Hadassah Medical Center: Jerusalem’s Excellence That Cares for Everyone

For nearly a century, Hadassah Medical Center has stood as a beacon of innovation, care and inclusion in the heart of Jerusalem. Founded in its modern form between 1934 and 1939, it now spans two major university campuses—Ein Kerem and Mount Scopus—fully integrated with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Image courtesy of Hadassah Website

Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druze doctors and nurses work side by side every day, embodying a unique model of collaboration and humanity. The institution’s international prestige is globally recognised.

In 2023, the Newsweek/Statista ranking placed Hadassah Ein Kerem among the world’s best hospitals in three strategic areas: oncology, cardiology and smart technologies. In 2025, the Israeli Ministry of Health further recognised it as the national leading centre for coronary bypass surgery and a regional leader in stroke care. Hadassah also continues to invest heavily in cutting-edge infrastructure and technology: the recently inaugurated Gandel Rehabilitation Center, now the most advanced in Israel, stands as a new benchmark in rehabilitative medicine.

Equipped with robotic systems for motor rehabilitation, therapeutic pools and dedicated programmes for both civilians and military personnel, it represents a new frontier in recovery and care. During and after the 2023 conflict, the hospital played a crucial role in trauma management and psychological support for patients and families, reaffirming its universal mission and its commitment to leaving no one behind.

It is not just a hospital: it is a vision. A place where research and compassion intertwine every day. As its motto states:

“Our mission is to care for anyone in need, regardless of race, religion or background.”A remarkable demonstration of this mission is reflected in an unprecedented intervention carried out at Hadassah Medical Center. A team of Israeli doctors performed a true surgical miracle, saving the life of Suleiman Hassan, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy from the West Bank who had been the victim of a very serious road accident.The child was airlifted by helicopter to the Israeli hospital after the crash caused an extremely rare and devastating injury known as “internal decapitation.”

—that is, the separation of the skull from the spine, with the soft tissues still intact. The surgeons, led by Ohad Einav, carried out an operation lasting several hours to reattach the boy’s head, stabilising the cervical vertebrae and reconstructing the vital connections between the skull and the spinal column.

The boy’s father, visibly moved, publicly thanked the Israeli medical staff who operated on his son:

“I will be grateful for the rest of my life to the doctors who saved my only son. May God bless you all.”

In Israel, every day there are doctors, nurses, scientists and researchers who dedicate—and often sacrifice—their lives for the well-being of all, regardless of religious beliefs or origins, in order to make a better life possible for everyone.

As a final note, within the hospital synagogue there are stained-glass windows preserved as a symbol of this spirit.

Stain glass windows by Mark Chagall

These stained-glass windows, created between 1960 and 1962, are the work of Marc Chagall, the Russian-French artist born in Vitebsk in 1887 and who died in 1985, renowned for his unique style blending Jewish tradition, dreamlike imagery and influences from the avant-garde.

Today, these windows are a constant destination for visitors and represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel, each depicted with specific symbols that reflect their characteristics and the related biblical narratives.

Luciano Bassani

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