Mission participants from Rhode Island and Worcester with Police Vehicles

On December 11, a group of 33 participants from Worcester and Rhode Island arrived in Afula-Gilboa from Jerusalem. The group came to Moshav Magen Shaul on the Seam Line in the Gilboa Region. They heard an explanation of the current situation from the Chief Engineer of the Gilboa Regional Council, Benny Segall.

They then traveled the road between Mukeble and the border with Jenin.

After a picnic style lunch, held in the club house on Kibbutz Yizreel due to the heavy rains, the group were guests on the Air Force Base at Ramat David. Then the group was received at Ha'Emek Medical Center for an explanation of the work of the intensive care hospital team headed by Dr. Ami Lev. They are the experts in the use of the sophisticated and specialized heart and lung machine called ECMO. This is the only instrument of its kind in Israel. The team will fly to any hospital in Israel which is in need of use of this instrument for saving a patient. Mission participants heard stories from several families whose children had been saved through the use of the ECMO. Then the group was taken to the Intensive Care Unit for which beds and equipment were funded by a generous gift from the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts. The donation was given in memory of Barry Jaffe, obm. There was a lovely ceremony with the unveiling of the plaque. Family members of Barry Jaffe spoke with loving reference of his legacy in the art of living and giving. Mission participants heard the wife and sister of one of the men who was being treated in the intensive care unit. The patient had been critically wounded in the terrorist shooting attack in Beit Shean ten days earlier.

Worcester participants returned to Jersualem and the visitors from Rhode Island remained in Afula-Gilboa for home hospitality with residents of the area. Early on Thursday morning, everyone met at the bus to travel to Jerusalem. Everyone was tired but very happy and appreciative of the extra opportunity to get to know people in Afula-Gilboa.

  Shvat 5763 - January 2003