In the midst of the war, a delegation of paramedical therapists, who also happen to be immigrants from France, is currently moving between army bases and assisting soldiers in treating routine pain.
Mobile container with 10 hot showers for the benefit of soldiers in the field // Eliran Bardugo
Fabrice Halfon, who heads the initiative, says, "When the war broke out, I looked for ways to contribute and help, and I did so by packing packages for soldiers and distributing them. At some point, I realized that I could contribute more in my profession, as a physiotherapist. Many soldiers, both regular and reserve, deal with routine pains such as back pain or muscle pain, so I took the initiative and decided to go to the bases themselves to provide treatments to the soldiers."
He continues: "With time and the lengthening of the fighting, I was joined by more physiotherapists and other people from the health professions, including podologists (who specialize in medical treatment of the foot), reflexologists, chiropractors, acupuncture specialists and more, and together we already have about 100 therapists, immigrants from France, who move with our equipment from base to base throughout the country. This volunteering fills us with satisfaction, and we call on other caregivers to join us and make things a little easier for the soldiers."
Physiotherapists, podologists, reflexologists, chiropractors, acupuncture specialists and more, photo: courtesy of the "Qualita" association
Ariel Kandel, CEO of "Qualita" (the umbrella organization for French immigrants in Israel), says that "the volunteer spirit of the new immigrants is always high, and these days in particular – breaking records. There are, of course, many who are recruited and fighting, but even those who are not in the security forces help in every possible way."
Helping soldiers treat routine pain, photo: courtesy of the "Qualita" association
"Apart from the wonderful initiative of Fabrice and his fellow caregivers, there are, for example, many immigrants who help farmers and integrate into various other projects. We are in a difficult time, and it warms our hearts to see the great brotherhood and unity among the people of Israel."
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