Jewish Health International

Since the mid 1980’s, Israel has absorbed more than 60,000 immigrants from Ethiopia and today, Israel’s Ethiopian community exceeds 100,000. Even now, three hundred Olim (Hebrew for immigrant) continue to arrive each month in accordance with the policy of the government for family reunification. Upon arrival the Ethiopian Olim live in absorption centers supported by the State of Israel. They rely on the services offered to them through the absorption center and the Israeli government’s national health insurance.

While the Public Health Services of Israel currently screen for several health problems either before the immigrant leaves Ethiopia or upon arrival to Israel, the systematic screening does not currently address vision problems, hearing problems and dental problems due to the fact that they are not covered by what is known in Israel as the basket of services of the national health insurance.

Individuals who face problems with hearing and vision are unable to learn to read or speak Hebrew, the native language of Israel, due to an inability to see and hear the language. Dental issues can cause other medical concerns and often affect speech. These problems have a negative impact on the quality of life of the new immigrant and ultimately impact their life in Israel.

This is where JHI comes into the picture. We have taken on the responsibility of furnishing the Ethiopian immigrants with vision and hearing screenings, visiting the various absorption centers three times a year, providing health screenings, public health education, and the establishment of systems for referral for follow-up care. JHI has trained Ethiopian community healthcare facilitators, to work with their Olim and facilitate their ability to address and resolve pressing health issues and gain the tools necessary to integrate within the Israeli medical system and country as a whole.

We have been conducting vision screenings free of charge for Olim throughout Israel since 2005 and free of charge hearing screenings were started in June 2007. JHI has worked with the Israeli Dental Association and the Ministry of Health to develop a mechanism for free oral hygiene instruction which also began in June 2007. During this time, 1189 Olim have received visual screening, 512 Olim have received either reading or prescription glasses and 207 have been referred to their national health insurance provider for treatment of diagnosed pathology

We are committed to meeting the gap in service for routine vision and hearing screenings and oral care not covered through the national insurance program. Through the screening programs, our volunteers from Israel and the United States, work together to ensure that the needs of vulnerable populations are being addressed.

The Ethiopian culture is one that learned to accept what life has dealt. In their home land, corrective surgery was unheard of. Numerous stories of the humanitarian aid provided by Dr. Steve Kutner and JHI abound. From correcting the cataracts of an Elder who was effectively left blind; thereby enabling him to read the Torah again; to surgically repairing the eyelids of a 14 year old boy who was referred to by his peers as having “the evil eye”. The correction not only improved his eyesight, it improved his sense of self worth. Another time, a 13 year old boy had sustained an injury while he was still in Ethiopia, losing the sight in his right eye. He was very shy and ashamed of his appearance when he came to Israel. He was being fitted for an artificial eye, but at 7,000 NIS the cost was simply prohibitive. When Dr. Kutner was apprised of the situation and he helped find a prosthesis that was affordable and effective. These are everyday stories and Dr. Kutner and JHI are overjoyed at having the opportunity to make such a measurable difference in the lives of the Ethiopian Olim of Israel.