American Friends of Rambam Medical Center, 2248 Broadway #2021, New York, NY (2026)

10/05/2026

Three Years: Rambam Remembers

Rambam Health Care Campus held a moving remembrance ceremony today, 24 Tishrei, 5787, to mark the Hebrew anniversary of the October 7, 2023 massacre and the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war.

Dr. Netanel Horowitz, hospital Deputy Director, opened the ceremony with heartfelt words about how reality has changed, the fractures in Israeli society, and the need to heal divisions. He also acknowledged the courage of soldiers and civilians. “Rambam is a mirror of Israeli society. Here, we have learned to work together despite our differences,” he said.

Anat Angrest, mother of Matan Angrest who was abducted from his tank on October 7th then shared her family’s painful story. Matan was thankfully released under the October 2025 hostage release agreement. Captain Daniel Peretz, Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, and Staff Sergeant Tomer Leibovitz were killed in the battle at Nahal Oz, during which their tank was hit.

We remember those we lost and hold their families in our hearts.

10/05/2026

Now at Rambam: New Technology for Nasal Correction in Children with Cleft Lip and Palate

For children with cleft lip and palate, treatment is a long and complex process. Now, Mectron's PIEZOSURGERY® technology, previously unavailable in Israel’s public health care system, offers a new option for nasal correction at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam).

Dr. Zach Sharony, a senior surgeon at Rambam's Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, has begun using advanced Piezo bone surgery technology to perform complex nasal procedures on pediatric patients with cleft lip and palate. This procedure improves the appearance of the nose and addresses breathing difficulties. The surgery combines an open approach with Piezo technology—a combination currently unavailable at any other public hospital in Israel.

In most children with cleft lip, the condition also affects the nose. It causes a deformity that persists throughout their development and often impairs breathing. Treatment for cleft lip and palate begins in infancy and continues through the end of adolescence. Surgeons perform nasal surgery around age 16, once facial development is complete.

The open approach involves internal incisions and a small external incision in the skin between the nostrils. The surgeon then lifts the nasal skin to expose the underlying cartilage and bones. This direct access allows the surgeon to reshape the structures and ensure symmetry.

The Piezotome replaces the traditional osteotome—a chisel-shaped instrument that surgeons have used for decades. The traditional technique relies on force, which can produce an unpredictable fracture line. The Piezotome allows greater surgical control, resulting in less bruising and swelling, fewer complications, and faster recovery. These benefits offer a significant advantage in complex and delicate nasal procedures.

Most cleft lip cases involve a deviated nasal septum that impairs breathing. During the nasal procedure, the surgeon also straightens the septum and reduces the size of the inferior turbinates. These structures inside the nose consist of bone covered by soft tissue that helps warm, humidify, and filter inhaled air. Reducing their size improves airflow.

At Rambam, a multidisciplinary team supports these patients. The team includes an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, an orthodontist, and a speech-language pathologist. The new technology expands the team’s options for improving both nasal appearance and breathing.

09/30/2026

Clothing as Therapy: A New Approach to Pediatric Rehabilitation

Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam), recently launched an initiative that makes fashion part of treatment.

Pediatric rehabilitation is an essential aspect of recovery for children after serious illness and trauma. Dr. Lihi Mansano, director of the Azrieli Foundation Pediatric Rehabilitation Center at Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital, oversees personalized rehabilitation programs designed to help these children reach their full potential.

Although specially adapted clothing can help children overcome everyday challenges by turning ordinary garments into rehabilitation tools, hospitals rarely incorporate such clothing into rehabilitation programs. “If clothing helps and encourages a child to participate at school, in kindergarten, or with friends, it becomes a therapeutic tool in its own right,” says Dr. Mansano.

This concept led to a collaboration between Rambam’s pediatric rehabilitation team and the University of Haifa’s External Studies Unit. Riva Nitzan, a patternmaking specialist and head of the Unit’s “Fashion as a Profession” program, helped lead the design process, while occupational therapist Einat Dotan Zach, an expert in accessibility and innovation in fashion, helped develop the approach used to translate functional needs into practical clothing design solutions.

The initiative combines Rambam’s medical expertise with adaptive fashion design to help improve ’children’s mobility and independence while supporting their self-confidence. The garments incorporate features such as magnetic closures, adaptive openings, concealed weights, and discreet modifications that address specific challenges while maintaining the appearance of conventional clothing.

