Beit Halochem Canada, Aid to Disabled Veterans of Israel is committed to rehabilitating, rebuilding, and enhancing the lives of over 51,000 Israelis who have become disabled in the line of duty or as victims of terror.
Your support helps our disabled veterans, including Captain Ran Ben Atia, a hero whose life was shattered at age 27.
Ran served as an Operations Officer in the Nahal Brigade during Operation Protective Edge (2014).
While leading his unit into a tunnel, a sniper shot him, almost blowing off his hand. The bullet then penetrated his thigh and hip, lodging itself in the delicate nervous system around his spine in his pelvis. Thanks to the quick evacuation of the Air Force, Ran was rescued.
Following life-saving surgery, Ran was informed that he would need to live forever with the bullet inside his pelvis. However, on further analyzing the x-rays of his wounds, emergency surgery was deemed necessary to remove the bullet. The doctors feared it might explode at any given moment.
It was determined that a single surgeon, dressed in protective gear, would perform the delicate and complex surgery. The operation took place using no electronic equipment to avoid triggering the explosives and the bullet was successfully extracted with a pair of tweezers.
Ran spent four months in the hospital followed by two years of extensive rehabilitation at Beit Halochem in Tel Aviv.
Ran Ben Atia and his wife, Ofir, at his graduation. Ran received two Beit Halochem scholarships to fund his MA studies in Public Policy and Business Administration.
Ran had a vision of participating in the Israman (Israel’s Ironman) which involved running, swimming, and cycling for a total of 220 kilometres. Beyond running a couple of marathons prior to being injured, Ran had no previous experience, yet he was determined to succeed. He started to train intensely in September 2016.
Ran completed the Israman in Eilat on January 27, 2017. A remarkable achievement for anyone, it is more so for someone who has undergone the physical and mental challenges that Ran has encountered.
Thanks to Beit Halochem, Ran’s future is filled with promise and possibility. At Beit Halochem, he receives physiotherapy, works out in the fitness hall, swims in the new Olympic-sized pool, and participates in sports and social programs – all while enjoying the support and encouragement of others like him.
Leading-edge Beit Halochem Centres in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beer Sheva, and Nahariya provide individualized therapies, specialized sports rehabilitation training, and cultural arts and family-oriented activities.
Academic scholarships are offered to our veterans as they strive to be productive members of Israeli society. In fact, Ran has received two Beit Halochem scholarships: one while working on his MA in Public Policy and another toward his MA in Business Administration.
Ran faces life with a positive attitude. “There is nothing that can stand in the way of a person who really wants something. The human spirit is far stronger than any physical disability. I have learned this and now I live this.”
While we long for peace, the great need to defend and secure Israel never ends. Unfortunately, the number of Beit Halochem members continues to grow.
The Israel Ministry of Defense recently announced that 481 injured in Operation Protective Edge, like Ran, are now officially recognized as Beit Halochem members. Of that number, 143 have been diagnosed as suffering from PTSD. They, too, are being rehabilitated.
Beit Halochem – a “House of Warriors” – takes care of Israel’s wounded heroes from the time they are injured and for the rest of their lives.
Please ensure that Beit Halochem is there for everyone, whether injured in the line of duty, in a training accident, or in a terror attack.
With your help, Beit Halochem makes it possible for Ran and the other 51,000 wounded warriors and their families to receive the rehabilitation and therapy they need to heal, resume their lives, regain their hopes, and achieve their dreams.
Your donation to Beit Halochem Canada, Aid to Disabled Veterans of Israel acknowledges the enormous sacrifices they have made, and continue to make, on our behalf. They deserve the best and the best is Beit Halochem.
Your support is much needed and truly appreciated. We cannot do this without you!