During the last weeks of December, the city of Haifa has a huge celebrate called, the "Holiday of Holidays." During this time, Jewish, Christian, and Isalmic holidays that fall in December are celebrated and people come to Haifa from all over Israel to participate in the fun. However, holidays in the hospital are never fun, and so, in the spirit of the Holiday of Holidays, Santa visited children in Rambam's Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital
Santa and Staff from the Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital. Credit: Nathaniel Isaac, Spokesperson's Office, RHCC
Right before a million children celebrate Christmas, Santa Claus, the character most associated with the colorful holiday, found time to “jump down the chimney” of Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital to spend time with the hospitalized children. The jolly guest visited the pediatric inpatient departments on Sunday, December 23rd, spoke with the children and their families and, according to custom, distributed gifts he'd brought with him.
At the end of the visit, the Israeli Santa, Nikolai Abadu (also known as the Santa from Wadi Nisnas), joined Rambam staff members (many of whom are Christians) for a holiday photo under the Christmas tree set up in the hospital lobby. The tree was donated by the popular Haifa souvenir shop, Balan Gifts.
Besides getting their pictures taken, all those present—staff, children and their families—decorated the Christmas tree with ornaments they made by hand with the help of staff from Bracha Educational Center which runs the hospital ‘school’.
Ho, Ho, Ho! Watch the Israeli Santa visiting Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital.
