ICEJ Sponsors Medical Training Course
By: Anastasiya Gooding
Since 1980 the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has faithfully helped the Jewish people return to Israel and put down roots in their ancestral homeland by supporting various integration initiatives.
Often when we meet Olim (new immigrants), we see a burning desire in their hearts not only to establish their personal lives in Israel but also to make a special contribution to the country in which they are now citizens.
In response, the ICEJ actively supports various programs that help new immigrants update their professional credentials or receive training to pursue employment opportunities and fully develop their careers here in Israel.
One such program offers a medical training course for doctors from Russian-speaking countries aimed at helping them pass a recertification exam so they can practice their profession in Israel. This course is a win-win for immigrants and for Israel, where there is a great need for qualified medical professionals. Upon successfully completing their exams, these immigrant doctors will undergo an internship supervised by Israeli doctors before they are fully qualified in Israel. Some 99 percent complete the course and receive assistance to find employment in hospitals around the country.
Ilya and Olga’s Story
Ilya and Olga made Aliyah last year and through the ICEJ’s sponsorship, joined the medical course to work toward certification in Israel. Ilya always dreamed of making Aliyah and wanted to serve as a doctor here in Israel. He studied to be a family doctor and plans to specialize in oncology. His wife Olga is an epidemiologist. However, after moving to Israel, she decided to study a new field of medicine to broaden her horizons.
The program contains many benefits: it provides a place to stay, a stipend for food, and the freedom to study without having to find work immediately. This was helpful to Ilya and Olga because it allowed them to focus on their studies.
“This is a very high-level course, and we have learned a lot of new information that was very useful for our doctor’s career,” said Ilya. Olga also pointed out how inspiring it was to learn there are treatment options in Israel that did not exist in the hospitals where they previously worked. “Thank you for this opportunity and for your interest in these programs. Thank you so much for your help,” Ilya said gratefully.
Now they want to become established here in Israel and be good doctors and citizens. They dream of offering their children a better future and more opportunities.
Dima’s Story
Dima moved to Israel from a small town. He studied general medicine, and he and his wife—also a doctor—participated in the medical training course.
“I am very surprised by the gift that this program has been,” he stated. “Israel has some of the best medicine in the world. I have not seen anything better and feel that this is an opportunity to advance.”
Dima has made many friends among the other doctors in the program. He and his wife took their exams at the end of July and plan to complete their internships and build new lives and careers in a different city in Israel. “I would like to study cardiology and start first in Haifa,” Dima offered.
Changing Bad History Together
Nicole Yoder, the ICEJ’s Vice President for AID & Aliyah, recently met with some of the medical trainees we are sponsoring and explained that our financial support for them comes from Christians around the world who want to bless the people of Israel in practical ways.
Emil, a training program coordinator, responded: “Thank you so much for all of your support and help. I am a historian by profession. I know that there have been many tough times between Christians and Jews throughout history.
“What you and other Christian organizations do is an opportunity to change the bad history, to bring hearts together. This is very beautiful,” Emil added. “I hope it will continue and that we will be brothers and sisters living in peace. Thank you so much.”
In turn, we want to thank you—our supporters—for your generous giving, which is breaking down the barriers built over the centuries and forging new relationships between Christians and Jews.
Help the ICEJ continue to provide Aliyah and immigration assistance.