Far From Home, But Not Far from Care
Being away from home during the holidays can be exciting. And a trip to Israel is not only a spiritual journey, but also a journey into a different culture and an exotic language. That’s why, when someone isn’t feeling well during their holiday vacation, the distance from your primary medical providers and familiar healthcare system you know can be a tricky gauntlet to navigate, especially when you’re expecting your first child.
That was the situation facing one visitor to Jerusalem this Sukkot holiday. A woman, about five months pregnant, arrived today with her husband at United Hatzalah’s Ruderman Mobile Emergency Care Clinic, parked outside the Jerusalem YMCA since the beginning of the Sukkot holiday.
The expectant mother had not been feeling well and was understandably concerned about both her own health and that of her unborn baby.
She was greeted by United Hatzalah physician Dr. Nathan Ungar, who examined her at the clinic. Recognizing that she required a more specialized assessment, Dr. Ungar contacted fellow United Hatzalah volunteer physician Dr. Aryeh Jaffe.
Dr. Jaffe, a board-certified gynecologist at Shaare Zedek Hospital, came directly to the mobile clinic, where he assessed the patient and performed an ultrasound. After careful observation, he determined that the mother was fine and able to go home. Doctors Jaffe and Ungar discharged their patient, feeling both physically better and well assured of the excellent medical care rendered.
For the couple, the medical reassurance was invaluable. They left the clinic knowing not only that everything appeared healthy, but that United Hatzalah’s medical team would remain available should they need further assistance during the remainder of their stay.
Their experience reflects exactly why the Ruderman Mobile Emergency Care Clinic is operating in Jerusalem during the holiday season.
Thousands of visitors have come to Jerusalem and Israel for Sukkot, many of them far from home and familiar healthcare providers. United Hatzalah’s clinic offers them an accessible and welcoming place they can turn to when something does not feel right.
In recent days, patients have arrived with everything from sore throats and ear infections to heart palpitations and complications involving chronic medical conditions. When more care is needed, United Hatzalah physicians direct their patients to other medical specialists and services. Treatment does not end at the clinic door.
Supported by the Ruderman Family Foundation, the clinic provides something that can be particularly valuable when traveling abroad: peace of mind is never far away. Sometimes that means medication or treatment. Sometimes it means an ultrasound and the reassurance that everything is okay.
