy)NORTHFollowing research showing that art has a positive effect on patients’ recovery, the Emek Medical Center in Afula, in collaboration with the Basis School of Art and Sculpture, installed a sculpture garden outside the hospital this week. Five statues have been placed in the new garden, with 10 more slated to be installed in the coming year.Said Emek Medical Center director Dr. Orna Blondheim: “I wanted to bring art to the place where I thought it was most needed. To bring inspiration and the beauty of art to the hospital, where there’s quite a bit of sadness, sickness, distress and sorrow.”Chairman of the sculpture project Doris Arkin said, “Aside from the importance of putting artworks on display in far-flung communities, we are utilizing art to help patients and medical staff in the struggle for recovery. Basis School students are learning to deal with sculpture in a unique setting,” and “learning about their ability as artists to advance the society they live in.”Not gas, but pepper sprayEleven people were lightly injured last week when what appeared to be gas started leaking on the 10th floor of the Caesar Hotel in Tiberias, police said. They complained of a burning sensation in their throats and said they had difficulty breathing. They were taken to the city’s Poriya Medical Center. Some 500 guests were evacuated from the hotel to allow authorities to investigate the “gas leak.”A day later, a Border Police officer admitted to releasing pepper spray in the hotel. The Police Internal Affairs Division said the man had been allowed to return home, and that the matter would be dealt with in the coming weeks.River to undergo large cleanupA NIS 220 million plan to clean up the Kishon River and turn it into a park and recreation center was approved this week. The plan will be jointly funded by the government, companies responsible for polluting the river the last number of years, and the local authorities.“The goal of the plan,” a statement said, “is to improve quality of life in the Haifa Bay area and turn it into the green lung of Israel's northern metropolitan area.” The plan, expected to take three years, involves cleaning the polluted soil bed of the river and clearing out sludge pools that have long collected dangerous amounts of pollution.ATV overturns, driver evacuated by airA man in his late twenties was in moderate to serious condition after the all-terrain vehicle he was driving overturned near Moshav Beit Hillel on Saturday evening.Magen David Adom paramedics who arrived on the scene treated him before transporting him via helicopter to hospital.Man killed by celebratory gunfire A man in his early twenties was shot and killed on Friday night at his brother’s wedding in Majd al-Krum.According to the preliminary police report, the man was hit by a stray bullet fired in celebration by one of the wedding guests.CENTERElderly man attacked over loud musicA 75-year-old was badly beaten early Sunday morning after asking his neighbors to turn down their music, Army Radio reported. A group of men allegedly attacked the elderly man outside his home in Rishon Lezion, holding him by his hands and feet and bashing him in the head with a frying pan.The man, who suffered moderate injuries, was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. Two suspects arrested in the incident were expected to be brought to court for an extension of their remand.Separate car accidents kill threeTwo separate car accidents claimed the lives of three people over the weekend, among them the nephew of Kadima MK Ya’acov Edri and a 10-year-old boy.The 10-year-old was hit by a car while crossing the Coastal Highway near Poleg on Friday and taken by Magen David Adom paramedics to Laniado Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.Earlier Friday, a separate car accident on Route 4, near Binyamina, resulted in the deaths of two others. The accident, a head-on collision, occurred between two private vehicles. Police said one of the cars involved in the accident failed to stop at the traffic light.Rand Beniaminov, 22, from Or Akiva, and Eliahu Edri, 18, were killed in the accident. Edri, an IDF soldier, was in serious condition when he was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.In yet another weekend accident involving a child, a 10-year-old girl was struck Sunday evening by a passing car while crossing Rehov Paldei Yehiel in Rehovot.Paramedics evacuated the girl to Kaplan Medical Center in serious condition.Tel Aviv beaches reopenFollowing damage sustained in a storm late last year, Tel Aviv’s separate Nordau Beach for Orthodox patrons reopened this week after extensive repairs and improvements.The beach, which sustained the heaviest damage of any local beach, enjoys a new lifeguard tower and privacy wall. The improvement work began in April of this year and concluded early this month.Two migrants stabbed in south TAAn Eritrean man was found stabbed in the head Saturday night on Rehov Hagalil in south Tel Aviv. He was evacuated by a Magen David Adom crew in serious condition to the city’s Ichilov Medical Center. Later Saturday, a Sudanese man was found stabbed by MDA crews and taken to the hospital.SOUTHMuseum opens up, free of chargeIn a special summer initiative, the Ashdod Monart Museum of Art is opening its doors free of charge to the public. During the months of July and August, the Ashdod Municipality is promoting the museum’s new permanent exhibition, “The World of the Philistines,” a display of clothing, musical instruments, ritual tools, coffins and various rotating exhibits.Brothers convicted in family killingTwo brothers and their cousin from Rahat were convicted on Sunday of kidnapping and murdering Friel Khamaisa, a member of their family. According to the indictment, brothers Jiad Khamaisa, 22, Salman Khamaisa, 34, and their cousin Omar Khamaisa, 24, kidnapped Friel from an Ashkelon apartment after she had left her parents’ home.The three allegedly beat her, stuffed her into the trunk of their car and transported her to a field near Kibbutz Mishmar Ha’emek where Jiad stabbed her to death. The three then proceeded to bury her body.In another weekend incident in Rahat, a man driving in reverse ran over and killed his one-year-old son. Family members brought the baby to a local health clinic, where they told medical staff that the child had been hit by a car. Police arrested the father and brought him for interrogation.BGU renews research with South African universityBen-Gurion University announced on Friday that a research agreement with the University of Johannesburg had been reinstated after the latter’s previous decision to sever ties with BGU over what it called its support of the Israeli military.According to a BGU press release, the universities signed a contract to continue their collaborative research on water purification and the conversion of algae into energy. “This agreement embodies the principle of academic freedom,” the press release said.‘Guardians’ clean up Eilat watersA group calling themselves Guardians of the Bay completed a large cleanup project in Eilat this week, removing tons of waste near the Tor-Yam dock, which had become an unofficial waste dump for boat owners in recent years.Among the debris pulled out of the water by participating divers were dozens of tires, metal boat engine parts, and more. Director of Guardians of the Bay Murray Chen said of the activity, “The is the first dive by divers at the site.” Due to the massive amount of waste discovered at the site, the group would return again next month, Chen added.Following their altruistic action, the Eilat Municipality and the Tourism Ministry greeted the divers on shore with cold drinks and sandwiches donated by the local Aroma coffee shop.
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