The donation which waited 40 years

The donation was made by the families of Dr. Wilder (a pediatrician) and Dr. Pachner (an ophthalmologist) who discovered the fund and the money it contained after the doctors passed away at an old age.

Ms. Michal Mendelsohn, Dr. Wilder’s daughter, relates in the name of the families: The source of the money for the donation is money collected in 1983 during the great doctors’ strike, as part of the fund established by Dr. Wilder and Dr. Pachner who were some of the doctors active on the committee of the Histadrut of the doctors of Hadera, the Sharon, and the Shomron – doctors who were residents of Hadera and its surrounding area. During the strike, many doctors faced financial distress and money was raised to help them. After the strike ended, money remained in a dedicated fund, in a special account - with no one to seek it out. When our parents died and we discovered the fund, we immediately all agreed that the correct thing would be to earmark it exactly for the purpose for which it was established – assistance to doctors. Since the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center is the largest medical center in our region, it was only natural that we made contact with its management who were, of course, delighted with the donation and immediately suggested that it be used for scholarships for young doctors.

Ms. Mendelsohn also concluded and added that the families see in this donation, “fulfilling the will of our parents the doctors – monies which were donated by doctors to help other doctors will help the new generation of young doctors to become professional and develop for the benefit of the patients who need them. This essentially passes on our parents’ message of medical excellence alongside human commitment to the community and to professional colleagues.”

The medical center administration, representatives of the Wilder and Pachner families, and representatives of the doctors of the Hadera Doctors’ Fund for Scientific Activity and Mutual Assistance, next to the dedication board which was affixed for the donation

Present on the occasion of receiving the donation from the moved families, Dr. Mickey Dudkiewicz – Director General of the Medical Center; Dr. Amnon Ben Moshe – Administrative Director; Director of Nursing, Ms. Dina Fainblat; Deputy Director General of the Medical Center – Dr. Dikla Dahan, who maintained contact with the families, and the present fund representatives, Dr. Alexander Pesach and Dr. Anat Laver-Segal, and others.

During the meeting with the families, during which a Donor Board was affixed in the main corridor of the Medical Center, Dr. Dudkiewicz expressed his appreciation on behalf of all those present for the generous donation, and noted that he was delighted with the families’ choice of Hillel Yaffe as the “home” for the donation. He also promised to continue to be in contact with the families and to update them regarding the identity of the doctors who will merit using the funds.