Teen injured in J’lem bus attack regains consciousness in Hadassah trauma unit

“The Hadassah teams do holy work for Jerusalemites and Israelis in general, and now we have been given the opportunity to be a partner for this work.”

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Updated: MAY 3, 2016 03:31
Doctors oversee patient (photo credit: DANI MACHLIS/BGU)
Doctors oversee patient
(photo credit: DANI MACHLIS/BGU)
Two intensive-care trauma rooms at Hadassah-University Medical Center at Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem were dedicated on Monday, the product of a $600,000 gift by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, whose founder and president, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, was in attendance.
Eckstein visited one of the survivors of last month’s terrorist attack on a No. 12 bus in Jerusalem, 16-year-old Eden Levi, who had been put under anesthesia and attached to a respirator at the unit after the attack. She is now fully conscious and able to communicate with her family.
“The Hadassah teams do holy work for Jerusalemites and Israelis in general, and now we have been given the opportunity to be a partner for this work,” Eckstein said.
The hospital has a number of intensive care units, including for neurosurgery, cardiology, pediatrics and a general unit that recently moved to its new quarters in the Davidson Tower that includes 16 treatment rooms, including those that specialize in dealing with physical trauma.
Hadassah Medical Organization director-general Prof.Zeev Rotstein said that “Eckstein and his family get stronger from such a moving and special tribute.” He thanked the US-born rabbi for his help not only to Hadassah, but to many other institutions and individuals in Israel and abroad. Also present was Prof.Vernon van Heerden, head of the critical care medicine unit.
The IFCJ’s donation was used to buy monitors, respirators, lifesaving carts, pain-relief injectors handled by the patients themselves and other equipment. The IFCJ is already considering donations of more money to Hadassah for lifesaving projects.
Eckstein said his “deep ties with Hadassah began with his friendship with Prof. Avi Rivkind – head of the department of general surgery and the trauma unit – many years ago. “We all need you. Don’t stop even for a moment your activity and