Israel to establish new rehab centre for veterans with traumatic brain injuries
Friends of the IDF has committed more than £7 million to the new 2,560-square-metre project, due to open in 2030
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) and Israel’s Ministry of Defence have signed an agreement to establish a new state-of-the-art rehabilitation centre for IDF veterans living with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries, one of the most complex and life-altering wounds sustained in military service.
The charity has committed $10 million (£7.4 million) toward the $24 million, (nearly £18 million) project, which is expected to open by 2030 and will become the only facility in Israel dedicated exclusively to the rehabilitation of IDF veterans with traumatic brain injuries.
The new centre comes as the country faces growing long-term rehabilitation needs since 7 October 2023, during which more than 300 soldiers sustained traumatic brain injuries, including approximately 100 severe cases requiring intensive, long-term care.
While advances in battlefield medicine have enabled more wounded soldiers to survive catastrophic injuries, many now face years of specialised rehabilitation to regain independence, rebuild their lives and successfully reintegrate into their families and communities.
FIDF chief executive Major General Nadav Padan said: “Our responsibility to Israel’s wounded veterans does not end when they leave the battlefield. Traumatic brain injuries are often described as invisible wounds because their effects extend far beyond physical symptoms. Veterans living with severe brain injuries frequently face long-term neurological, cognitive, emotional and behavioural challenges that require sustained, specialised intervention.”
The new centre is being designed to address these complex needs through an integrated rehabilitation model that combines therapeutic, educational, vocational and social services under one roof.
Padan added: “Traumatic brain injuries often require years of highly specialised treatment and support, affecting every aspect of a veteran’s life, from cognitive functioning and emotional well-being to employment, relationships and daily independence. This new centre will provide veterans with the comprehensive care, dignity and long-term support they deserve.”
Located on Yitzhak Sadeh Street in Tel Aviv, the new 2,560-square-metre facility will replace Beit Marguza, an older rehabilitation centre established in Jaffa in 1973. It will accommodate approximately 60 veterans at any given time and offer occupational therapy, social work, cognitive rehabilitation, emotional and behavioural treatment, physical rehabilitation and a range of creative and vocational therapies designed to support long-term recovery.
With planning approvals and municipal permits already been secured, the centre will feature three dedicated rehabilitation floors, secure protected spaces, accessible parking, therapeutic outdoor areas, balconies on each level and a rooftop terrace designed to support rehabilitation activities and community programming.
Ronit Senderovitch, head of the clinical social services division at the Israel Ministry of Defence rehabilitation department, said that the new centre “marks a milestone in the care provided to Israel’s most severely wounded veterans. Head injuries present complex challenges affecting patients and their families alike.
“Ensuring these individuals receive the finest possible care on their path back to life and community is both a national and moral obligation.”
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