The team takes a holistic approach. “We treat more than the muscle, the joint, or the nervous system,” says Dr. Mansano. “We consider the child’s emotional experience, self-perception, how they are perceived by others, and sense of belonging among peers.”

Sixteen-year-old Khaled lives with multiple sclerosis. Since being diagnosed at age 13, the condition has affected almost every aspect of his life. However, a pair of pants adapted specifically for him has brought positive change. Concealed, removable weights help stabilize his legs, reduce tremors, and improve his balance while walking. He can transfer the weights, held in dedicated pockets, from one pair of pants to another, while wider leg openings make dressing easier.

Since he began wearing the pants, however, Khaled has noticed an improvement and feels stronger. The design allows him to continue his rehabilitation beyond scheduled physiotherapy sessions—an idea that Dr. Mansano says guided the initiative from the outset. Today, Khaled remains optimistic and focused on his goals despite the many challenges of living with multiple sclerosis.

The team has also designed adaptive clothing for children who use external fixation devices, orthopedic braces, or pressure garments following severe burns, as well as for children with limited arm mobility. The clothing is designed to improve function and help children participate more naturally at school, at home, and in social activities.

The team worked with a toddler just over a year old who had sustained extensive burns. To reduce scarring, she had to wear a pressure garment and a special face mask for several months. This kind of treatment can sometimes last around two years.

Dr. Mansano recalls that the toddler’s mother had needed time to adjust to her daughter’s changed appearance and the reaction from her daughter’s daycare center team. The team developed lightweight, breathable, sun-protective clothing for the toddler to wear over her pressure garment. The clothing is designed to protect her sensitive skin while helping her look like other children her age.

Dr. Mansano says the toddler’s garment does more than change how she looks: it allows her to attend daycare, take part in everyday activities, and be seen first and foremost as a child, rather than a patient.

Dr. Mansano measures success by outcomes that extend beyond clinical assessments. “We ask not only whether a child walks better or has an improved range of motion, but also whether they go out more often with friends, dress independently, and feel more confident.”

For Rambam’s pediatric rehabilitation team, both cases reflect the initiative’s broader goal: to improve function while supporting independence, confidence, and participation in everyday life.

Based on an original Hebrew language article that appeared on Walla

09/30/2026

Tell Your Dentist to Wait Before Using AI

If your dentist consults artificial intelligence (AI) during your treatment, tell them “Don’t!” and to read this article first.

A new international study led by Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) and the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) recently published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology has identified significant gaps in the ability of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to diagnose and plan treatment for gum disease. The study evaluated and ranked 11 commercially available AI systems, showing that, depending on the AI system evaluated, up to 46.7% of responses included at least one element rated poor or dangerous.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming an integral part of modern life. As its use in medicine grows, AI is being used with the aim of supporting faster, more accurate, and more efficient diagnoses. However, an important question remains: how much can AI be trusted when complex medical decisions are at stake?

To address this question, an international research team led by Dr. Yaniv Mayer, a senior physician and head of the internship program in Rambam’s Department of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, and a senior lecturer at the Technion’s Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, conducted the first blinded, expert-rated comparison of 11 AI systems across the full spectrum of periodontal practice. The researchers examined how effectively these systems could diagnose periodontal diseases, recommend treatment plans as decision-support tools for clinicians, and identify which systems provided safer recommendations and which produced responses that might pose risks to patients.

The researchers developed 30 clinical scenarios designed to simulate real-world cases. They ranged from acute periodontal emergencies and chronic gum disease to highly complex situations involving underlying medical conditions, radiographic findings, and advanced treatment considerations. Each of the 11 AI systems was asked to analyze the scenarios and provide both a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

The responses were then evaluated through a blinded review process by six periodontal specialists from Croatia, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain, who were not told which AI system had generated a given answer. The experts assessed each response for diagnostic accuracy, patient safety, the system’s ability to avoid generating false or fabricated medical information, and the completeness of the proposed treatment plan.

The findings revealed substantial differences among AI systems. The two AI systems that use retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)—a technique that combines text generation with information retrieved from external sources—achieved the highest overall scores. Perplexity and OpenEvidence, the two RAG platforms evaluated, ranked first and second overall, respectively, followed by Claude 4.7 Opus.

