ALYN Hospital Pediatric & Adolescent Rehabilitation Center in Jerusalem serves children with congenital and acquired physical disabilities, regardless of religion or ethnic background. The hospital is best known for its use of cutting-edge technologies and novel methodologies, constantly elevating the standards of care provided to its young patients.
The hospital's innovative PELE program offers personalized solutions for children. PELE's professional staff and volunteers provide case-driven, personalized, and affordable solutions for children who face physical challenges to independence in their day-to-day activities.
Often, children with specific physical needs cannot find an "on-the-shelf" solution because commercial manufacturers do not produce tailor-made treatments for such small markets. This is where PELE comes in. The lab is fully equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, metal solders, special sewing machines, a carpentry shop, an electronics room, and more. PELE leverages ALYN Hospital's multidisciplinary occupational, physical, speech, and psychological therapists and other medical staff to devise ingenious solutions.
Following the attacks on October 7, PELE went into emergency mode. Thousands of civilians were evacuated from their homes and the PELE lab became a hub for dozens of high-tech volunteers from diverse disciplines. They came together to provide critical assistive technology solutions, often devising new inventions to meet the needs of evacuees with special needs, injured soldiers, and other survivors.
PELE's staff not only met with families at ALYN Hospital, but also with families sheltering in hotels with children with special needs. Many families had to evacuate their homes so quickly that they had to leave specialized equipment behind and were left with only the shirts on their backs. PELE met with injured soldiers and survivors of the Nova Music Festival who sustained serious injuries, as well.
Organized by Hadassah Academic College, PELE held a joint hackathon with Sheba Medical Center to come up with solutions for wounded soldiers. In fact, between January and June, more than 150 soldiers, survivors, and evacuee children and family members were treated by PELE. Some benefited directly from custom-made solutions, and others benefited indirectly through solutions developed for occupational therapists and nurses at Sheba Medical Center's Rehabilitation Department.
Among the patients was Boaz, who tragically lost function in his dominant hand at the Nova Music Festival. While recovering, he had a strong desire to play PlayStation, an activity that brought him joy and a sense of normalcy. PELE came up with a technological solution that allowed him to play his favorite game again.
Other patients include Tal, Binyamin, and Hadar, three soldiers wounded in the war. Their limb injuries made it difficult to put on tefillin (phylacteries) without help. Volunteer designers, together with engineering and design staff from PELE, worked with therapists at ALYN Hospital and Sheba Medical Center to develop a prototype and a completed product. The result? Now, the soldiers can lay tefillin without help.
Another noteworthy achievement from PELE was the adaptation of a quadricycle for a toddler girl who suffers from severe muscle weakness. This essential mobility aid is designed to accommodate her unique needs, allowing her to explore and engage with her environment in ways that were previously impossible. Family members, who were also evacuated from their home following October 7, say the quadricycle not only enhances her quality of life, but provides much-needed hope and joy.
JUF provided a $100,000 emergency grant to PELE, which allowed them to hire additional research and development personnel to meet the high demand for technology solutions during the war. Upon seeing the impact firsthand, a Chicago donor gave ALYN Hospital a specific grant to purchase additional specialized machinery for PELE's lab.
Through JUF's support to ALYN Hospital and its PELE program, our community has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of life of those who need it most in Israel, bringing the start-up nation's innovation to the service of wounded soldiers and kids with special needs.
Ofer Bavly is a JUF Vice President and the Director General of the JUF Israel Office.
