President Isaac Herzog guest of honour at Beit Halochem centre launch
The £50 million rehabilitation centre has now officially opened in Ashdod. The charity also has centres for wounded IDF soldiers in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beer Sheva
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, First Lady Michal Herzog, defence minister Israel Katz and hundreds of wounded veterans, their families and supporters from around the world were present at the official inauguration of the new Beit Halochem centre in Ashdod on 8 October.
Named in memory of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the centre represents the culmination of years of fundraising, planning and construction.
The state-of-the-art facility cost NIS 200 million (approximately £50 million), of which Beit Halochem UK contributed £13 million, thanks to the generosity of its donors and supporters.
Joining the existing centres in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beer Sheva, the Ashdod location will serve approximately 10,000 wounded veterans, including more than 3,000 individuals suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The complex houses Israel’s largest national PTSD treatment centre, alongside specialist physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, psychological counselling, sports, fitness and water sports facilities.
Beyond physical rehabilitation, the centre will provide vital emotional, social and family support, helping wounded veterans rebuild their confidence, independence and quality of life.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Isaac Herzog paid tribute to the country’s wounded veterans and their families: “We will never be able to repay the profound debt we owe you and your families. But here today, we offer our deepest and most genuine support to those who fought for our lives and who must now reclaim their own lives and rebuild them. This is the promise of Beit Halochem. This is how we rebuild Israel, one brick at a time.”
The charity’s chairman Edan Kleiman added: “An injury can happen in an instant. Rehabilitation is a journey that takes years and, sometimes, an entire lifetime. No one should have to embark on that journey alone.”
Beit Halochem UK has raised more than £54 million since its establishment in 2012.
Its chief executive Spencer Gelding said: “After years of fundraising and hard work, the dream has finally become a reality. Standing alongside so many of our brave veterans was incredibly emotional. Knowing what this centre will mean for their rehabilitation, their families and their futures made every bit of effort worthwhile. None of this would have been possible without our Trustees, our incredibly generous donors and the dedicated staff at Beit Halochem in Israel.”
Beit Halochem now supports more than 72,000 wounded veterans and victims of terror across Israel, compared with approximately 51,000 before October 2023.