However, the researchers caution that even the strongest-performing systems were not immune to mistakes. Depending on the AI system evaluated, between 3.3% and 46.7% of responses included at least one element rated poor or dangerous. In other words, even AI systems with strong overall performance occasionally produced answers that could place patients at risk if implemented without professional review.

The study also examined how the systems performed across different categories of cases, including acute periodontal emergencies, diagnosis and treatment planning for chronic periodontal disease, and complex clinical decision-making scenarios. Perplexity ranked first in all three categories. Notably, the greatest variation between systems emerged in emergency situations and complex cases requiring broad clinical judgment, whereas performance was more consistent in cases involving the classification of chronic periodontal disease. To ensure the robustness of the findings, the researchers reanalyzed the data using additional statistical models, confirming that the overall results remained consistent across different analytical approaches.

“Our study shows that artificial intelligence can be a valuable support tool for dentists and periodontal specialists, but it cannot replace clinical judgment,” says Dr. Mayer. “Even the most advanced systems can occasionally generate incorrect or dangerous recommendations, which is why every recommendation must be reviewed by a qualified healthcare professional.”

According to the researchers, the strong performance of RAG platforms may be partly explained by their ability to supplement their pre-trained knowledge with current information drawn from external sources at the time a response is generated. However, longer responses also tended to receive higher scores, so the study could not determine whether retrieval alone explained the difference. Even so, this advantage does not eliminate the need for human oversight.

“The future of artificial intelligence in dentistry is not to replace the dentist but to serve as a decision-support tool,” Dr. Mayer concluded. “The final judgment remains in the hands of the expert.”

09/16/2026

Acetaminophen During Pregnancy: Rambam Expert Weighs In

Acetaminophen is one of the few pain-relief drugs generally considered safe to take during pregnancy. However, a preliminary Danish study points to an association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and differences in the reproductive organ development in baby girls.

A new preliminary study from Denmark pointed to a potential association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and differences in the reproductive development of baby girls. But should expecting mothers stop taking it?
Professor Ido Solt, Director of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Rambam, says NO. Here is why:

🔬 It’s an association, not a cause: The study doesn't prove the drug caused the changes. It could be the underlying fever or pain the mother was experiencing.

🤒 Fevers are risky: Leaving a high fever untreated during pregnancy is dangerous for both mother and baby.

✅ Still recommended: Acetaminophen remains one of the safest options available.

Prof. Solt's advice? There is no reason to change current medical practices. Always consult your doctor, and if you need acetaminophen, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time.

Based on an original Hebrew-language article that first appeared on Ynet

09/08/2026

This New Year, help give someone the gift of more time.

For a wounded soldier, another year can begin in Rambam’s trauma bay. For a person facing a life-threatening illness, it can begin in an operating room or intensive care unit. For a family waiting at a bedside, it can mean another birthday, another holiday table, and another embrace.

When 26-year-old IDF Captain (Res.) Malachi Moundani arrived at Rambam after being seriously wounded in combat, shrapnel was resting directly against his aorta. The slightest movement could have been fatal. Rambam’s multidisciplinary team performed a rare, complex operation, removed the shrapnel, and saved his life.

Your Rosh Hashanah gift helps keep Israel’s busiest trauma center ready and equips Rambam’s specialists to act when a patient has no time to spare.

Give the gift of more time. Donate today: https://aforam.org/5787appeal/

From our Rambam family to yours, may 5787 bring healing, sweetness, and peace.

09/03/2026

From Social Media Advertisement to Medical Emergency

September 3, 2026 – Injectable medications have become increasingly popular for weight loss. However, many unregulated supplements and formulas remain widely available online and over the counter, and some may cause serious or even life-threatening side effects.

Illegal manufacturers repeatedly repackage and market dangerous drugs under changing names, often presenting them as “natural.” Some unregulated weight-loss products may contain undeclared substances such as sibutramine or amphetamine-like stimulants. Although their names and packaging change, the dangers remain.

Fifteen-year-old Efrat*, from Northern Israel came across a social media advertisement for an appetite suppressant that promised dramatic weight loss of up to 14 kilograms in just 20 days. After ordering the product and taking a few tablets, she developed heart palpitations, sweating, a rapid heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. She arrived at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) for emergency care.

