Dear friends,
Our greatest partner in Israel for performing open-heart surgery on Palestinian children has been Dr. Ami Cohen, a US Army surgeon who immigrated to Israel in 1992. At least 80% of the children we've seen rescued were operated on at his hands at the Wolfson Medical Center. It was a shock to hear on Friday that Dr. Cohen died suddenly of apparent altitude sickness, at the age of 47, while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa with his daughter.
The burial was held today, and we received special permission from the military authorities to bring a baby boy named Mohammed Hijazi and his parents from Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Mohammed was given a new life three months ago through complex surgery and the implantation of a pacemaker by Dr. Cohen. To the 200 mourners gathered at the cemetery Mohammed was a glimpse of the legacy Dr. Cohen has left in this world.
The warmth with which Mohammed and his family were received at this traditional Jewish burial was beautiful. Even as the prayers were being chanted a mourner came to kiss Mohammed, and another woman handed three small stones to the family, inviting them to take part in the tradition of laying a stone on the grave.
Afterwards we went to Dr. Cohen's home, where the family was already sitting shiva, a seven-day mourning period, in torn clothing. Dr. Cohen's parents and in-laws quickly surrounded Mohammed and his parents. It was almost painful to watch as these weeping, wounded spirits poured out love on this Arab family: their joy at Mohammed's health; their hope that he would grow to become a doctor; their longing for peace between Jews and Arabs; their commitment to continue saving children.
In the last year Dr. Cohen brought on board another surgeon, Lior Sasson, who had finished his training at an advanced center in the U.S. Lior and the rest of the team at Wolfson will continue the surgeries, starting with two Gaza children, Riman and Mohammed, who are already hospitalized in Israel. May we too, by God's grace, be found constant in our prayers and support.
Jonathan
