Rambam Hospital has become a central hub for treating casualties in the ongoing conflict in northern Israel, creating an urgent need for a solution for the employees’ children. As a result, an unprecedented scale daycare facility was set up in the hospital’s underground space.
The decision to establish this daycare came after the escalation in the conflict with Hezbollah, during which schools from Haifa and further north were unable to operate. The goal was to enable hospital staff to continue their critical roles, assured that their children were safe in a secure environment.
The daycare, located on level -2 of the hospital’s fortified area, is designed for 450 children aged 3-12. It includes ten well-equipped classrooms, meticulously planned to provide an enriching and safe environment for the children.
Each kindergarten classroom includes a play area, lounge seating, play mats, a television with children’s content, craft tables, bean bags, storage drawers, and creative play materials. The space was designed as a result of a collaboration between Rambam Medical Center and the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design’s School of Architecture in Jerusalem. The planning and design were volunteered by Lior Ramon, a teaching assistant at the School of Architecture, and Sharon Adar, a master’s student in industrial design at Bezalel.
The project was funded by a generous donation from Michael and Linda Frieze of Boston, through their family foundation.
Maya Benjamin, Head of Welfare at Rambam’s Human Resources Department, emphasized the careful planning: “We thought of every detail to meet as many needs as possible for the employees’ children. Together with the Haifa municipality, we recruited assistants fluent in Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, and Amharic. A total of 200 staff members will assist 400 to 450 children across 10 classrooms.”
Merav Ganot, Head of the Welfare Department at Rambam’s Human Resources Department, noted the team’s high motivation: “Everyone feels a sense of mission for this project, which will provide peace of mind for employees knowing their children are cared for and protected.”
The extensive efforts to support medical staff during the emergency reach new heights, allowing them to focus on their vital work, assured that their children are in a safe and well-cared-for environment.