“A teenage girl was hospitalized in our department recently after taking a weight-loss drug that she had purchased through social media,” explains Professor Ram Weiss, Director of Pediatrics A and an expert in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. “She came to Rambam with heart palpitations, sweating, and symptoms resembling a panic attack.”

The medical team suspected that the pills Efrat had taken contained sibutramine and sent them to the Ministry of Health for examination. Efrat has since been discharged and is doing well.

“Manufacturers continually attempt to market illegal and dangerous drugs that pose a serious threat to the health and lives of those who take them,” warns Professor Weiss. “People must exercise caution and avoid these drugs.”

Rambam urges anyone considering a weight-loss regimen to seek professional medical guidance and never purchase unregulated products advertised on social media or from unreliable sources.

*Name changed to protect the patient’s privacy.

Based on a Hebrew language item screened on Channel 13

08/31/2026

The Falafel That Led to Hospitalization

August 31, 2026 – Every region and culture has its own unique cuisine. Falafel is eaten throughout much of the Middle East, but across Israel’s southern border, a different recipe for this popular food recently led to two separate medical emergencies.

The G6PD enzyme protects red blood cells from oxidative damage. In people with G6PD deficiency, certain triggers, including fava beans (also known as broad beans)—the main ingredient in Egyptian falafel known as ta’ameya—can cause hemolysis, the rapid breakdown of red blood cells. This can lead to severe anemia, jaundice, and dark urine.

Within 10 days of returning from family vacations in Egypt, two young boys arrived at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) with acute hemolysis and low hemoglobin levels. Both came from families with a history of G6PD deficiency, sometimes referred to as “fava bean sensitivity,” but neither family realized that, unlike Israeli falafel, which is typically made from chickpeas, Egyptian falafel is made primarily from fava beans.

The first of the boys to be treated was a 12-year-old boy with jaundice, dark urine, and a significant drop in hemoglobin. Although the family had a history of G6PD deficiency, they did not know whether the boy himself had the deficiency.

After looking at the child’s history, the treating physician, Dr. Raizy Gruda-Sussman from the Joan & Sanford Weill Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, began investigating the possible cause. “We investigated every possibility, and then I asked him what he had eaten,” adds Gruda-Sussman. The family was adamant that he had not eaten fava beans during the trip, but said they had eaten falafel.

Gruda-Sussman did a quick check using ChatGPT and learned that Egyptian falafel is made from fava beans rather than the chickpeas typically used in Israeli falafel. “The family simply didn’t know,” she says.

The medical team carefully monitored the boy as his condition improved. A few days later, he was well enough to go home.

Just days later, an eight-year-old boy arrived at Rambam with similar, potentially dangerous symptoms.

“The family knew their son was sensitive to fava beans and carefully avoided exposing him to them,” says Gruda-Sussman. “However, they, too, were unaware that the ta’ameya they ate in Egypt was made from fava beans.” The boy required a blood transfusion.

His two-year-old brother had also eaten a small amount of ta’ameya and presented with a lower-than-normal hemoglobin level. However, since he had eaten a relatively small amount, he did not require hospitalization.

The reaction to fava beans can be particularly significant in young children with G6PD deficiency. In more severe cases, the medical literature describes more serious complications associated with significant hemolysis, although most episodes resolve with appropriate treatment.

“It is surprising to treat two cases like these within such a short period,” notes Gruda-Sussman. “It is important to know what our food contains, particularly when there is a known sensitivity that can put you at risk.” She emphasizes the importance of checking ingredients, particularly when traveling, as familiar foods may be prepared quite differently from one country to another.

08/26/2026

Wild Plant Poisoning Sends Two Men to Rambam ICU

August 26, 2026 – Although they belong to the same genus, tree to***co and cultivated to***co differ significantly in appearance, chemistry, and use. When mistaken for an edible wild plant and consumed, tree to***co can cause severe, potentially life-threatening poisoning, as demonstrated by two recent cases treated at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam).

Recently, two Thai foreign workers in their 40s were admitted to Rambam with acute poisoning after ingesting tree to***co (Nicotiana glauca), a common wild plant found throughout Israel.

