SUPPORTING THROUGH THE YEARS

90 Years of AFAH

A black and white photo of a man wearing glasses and a suit and tie.

1918 Dr. Henry Keller, an American orthopedist, visits pre-state Israel as part of a medical delegation to provide medical treatment in response to the region’s healthcare needs.
A black and white photo of a house with a balcony

1931 Dr. Keller opens a clinic on King George Street in Jerusalem to treat children needing orthopedic services.1918 Dr. Henry Keller, an American orthopedist, visits pre-state Israel as part of a medical delegation to provide medical treatment in response to the region’s healthcare needs.
A black and white photo of a group of men standing next to each other

1934 Dr. Keller sets up a non-profit in New York, called ‘The Society for the Aid of the Cripple in Palestine, Inc.”, later renamed “American Friends of ALYN Hospital”.
A group of people are posing for a picture at the clinic at 3 ben yehuda st. in 1934

Mid-1950’s Amid the polio epidemic, the Ministry of Health repurposes the former San Simon Orthodox monastery for ALYN Hospital, where it treats and educates about 200 children with polio.
A young boy is swimming in a pool wearing a life jacket and arm floats.

1970s Hydrotherapy is introduced, offering multiple benefits as far stress management, easing joint pain and enhancing range of motion. ALYN is unique in that it is able to provide children using ventilators with hydrotherapy sessions.
A black and white photo of a man wearing glasses and a suit and tie.

1971 The ALYN Woldenberg Family Hospital opens in Jerusalem’s Kiryat Yovel neighborhood, funded partly by a generous donation from Malcolm and Dorothy Woldenberg.
A baby is laying on a bed with an oxygen mask attached to his neck

1979 ALYN treats its first child who is respirator-dependent, leading to today’s world-renowned Respiratory Rehabilitation Department.
A black and white photo of an older woman wearing glasses and a necklace.

1984 Dr. Shirley Meyer is appointed as the first full-time Director General of ALYN Hospital.
A group of cyclists are posing for a photo in front of a building with a sign that says ' a ' on it

2000 First Wheels of Love charity bike ride is held to benefit the children of ALYN Hospital. It was a resounding success, raising over of $67,000.
A hospital room with a bed and a refrigerator with a picture of a baby on it

2001 ALYN opens the Independent Living Neighborhood (ILN), a residential wing allowing young adults who are ventilator-dependent to live with some independence.
A woman in a red shirt is feeding a baby in a high chair

2004 The Feeding Rehabilitation Clinic opens, supporting families coping with babies and children with feeding issues and thereby improving quality of life.
A woman in a lab coat holds two young children

2004 SHACHAR, ALYN’s Educational Day Care Center, opens its doors.
A child is laying on a red toy with a rabbit on the floor

2005 Animal-Assisted Therapy becomes an official project.
A woman is sitting on a green roll next to a clown and a child.

2005 Clown Therapy, also known as Humor Therapy, is added to ALYN’s long list of fun therapies, turning treatment into “play” rather than “work”.
A woman wearing glasses and a stethoscope around her neck

2011 Dr. Maurit Beeri becomes Director General of ALYN Hospital, a position she continues to hold.
A young boy is sitting at a table covered in paint.

2014 Art Therapy is added as an additional way for children to express themselves and heal.
A baby is laying on a bed next to a dog

2015 Dog-Assisted Therapy is introduced, benefiting children’s mental health while reducing pain and anxiety.
A man wearing a carhartt shirt is kneeling next to a boy wearing a virtual reality headset

2017 ALYNnovation is established to facilitate assistive technology innovation from development to distribution.
A young boy is eating food from a green plate.

2018 PELE (Personalized Equipment Leading to Empowerment) begins creating adaptive equipment for children facing challenges to independence in day-to-day activities.
A man on a treadmill playing a video game with a score of 1

2019 ALYN’s Motion Analysis Laboratory opens, the only one in Israel being used for pediatric assessment and clinical planning.
A brick walkway with the words paving the way to alvin 's future on it

2019 The Bricks of Love program is launched, allowing donors to honor family, friends and special events in their lives by placing a personalized paver in ALYN Hospital’s garden.
A group of young girls are standing around a stack of boxes.

2020 AFAH launches Engage in Empathy, a STEM-based program using project-based learning to connect middle-school students to ALYN Hospital.
A woman is feeding a baby in a chair with a spoon.

2021 The Feeding Rehabilitation Center adds the Video-Fluoroscopy System used in Swallow Studies.
A group of people holding a thank you sign

2021 The first Wheels of Love: USA ride takes place in Morristown, NJ, drawing 141 riders and raising $121.435.21.
A woman wearing a mask is holding a hammer in front of a wall with an octopus on it

2021 The Respiratory Rehabilitation Department undergoes extensive renovations and upgrades.
A group of soldiers are standing around a man in a room.

2023-2024 ALYN Hospital joins the national war effort by creating adaptive solutions for evacuees, injured soldiers and young adults.