Gilat Brings Theater, Choice and Childhood Back Into Israeli Hospitals
From TheMediaLine, written by Steven Ganot
At 10 years old, Yuval Atzmon knows how quickly childhood can disappear inside a hospital. After complex leg surgery, months of rehabilitation at Jerusalem’s ALYN Hospital meant treatments, exercises, and a daily schedule largely dictated by medical necessity. Then came something different: theater.
In a video report and feature for The Media Line, Felice Friedson shows how the Gilat Foundation is bringing interactive therapeutic performances into pediatric hospitals across Israel, giving young patients a rare chance to laugh, participate, and make choices for themselves.
For Yuval, the performances offered an escape from a demanding routine. Her father, Guy Atzmon, said they allowed his daughter to “be a child again” instead of constantly being told when to eat, exercise, or undergo therapy. They also gave exhausted parents a brief respite from the round-the-clock demands of caring for a hospitalized child.
The foundation grew from tragedy. Tali and Jair Eisenmann created Gilat in memory of their daughter, who died in 2008 at age 11 after years of health challenges. Gilat loved music, theater, and human connection during long hospital stays, and her parents wanted other children to experience the same moments of joy.
The program now reaches roughly 2,700 children a year and is preparing to expand to a sixth Israeli hospital, Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Its goal is to serve nine hospitals and about 4,500 children annually.
Doctors say the need goes beyond entertainment. Dr. Emmanuel Kornitzer, head of ALYN’s rehabilitation department, described the emotional burden carried by children already facing months of physical recovery, especially during wartime sirens and repeated moves to protected areas. Gilat’s leaders say imagination, participation and psychological support can help children feel less isolated and more connected to ordinary life.
