AJC Women's Leadership Board Honors Israeli Arab Doctor for Aiding Syrians

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May 02, 2017, 15:09 ET

NEW YORK, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dr. Masad Barhoum, Director General of the Galilee Medical Center, was honored by AJC with the global Jewish advocacy organization's International Human Dignity Award for providing urgent treatment to Syrians severely injured in their country's civil war. The award was presented at the AJC Women's Leadership Board Spring Luncheon in New York yesterday.

"You are an inspiration to all people," said Hillary Beckman, luncheon co-chair, who presented the award. The inscription on the award reads: "An innovative pioneer in the provision of medical care, including to refugees from war, you have been a relentless, outspoken champion of the inalienable rights and infinite dignity of all people."

Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, Israel, has treated 1,600 Syrians, a third of them women and children, since March 2013, when the Israeli government expanded to civilian hospitals humanitarian assistance for Syrians. Earlier in the conflict, which began in 2011, the IDF set-up a field hospital that still is in operation along the Israeli-Syrian border.

"Each one is a human being who underwent a tragedy and each one has a story that breaks our hearts," said Barhoum, an Arab Christian citizen of Israel. The Syrians come with complex injuries and require stays on average of 23 days and more than 10 operations, said Barhoum.

AJC, concerned about the situation in Syria, has made several humanitarian aid donations to assist Syrian victims of the conflict and refugees.

The Galilee Medical Center, located six miles south of the Lebanon border, serves the diverse population -- Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze – of northern Israel. "In times of peace and in times of war Dr. Barhoum's unswerving aim has always been the same – the compassionate delivery of outstanding medical care, without any regard whatsoever to faith or ethnic background," said Janet Ezersky, luncheon co-chair.

The luncheon took place on the eve of Israeli Independence Day. It also featured a conversation with New York Times columnist Bret Stephens and editor Bari Weiss with Abigail Pogrebin, a former producer at PBS and 60 Minutes.

The AJC Women's Leadership Board is chaired by Cori Berger. Luncheon co-chairs were Hillary Beckman, Renee Brodie, Janet Ezersky, Jennifer Lipschultz, and Debi Wisch. Honorary luncheon chair was Elaine Petschek.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee