The Remarkable Israelis
I thought this week would be a good time to focus on something a bit more positive. We will always have war to talk about. But even in the midst of some chaos, Israel is doing remarkable things elsewhere. Such as technology in the medical field.
In 2017, I visited Israel, in order to see if anything could be done for my damaged eye. I was told no, but that they were doing things for their soldiers that might be available to me in a few years. At my age, I don’t know if I want to have even a sliver of Bionic Man technology, but the overall experience was incredible.
I had a private tour of the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv. The Israelis were developing more than cutting-edge innovations. From research to help passengers afraid of flying, to medical advances keeping wounded soldiers alive against astonishing odds, it was all mind-blowing.
(A garden on the campus, dedicated to the wife of Ariel Sharon, was especially moving, as was passing Palestinian children in hallways and elevators, their brown eyes looking up at me; they were in for life-saving procedures. Then in the evenings at my beautiful hotel, I had dinner on the patio, joined by new friend, a stray cat. Israel is not like any other country.)
One afternoon, I was shown a wing of the hospital that serves severely wounded soldiers. I could get fairly close and I watched a mother enter her son’s room. He had been wounded in the fighting in Gaza in 2014 and I read between the lines to know that his brain injury was severe. I was told that his injuries were so bad, not even the Israelis could help him. However, a Mother’s love. She stayed in the doctors’ faces and advocated for her son. His prognosis was still not great, but he became a priority and I pray that family had some peace and even joy in life during that ordeal. It was incredible seeing the resiliency of this people.
So it is that I saw an article this week in the Jerusalem Post, about a breakthrough for paralyzed patients. It seems that a soldier wounded in Gaza was thought to be a quadriplegic, yet a new “exoskeleton” is helping “D” walk again!
“That robot is the Atalante X, a state-of-the-art exoskeleton developed by French-American company Wandercraft. Sheba is one of the few hospitals in the world using this innovative device, which allows patients with spinal injuries, paralysis, or limb amputations to stand and walk—no wheelchair, no crutches, no external support.”
Hanania Sharon, head of physiotherapy at Sheba, mentioned the key to the whole thing: “That means pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”
That’s it. Israel, in every way, pushes the boundaries of what is possible. The contrast between them and their Arab enemies is so stark—and so disgustingly infuriating—that one struggles to understand how the two peoples can inhabit the same planet, much less the same region. The Arab commitment to death and case infuriates me. The Israeli responses inspire me.
D, the wounded soldier in question, also views this technology and this gift as a push into the future. He said he is looking forward to getting a job, walking, driving. Pushing the boundaries.
I literally thank God I have had the privilege to visit Israel many times, and live in the era in which the Jewish state is thriving against all odds.
(We have a few slots left for our Fall Israel tour; message me if interested.)
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