The two men apparently picked the plant and prepared it as a soup. Within hours of eating it, they developed symptoms of acute poisoning. Fortunately, they brought the plant with them to the hospital where it was quickly identified.

“We have never encountered a poisoning case like this,” says Osnat Aspis, Head Nurse of Rambam's Division of Critical Care Medicine. “Because the patients brought the plant with them, we were able to identify it quickly and begin appropriate treatment without delay.”

Although tree to***co poisoning is rare, other people in Israel have previously required medical treatment after consuming the plant.

One of the patients remains in serious condition. After developing respiratory failure, he was sedated, intubated, and placed on mechanical ventilation. The second patient improved and was transferred to an internal medicine department for observation.

Tree to***co (Nicotiana glauca) is the only to***co species that grows wild in Israel. It grows throughout almost every region of the country, commonly appearing in open fields, vacant urban lots, construction sites, and near garbage dumps. Unlike cultivated to***co (Nicotiana tabacum), a non-woody crop grown commercially for its nicotine-rich leaves, tree to***co is a woody shrub or small tree whose principal toxic alkaloid is anabasine.

“Anabasine acts similarly to nicotine,” explains Dr. Yael Lurie, Director of the National Poison Information Center at Rambam. "Ingesting any part of the plant may cause nausea and vomiting, excessive salivation and sweating, dizziness, headache, tremors, fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate, muscular weakness, breathing difficulties, and, in severe cases, seizures or loss of consciousness."

“The severity of poisoning depends on the quantity consumed. Severe poisonings have been documented, and although uncommon, fatalities have been reported,” says Dr. Lurie. “There is no specific antidote. Treatment focuses on supporting vital organ function until the body metabolizes and eliminates the toxin.”

“Casual contact with the plant should not pose a risk of poisoning. However, we strongly urge the public not to pick or prepare teas or meals from wild plants unless they have been positively identified by qualified experts,” emphasizes Dr. Lurie. “In any suspected poisoning, it is important to bring the suspected source to the emergency department whenever possible. Because these patients brought the plant with them, our advisers—a volunteer team of expert botanists—quickly identified the tree to***co.”

08/24/2026

32 Years Later, Father and Son Share a Remarkably Similar Story

August 24, 2026 – Recently, a family found themselves at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) in Haifa, Israel, witnessing their family history repeat itself under remarkably similar wartime circumstances.

Twenty-one-year-old Avi* always wanted to serve in the IDF Combat Engineering Corps. A short while ago, while serving with comrades from the elite Yahalom Unit in Southern Lebanon, he was seriously wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack. He was evacuated to Rambam, where his parents, Haim and Michal, his two younger sisters, and his grandmother gathered outside his room.

Thirty-two years ago, a remarkably similar story unfolded when Avi's father, Haim Weiss, was injured in Lebanon and airlifted to Rambam. At the time, his anxious mother was by his side, encouraging her son throughout his recovery.

Now, history has repeated itself. Haim and his mother are again at Rambam, this time while Avi is treated in the hospital’s Department of Critical Care Medicine.

“I was wounded in Lebanon in 1994 as part of a paratrooper unit operating near the village of Sujud,” recalls Haim. “I was evacuated by helicopter to Rambam, and now my mother and I are here again.”

For Avi's grandmother, the return to Rambam brought back memories of the difficult days she spent at the hospital after Haim was wounded. More than 30 years later, she has again found herself at Rambam, this time hoping for her grandson’s recovery. Although concerned for him, she is confident, “My grandson is strong, and he will get through this.”

According to Haim, Avi lost a significant amount of blood and his life was in immediate danger. He credits the rapid medical response in the field with saving the lives of his son and two other soldiers from the Yahalom Unit who were wounded in the attack. Praising the Rambam medical team, he too expressed hope that his son would gradually recover.

For a family that has already experienced a similar ordeal, the days ahead are painfully familiar. All are aware that Avi faces a challenging road to recovery.

Two other soldiers wounded in the same attack were also airlifted and admitted to Rambam. We wish them a speedy and full recovery.

*Name changed to protect his identity

Based on an original Hebrew article that first appeared on Ynet

American Friends of Rambam Medical Center

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

09/30/2026

09/30/2026

09/16/2026

09/08/2026

09/03/2026

08/31/2026

08/26/2026

08/24/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Organization

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category

Listing takedown request