A century of healing whispers from these walls. Welcome to Shaarei Tsedek. Right here before you stands a monument to resilience and compassion. This isn’t just a hospital. Shaarei Tsedek is a story etched in stone. A story of hope born in hardship.
Shaarei Tsedek. The Gates of Righteousness. Opened in 1902. It was the first large general hospital outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls. Imagine the challenges. Funding from European donors. A German architect Theodor Sandel designing the building on Jaffa Road. It was then two miles from the Old City. Dr Moshe Wallach the director for almost 50 years. He even lived here. He provided care for everyone. Jews Christians and Muslims alike. Schwester Selma cared for abandoned children. They were a family. A family of healers.
Through wars and conflict Shaarei Tsedek stood strong. A beacon of hope during difficult times. During the peak of terrorism in 2001-2004 it treated more victims than any other hospital in Israel. Its trauma unit became a model for emergency medicine. A model of coping with mass casualties. They even built parts of the hospital underground. Protection from missile strikes. Ingenious. They were prepared for anything. Even chemical warfare. Shaarei Tsedek’s decontamination facilities inspired New York’s largest facility. This wasn’t just a hospital. It was a fortress. A fortress of hope.
Shaarei Tsedek has expanded. It now has over 1000 beds. It treats nearly a million patients annually. It’s two campuses. The main campus is 11.5 acres. It’s located between Bayit VeGan and Ramat Beit HaKerem. The downtown campus is in the city center. Shaarei Tsedek boasts specialized units. Gaucher’s disease and cystic fibrosis units exist. It has a state-of-the-art children’s hospital. A maternity ward delivering over 20000 babies annually. And a heart center. The first in Israel to replace heart valves via catheterization.
Shaarei Tsedek. More than bricks and mortar. It’s a testament to human spirit. A commitment to healing. A legacy of compassion. It’s a place where hope takes root. Even in the face of adversity. Step inside. Feel the legacy. Feel the hope. This is Shaarei Tsedek. This is Jerusalem.