For four years, from 2000 to 2004, my husband Brian and I were graduate students on a shoestring budget living in Beer Sheva. He was attending the Medical School for International Health (MSIH) while I attended Ben-Gurion University. Our lives revolved around the Soroka Medical Center campus, a place that became incredibly special to us. It was there that we learned about Israel’s history, formed deep friendships, and even experienced the trauma of the Second Intifada. But above all, we witnessed a professional community that was unwavering in its commitment to treating every single patient with the highest level of care.

For over 60 years, Soroka Medical Center has been the beating heart of Israel’s South. As the only major hospital in the Negev region, it serves over one million residents from diverse communities, making it a critical national asset. Soroka provides life-saving care under all circumstances, and its role has become even more vital since the October 7, 2023, terror attack and the war that followed. Since then, Soroka’s medical teams have treated over 4,300 wounded civilians and soldiers.

On June 19, 2025, I was back in Israel when a story broke that stopped my heart: Soroka Medical Center took a direct hit by an Iranian missile. As a 1,000-bed hospital, usually at full capacity, my immediate fear was that there had been a significant loss of life. But in a truly miraculous moment, the hospital leadership had moved patients out of vulnerable areas just the day before. Not a single life was lost!

While we celebrate this miraculous outcome, the missile caused extensive damage to both Soroka University Medical Center and the adjacent Ben-Gurion University (BGU) campus. A missile slammed directly into an older building at Soroka that housed surgical wards and, critically, nine BGU medical research labs. The shockwaves wreaked havoc on almost half of the buildings on the nearby Marcus Family Campus, including classrooms, labs, and lecture halls. This has left a significant gap in Israel’s medical system and has placed the university in a difficult position.

The instruction and training of Israel’s future doctors are vital, especially given the current shortage of physicians. While some of the medical education facilities at Soroka are still usable, Soroka must vacate them immediately to free up all available space for the hospital’s patient care. This means BGU must find new homes for its classrooms for medical students and wrecked teaching labs.

I am now asking you to join me in this vital mission to help restore Soroka’s facilities. As the prophet Zechariah told the people as they faced the daunting task of rebuilding their temple: “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). This verse captures the very essence of the work that lies ahead. This is a monumental task that cannot be accomplished by human effort alone. God has already shown his mighty display of protection and intervention on June 19. Israel needs our support to help rebuild what has been lost, allowing us to turn this adversity into renewal. By contributing to the recovery and resilience funds, you will enable Ben-Gurion University and Soroka to not only rebuild their facilities but to also continue their vital work of educating future medical professionals and serving the entire Negev community.

Sincerely,

Shelley Neese