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Los Angeles, CA
(November 16, 2015) – Friends of Sheba Medical Center, Tel
HaShomer hosted its 45th Anniversary Gala: Honoring Our
Heroes, Sunday, November 15, 2015 at the Beverly
Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills. Evening honored local
heroes, wounded soldiers, victims of terror and the
dedicated doctors who save their lives. Friends of Sheba
Medical Center raised more than $2 million to support the
world-renowned hospital, home to Israel’s National Center
for Rehabilitation of Israel Defense Forces soldiers and all
victims of terror in need of long-term care. Rosanne
Ziering and Steve Hitter Co-Chaired the evening and Myra
Clark-Siegel and Israeli Consul General David Siegel served
as Honorary Chairs. Actresses Moran Atias of Tyrant
and Alona Tal of Pretty Little Liars were special
guest presenters.
More than 600 guests
attended the heroes-themed gala to show their support for
Israel and its leading healthcare institution, Sheba Medical
Center. Singer Alisa Sharp opened up with a stirring
rendition of the American National Anthem followed by an
equally moving performance of the Israeli National Anthem
sung by Alona Tal, who then requested all military veterans
including American, Israeli and Lone soldiers in attendance
to stand and be recognized. Congressman Brad Sherman
presented an official United States Capitol flag to Margie
Pressman, founder of the Friends of Sheba, followed with a
blessing by Cantor Chayim Frenkel, Rabbi Amy Bernstein and
Rabbi Nick Renner.
Host Jason Alexander
welcomed the guests and brought his own brand of comedy to
the evening opening with a parody performance on the state
of the Middle East and continued with his light-hearted
humor throughout the night. While speaking of important
inventions by Jewish people, he referenced “Google. That’s
right – Larry Page and Sergei Brin invented Google. Jews!
They were going to call it Googlestein but it sounded too
Jewish. How do I know all this? I Googled it.”
Marion Brucker was honored with the organization’s
Lifetime Achievement Award, which was accepted by her
nephew, former Beverly Hills Mayor, the Honorable Barry
Bruker and his wife Sue. At 108, Marion Brucker is Sheba
Medical Center’s oldest and longest-standing donor.
David Siegel, Consul
General of Israel in Los Angeles, and his wife Myra
Clark-Siegel presented the Valor and Courage Award to
Evie and Stuart Steinberg, parents of Max Steinberg in honor
of their son Max, an Israeli soldier who lost his life
during the summer of 2014 and in recognition of his parents’
unparalleled strength.
Additional honorees
included: Professor Eyal Winkler, Chief of the Plastic
Surgery Department and Burn Center, Sheba Medical Center;
Professor Zeev Rotstein, Director General and CEO of Sheba
Medical Center; and 13-year old terrorist attack survivor
Ayala Shapira, who was unable to attend, but featured in a
moving video.
Poignant
testimonials were given by Israeli Defense Forces Deputy
General Shai Siman Tov, paralyzed from the neck down in 2014
when a tunnel collapsed on him while on a mission in the
Gazan neighborhood of Shujaiyya. Actress Moran Atias joined
Deputy General Siman Tov on stage and brought up Staff
Sergeant Adiel Levy who was also critically wounded in
2014. Atias read a letter written by Adiel Levy thanking
his doctor, Professor Eyal Winkler, for saving his life.
Nina Lieberman,
Executive Director, thanked the gala committee, board of
directors and guests for their generosity. She was joined
by Parham Zar, President of Friends of Sheba Medical Center,
who acknowledged and thanked Professors Esther and Mordechai
Shani, Director, Sheba Foundation in Israel. He then
introduced honoree Professor Zeev Rotstein, CEO of Sheba
Medical Center.
In accepting his
award, Dr. Rotstein said “I am proud that we were able to
help our heroes survive, recover and be rehabilitated by
having the best, most experienced, sensitive and dedicated
medical staff cater to all their physical and emotional
needs relentlessly during a demanding time of great
distress.” He continued, “Having to deal with repeated
animosities, military operations and wars, we saw the need
and were one of the first hospitals that integrated virtual
reality into our rehabilitation program. We didn’t leave
any stone unturned to find funds and set up a hi-tech
virtual reality department. Only the best for these
fearless fighters who are Israel’s protective shield against
a sea of hatred that surrounds our country.”
About Sheba
Medical Center
The Sheba Medical
Center at Tel HaShomer is the most comprehensive medical
center in Israel and the Middle East, recognized
internationally for its leadership in clinical treatment, as
well as basic and applied medical research. It is situated
on a 150-acre campus at Tel HaShomer on the outskirts of Tel
Aviv, comprising 120 departments and clinics and 1,700 beds,
employing more than 1,300 physicians, 2,400 nurses and 3,300
other healthcare workers, scientists and support staff. The
medical center uniquely combines a major Acute Care Hospital
with a Rehabilitation Hospital, Women’s Hospital, Children’s
Hospital, Laboratory Division, Outpatient Division, and an
Academic Campus. It is the teaching center for Tel Aviv
University’s medical and nursing schools, and is home to
Israel's National Institute of Health, central blood bank,
and military rehabilitation facilities. For more
information about Friends of Sheba, please visit
www.friendsofsheba.org. |