Watch the dedication video.     View the dedication photos.

October 15, 2018 — JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — Hadassah unveiled the Irma and Paul Milstein Heart Center at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem on Friday, October 12th in Jerusalem, announced Hadassah National President Ellen Hershkin. New York entrepreneur and real estate developer Howard Milstein made the dedication in honor of his parents, whose $10 million donation was earmarked for the center, along with his wife, top lawyer Abby Sniderman Milstein. The Milsteins were joined by Ellen Hershkin; Hadassah Executive Director/CEO Janice Weinman, who presided over the event; Israel Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman and Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) Director General Prof. Zeev Rotstein. Milstein’s mother, Irma, is a long-time Hadassah member and supporter of HMO which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

In attendance were former Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem Director Generals Prof. Avi Israeli, Prof. Avigdor Kaplan, Prof. Esti Domenicini, Prof. Schlomo Mor Yosef and Prof. Tamar Peretz and Hadassah National Past Presidents Marcie Natan, Nancy Falchuk and Marlene Post along with a large delegation of American Hadassah supporters and Israeli health leaders.

The new center, which occupies the entire third floor of the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital Tower at Ein Kerem, makes use of the world's most sophisticated cardiac technology and more than doubles the department’s previous capacity to treat heart patients.  The unit includes 11 intensive care private rooms plus 11 post-catherization beds and another 32 beds in the cardiac ward.

Prof. Chaim Lotan, Director of the Heart Institute at HMO, states, "The new center, which catapults us 50 years into the future and is the most advanced cardiac intensive care unit in Israel, includes four of the most advanced catheterization labs in the world and another two more catheterization labs are planned.”

The new cardiac care center also features giant high-resolution screens connected to the imaging equipment which display all the patient's vital data. The catheterization labs include one room that operates a bi-plane system providing three-dimensional imaging of the heart from two cameras at the same time.

Lotan adds, "Our experts use these imagines in real time for maximum accuracy. In a hybrid room, we can switch from catheterization to open heart surgery if necessary without moving the patient and losing valuable time. The 2019 dual-camera system is among the first installed in the world. There are inner-aortal cameras and numerous other technological advances that were considered science fiction not long ago."

In making the dedication, Milstein states, “My father, Paul, of blessed memory, and my mother, Irma, saw Hadassah’s mission statement as the highest expression of the founding ideals of the State of Israel:  to forge ‘links between patients of all nationalities, races and religion who come to its doors for healing.’  Translational medicine undergirds all our commitments to medical research.  At HMO, all patients – Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druse, secular and religious – receive dignified care from a top-flight team of equally diverse medical workers.  As such, Hadassah is a ‘bridge to peace.’  Witness the Syrian children who, during a horrific humanitarian crisis, have recently been brought to HMO for treatment of congenital heart defects.  The Hebrew bible contains the word ‘heart’ 827 times.  What better way to celebrate this heritage than opening a heart center at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, the heart of Jerusalem!”

Rotstein states, “This facility is a tremendous gift to the people of Israel and will insure that HMO’s cardiac research and treatment will save more lives every day.”

Weinman notes, “HMO’s world-class cardiac research and care unit brings the most sophisticated heart research technology to the people of Israel while also providing the facilities to teach heart professionals from around the world who have come to HMO to learn from Hadassah’s cadre of experts and innovators. This optimizes our mission of ‘Practical Zionism.’”

Hershkin adds, “The Irma and Paul Milstein Heart Center represents the exemplary commitment of Irma and Paul Milstein to support and advance the most sophisticated state-of-the-art cardiology research and patient care available in the world.  We are grateful for their commitment and dedication to the field of heart treatment at HMO.”

Irma and Paul Milstein, whose generous contribution enabled the establishment of the center, have long contributed to health and medicine. In addition, the Milstein Family supports the arts,
Education and scientific research in New York and in countries abroad, including the Milstein Building at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. The Milstein Family values the combination of “lab bench to bedside,” translational approach to medical research and treatment that is the hallmark of HMO.

Milstein concludes, “We couldn’t be prouder of what you have done here.  On behalf of my wife Abby, our son Michael and the entire Milstein Family, thank you for honoring us in this way.  May you go from strength to strength.”

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With 330,000 members, associates and supporters Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as medical care and research and women's empowerment.  Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize Nomination in 2005 for building “bridges to peace” through equality in medical treatment. For more information, visit my.hadassah.org.