News and Events

Toys, Warm Clothes, and Lots of Love: Rambam Employees Donate to Refugees from Ukraine

Publication Date: 3/10/2022 1:30 PM

Rambam Health Care Campus is sending help to refugees from the war in Ukraine. The donations are sent to the Haifa absorption center which then distributes the aide to the refugees. This is the second donation to leave Rambam for this important cause.

Aid boxes for Ukranian refugees leave Rambam for the Haifa absorption center. 
Photography: Rambam HCCAid boxes for Ukranian refugees leave Rambam for the Haifa absorption center. Photography: Rambam HCC

On March 9, dozens of boxes containing clothing, blankets, toys, toiletries, and other essentials made their way from Rambam Health Care Campus to the Haifa Absorption Center.

The donation was initiated by Rambam’s Psychological Service, which recruited the Division of Human Resource’s Department of Employee Welfare and other groups from other units and departments within the hospital.

“The response was tremendous,” says Liat Ariel, Director of the Psychological Service. “As people who are entrusted with the day-to-day care of the public, generosity is part of our DNA. Even when it comes to going out to the local and international communities, Rambam employees are happy to get involved and it warms the heart. We hope we have been able to pass on some of this love to those who need it so much now.”

Ariel took part in delivering the boxes in order to immediately ascertain what the refugees needed. The trip there, which was carried out by the staff of Rambam’s Transport Department, was especially exciting when it became clear that the driver was Igor Zeltkin, who had previously immigrated from Ukraine. “We talked about his feelings for the duration of the ride,” recalls Ariel.

"It’s not simple to be in such a complicated situation, but Igor, like the other driver, Anan Mazarib, and in fact all of us, are happy to take part in giving and helping this way.”