The annual 2023 Rambam Summit was held from May 30–June 1, 2023. An exciting event that includes presentation of the prestigious Rambam Awards, the hospital also celebrated its 85th anniversary and unveiled a groundbreaking master plan that will take the hospital well into the future.
The annual Rambam Summit celebrates the accomplishments of Rambam Health Care Campus and the people who helped make them possible. Held this year from May 30–June 1, friends of Rambam from Israel, the USA, Canada, the UK, Brazil, Bulgaria, and Spain, Rambam executives, including Professor Michael Halberthal, Rambam's director general and CEO, Rambam leadership, other international and local VIP guests, and Rambam employees participated in the historic event.
During the Summit, attendees learn more about the medical research and innovation being performed at Rambam, listen to exciting presentations from physicians, researchers, and more about their work, and have the opportunity to see the hospital in action.
Summit Highlights
Attendees observed a mass casualty drill conducted by Rambam's staff from the International Teaching Center for Trauma, Emergency, and Mass Casualty Situations in the Green – Wagner Department of Emergency Medicine. After the drill, an appreciation ceremony and plaque unveiling were held to honor David Green and Daphne Wagner, esteemed supporters of Rambam, for their establishment of the Green – Wagner Department of Emergency Medicine.
Additional appreciation ceremonies were also held during the Summit. An outdoor plaque unveiling ceremony recognized Herta Amir and her late husband Paul z”l, from the USA. Their extraordinary love and generosity extended to Israel and Rambam made the newly renovated Herta and Paul Amir Internal Medicine Building a reality. Another ceremony honored the generous contribution of Danny and Cathy Rosenkranz from the UK for establishing the Danny and Cathy Rosenkranz Oncology ER in the Joseph Fishman Oncology Center.
Unveiling ceremony of the Green-Wagner ER.
Apprection ceremony for the Amirs. L-R) Inbar Shahaf, Dr. Esty Golan, Dr. Ayelet Raz,
Mrs. Herta Amir, Professor Michael Halberthal, and Professor Rafi Beyar
The scientific portion of the Summit, held on May 31, included five TED-talks given at Haifa’s Madatech Museum. Brilliant Rambam physician-scientists presented their cutting-edge research in neurosurgery, cardiology, and melanoma research, to name a few. The next day, Dr. Tal Zaks, a renowned scientist specializing in cancer and immunization, who played a key role as Moderna's chief scientist in developing the COVID-19 vaccine, and a 2023 Rambam Award recipient, delivered a captivating lecture titled “Developing mRNA Medicines.”
Gala Evening, 85 Years of History, and A New Vision into 2065
This year's Summit was themed "Dare to Dream" and culminated with an exciting Gala Evening and the Rambam Award Ceremony. This year’s Gala Evening focused on celebrating 85 years of exceptional healthcare service to the people of Northern Israel and ended with the unveiling of new plans to meet healthcare needs through to the end of the 21st century.
During the Gala Evening, Professor Halberthal presented an excited and needed development plan for Rambam that will be achieved in two stages. By 2048, Israel's population will reach 15 million. To serve the region’s future medical needs he announced a new vision and master plan for the future. By 1948, the campus will be enlarged five-fold with ten new high-rise buildings replacing many current ones. Keeping patient health and well-being at center stage, by 2065, Rambam will become a 2,600-bed healthcare facility – more than double its current size.
The 2065 Vision for Rambam Health Care Campus.
Courtesy of Totem Imaging and Animation Ltd.
Rambam’s commitment and dedication to human health led to development of its West Campus, comprised of the Sammy Ofer Fortified Underground Emergency Hospital, The Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital, the Joseph Fishman Oncology Center, and the Eyal Ofer Heart Hospital. Life-saving treatments and interventions never before available are now being offered. The soon to be completed Helmsley Health Discovery Tower will facilitate advanced research and more.
Rambam's vision includes more than constructing new facilities; it emphasizes research and innovation as a cornerstone and maintaining its status as the leading medical center in Northern Israel. Rambam's state-of-the-art laboratories, ensure that the hospital’s medical teams provide patients with the best possible care, promoting recovery and preventing illness.
Professor Halberthal pointed out, “Rambam is a beacon of light for healthcare, synthesizing research, innovation, and technology. Utilizing the most advanced technologies and sophisticated laboratories will allow our clinicians to implement advanced treatments, with a special focus on the aging process and early disease detection.”
Halberthal went on to say, “Rambam research, innovation, and collaborations with esteemed academic institutions like the Technion form a solid foundation for advancing healthcare.”
The prestigious Rambam Award was presented to three deserving recipients for their unparalleled contributions to Israel, healthcare, and humanity: Dr. Tal Zaks, Professor Emeritus Moussa Yadim, an Israel Prize recipient, inventor, and developer of groundbreaking drugs for Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's, and the Tannous Family – Eva, Elias, Ghadir, Alla, and Wassim, owners of the BST Group – who donated the internal construction of the Badia Tannous Heart Institute in the Eyal Ofer Heart Hospital, honoring the family's patriarch, Badia Tannous of blessed memory.
A sound and light show celebrating Rambam’s 85-year journey was screened during the closing ceremony. Local entertainers, talented musicians, and a children’s ensemble from Acco joined by the children of Rambam employees delighted the audience.
Professor Halberthal summarizes, “In the past year Rambam has seen tremendous growth, new and innovative research, and expanded facilities and services. New collaborations have been forged, and relationships with communities worldwide have been cemented. Exciting plans for Rambam's future are in place. I have been at Rambam for 37 years and have been acting as CEO for the past four years: this is my term's most significant event. We have announced a groundbreaking master plan for a groundbreaking medical center, bigger than the pandemic and bigger than anything I will ever do. Rambam is creating the future of medicine.”
Professor Halberthal thanked everyone who is making Rambam’s vision and mission possible. “The 2023 Rambam Summit was a resounding success. Excellence in healthcare and innovation is core to our DNA. Rambam is a world leader, and our reputation is made possible by the hard work of our staff and the commitment of our many friends across the globe. We are sincerely grateful to you all.”
Grand Opening of the Closing Gala Ceremony: Dare to Dream!
All photos courtesy of Rambam HCC unless otherwise noted.