Soroka tells Riverdale of Iranian missile attack

That Shabbat, Oct. 25, at noon, Rachel Heisler Sheinfeld, executive director of American Friends of Soroka Medical Center, will speak at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale about how Soroka responded after an Iranian missile struck its campus.

Soroka Medical Center, in Be’er Sheva, is the only Level 1 trauma center in Israel’s south. Serving more than a million people — including Jews, Muslims, Christians and Bedouins — Soroka is often called Israel’s “Medical Iron Dome.”

On Oct. 7, 2023, Soroka stood at the epicenter of the unspeakable crisis of terror, responding with heroism, professionalism and unwavering care.

Soroka itself became a direct target this past summer. On June 19, an Iranian ballistic missile struck the heart of the medical center, destroying the surgical building, severely damaging many critical facilities, and injuring more than 70 people. The entire 70-acre campus was impacted.

This was the first direct attack on a major Israeli hospital, underscoring the vulnerability of Soroka’s infrastructure and the value of its mission.

While there was no loss of life, the destruction was significant: infrastructure was crippled, wards and labs were lost, and hundreds of patients displaced.

Despite this, Soroka’s staff continued lifesaving care — treating wounded civilians and soldiers, protecting premature infants, and providing emergency and trauma services without interruption. Within weeks, the hospital restored 80 percent of its capacity and reopened key departments. Since the attack, more than 1,100 babies have been born at Soroka.

The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale/The Bayit, which refers to itself as an Open Orthodox shul, is at 3700 Henry Hudson Parkway, at Netherland Avenue. Services begin at 9 am; Sheinfeld’s talk follows kiddush, at noon.