ALYNformation

In this issue 

Just over two weeks after beginning my role as Executive Director of American Friends of ALYN Hospital, I boarded a plane to Israel with my family. The trip had been planned long before I accepted this position, but one stop quickly became the centerpiece of our visit: ALYN Hospital.

As Jordan learned more about ALYN’s innovative approach to pediatric rehabilitation and its commitment to serving children from every background, he saw a meaningful connection between ALYN’s work, his family’s legacy, and his own path toward becoming a physician.

Summer has a way of bringing back childhood memories. Riding bikes until the streetlights came on. Running through sprinklers. Jumping into the pool. Building sandcastles at the beach. Climbing playgrounds, chasing friends through the park, and heading off to summer camp with your best friends and a load of mosquito bites.

In this issue 

American Friends of ALYN Hospital recently partnered with Nice Jewish Surfers for a Shabbat dinner and after-party in Los Angeles, bringing together a strong, engaged community of young professionals. 

Grants are essential for American Friends of ALYN Hospital to provide rehabilitation care for children with physical disabilities.

In my first two weeks as the new Executive Director of American Friends of ALYN Hospital, I have already had the privilege of speaking with many of our longtime supporters. Each conversation has offered me a glimpse into a remarkable community of people who hold ALYN close to their hearts.

In this issue 

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Growing ALYN’s Reach Through Social Media

There is a moment each year in the Jewish calendar that invites us to pause — not simply to remember, but to receive again. Shavuot, the holiday marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Torah provides a framework, renewed in every generation. A guide for how we are called to live, how we are called to care for one another, and how we are called to show up, especially for the most vulnerable among us. As I write this, my final message to you as Executive Director of American Friends of ALYN Hospital, it is that spirit that moves through me most powerfully. What I have witnessed over these past three years is a community that lives that framework. Not in the abstract, but in the most concrete and beautiful ways imaginable. On October 7, 2023, the world changed. And in the days and weeks that followed, I watched ALYN Hospital do something extraordinary. While the entire region reeled in grief and shock, the staff at ALYN — doctors, therapists, nurses, administrators — never faltered. Children with complex medical needs do not pause for crisis. Their bodies, their therapies, their progress — all of it continued to demand the same level of precision, compassion, and dedication. And ALYN delivered. What moved me equally was what happened here, in America. People came together and rallied around children they had never met, in a country thousands of miles away. That is the Torah in action. That is the principle that every human life carries infinite worth, and that we are each responsible for one another. I have carried that moment with me ever since. At its heart, ALYN Hospital is not simply a medical institution. It is a place where the values we hold most dear are given life every single day. Each child who arrives is received as a whole person. Each family is embraced as a partner. The work is painstaking, the progress can be slow, yet the devotion never wavers. This, too, is the spirit of Shavuot: the understanding that the framework we were given is not meant to be stored on a shelf. It is meant to be lived — in the way we structure our institutions, in the way we treat a child who cannot speak for himself, in the way we stand beside a frightened/exhausted parent who needs to know they are not alone. ALYN embodies that. Every single day. As I step away from this role, I am full of gratitude for having had the privilege of serving this mission. And I am full of admiration for the families and supporters who make this work possible. My wish is that American Friends of ALYN Hospital will continue to grow in reach and recognition — bringing this story to communities who have not yet heard it, and inspiring new champions to stand alongside those who already have. There are still children waiting, working, and hoping, and the support that flows from this community makes an extraordinary difference in their lives. May ALYN’s name become more widely known, and may the children at the heart of this mission feel that a community across the world believes in them. It has been an honor.

In this issue 

Over the past months, we’ve been fortunate to unite our community through a variety of thoughtfully curated events—from our Wine Over Mind mentalist evening with Lev, to our challah braiding gathering, Barry’s Bootcamp with Empowered2Sweat, our Parlour meeting in Miami, Shabbat dinners with Kibbutz NYC, a Valentines Day Happy hour with Chai Life, and our mixology night with Kesher Connect. We’ve also hosted creative experiences like our paint-and-sip event and a hands-on initiative where we made paintings for the children at the hospital. While each event looked different on the surface, they all shared the same foundation: creating spaces where people can connect, give back, and feel part of something meaningful. What stood out most was not just the turnout, but the way people showed up—with intention, generosity, and a genuine desire to be part of a collective impact.

Each year, as we move through the days of the Omer—that sacred stretch of time between the liberation of Passover and the revelation of Shavuot—I find myself reflecting on what it truly means to be free. The Israelites wandered through the desert not simply to reach a destination, but to be transformed. To become a people capable of receiving the Torah. To learn, in the most profound way, what it means to care for one another. It is in that spirit that I think about ALYN Hospital in Jerusalem—and why I believe, with all my heart, that it is a holy place. ALYN stands as a shining example of what it means to live by some of the highest Jewish values—compassion, inclusion, and unwavering commitment to helping others. At ALYN, staff, volunteers, patients, and their families—people of every background and faith—come together, united by a shared mission: to provide exceptional care and support to children with complex physical challenges. No matter what a child’s background, if they need ALYN’s services, they receive them—without hesitation. These past few years have tested the people of Israel in ways that are difficult to put into words. The trauma of the ongoing conflict, the fear and grief that have touched nearly every family—in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world—have reminded us how fragile life can be, and how essential it is to hold onto what matters most. Many of us have friends and relatives in Israel who have lived through this pain directly. We think of them constantly. And yet, through it all, ALYN has never stopped. Every single day—through sirens, through uncertainty, through sorrow—the doctors, nurses, therapists, and staff have shown up for their patients. The children in their care could not wait, and ALYN did not make them wait. That kind of dedication, sustained in the face of everything the past two years have brought, is nothing short of heroic. At American Friends of ALYN Hospital, our mission is to raise awareness and support for this vital institution. The need has never been greater—and neither has the opportunity to make a difference. Together, we can continue to create lasting change—for the children at ALYN, for the people of Israel, and for the world.

In this issue 

In the wake of war and destruction, ALYN Hospital remains steadfast in its mission to deliver care with professionalism and unwavering dedication. We encourage you to watch this video from ALYN, narrated by Dr. Maurit Beeri, Director General of ALYN Hospital, capturing the early morning hours of this past Saturday — moments that demanded swift coordination, decisive leadership, and extraordinary commitment. Within a very short time, our medical and logistics teams mobilized to safely transfer ventilated children to a specially designated protected area — a space made possible through the generosity of donors like you. ALYN Hospital believes that optimal rehabilitation does not pause for quieter days. Even in times of emergency, children continue moving forward. They do not wait for a better world — they are active partners in creating it. Every milestone, every breath, is a small victory and a powerful reminder of the strength of hope. Your support ensures that we can continue to protect, heal, and empower Israel’s most vulnerable children — even in times of crisis.