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Dear Friends of the Lirot Association, This December, we gathered for the semi-annual board meeting of the association, to approve the 2025 budget and reflect on the past year's activities.
While dates and calendars are a human invention, sometimes it's good to pause, look back, and summarize a period of time. And oh what a period of time it has been. We were surprised to see, in the summary of volunteer hours this past year,
how significantly large it was, compared to the previous year.
The difficult situations we've all experienced, along with the uncertainty, ever-changing routine and concern for our loved ones, seems to have driven us all toward meaningful action, and the results speak for themselves.
On this opportunity, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteer doctors, who dedicate their time and energy to support the association's activities. We’ve highlighted some of these initiatives for you today. Feel free to read and respond via email if you have any questions or requests.
We would like to wish you all bright and joyous holidays, a happy new year, good health, and the hope that we will soon see the hostages reunited with their families.
Warm regards, Nadine Hollander, CEO The Association Team Friends’ Society and the Lirot Association Board
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- January: We held a panel on eye health in Herzliya, moderated by Moshe Nestelbaum, who interviewed Nadine Hollander, Dr. Shiri Shulman, and Dr. Orly Gal-Or about retinal diseases, cataract and more.
- March: We hosted a webinar on Uveitis with Prof. Zohar Habot-Wilner, an ophthalmology expert specializing in retinal diseases, uveitis, inflammatory eye diseases, and dry eye.
- May: The association’s CEO, Ms. Nadine Hollander, and student Noam Ben Ari presented a new project at Reichman University (IDC Herzliya) in collaboration with the Herzliya Municipality.
The project aims at raising awareness about preventing blindness in the next generation. The event included roundtable discussions and thought-provoking questions.
- July: A seminar was held for patients and their families on eye health. Special thanks to the event chair, Dr. Shiri Shulman, journalist Jonathan Riger for moderating the panel, Dr. Sarah Sela, and optometrist Natan Feit.
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The "Lirot" association is delighted to announce two researchers who have been awarded our scholarships for their groundbreaking research:
Research Track: The selected study was submitted by the Rabin Medical Center - Beilinson and Hasharon Hospitals, conducted by Dr. Yamit Cohen-Tayar, Prof. Irit Bahar, and Dr. Eldama Shash-Han, on the topic:"Proteomic and epitranscriptomic signatures as biomarkers for corneal limbal stem cell deficiency."
Clinical Track: The selected study was submitted by Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, conducted by Dr. Samar Khatib, Prof. Ofra Benny, and Prof. Itai Chowers, on the topic:"Development of a combination therapy for simultaneous multidimensional treatment of retinal vascular diseases."
Acknowledgments: We take this opportunity to thank all members of the scientific committee, led by Prof. Dror Sharon and Prof. Tamar Ben-Yosef, for their efforts in selecting the awardees. |
Every year, we at the "Lirot" association dedicate one month to raising awareness about eye health, focusing on a different topic each time.
Typically, Awareness Month takes place in December. However, at the end of 2023, we decided to postpone it due to the ongoing situation. Who could have imagined that we would still find ourselves in a state of war six months later?
This time, we chose to dedicate the Awareness Month to exploring the intersection between ophthalmology and Artificial intelligence. This initiative was led by Prof. Irit Bahar, Head of the Ophthalmology Department at Rabin Medical Center and a member of the "Lirot" board of directors.
A heartfelt thank you to Prof. Bahar for her immense dedication and tireless work for the benefit of the public! |
| | On November 11th, we launched a week-long crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for our Protective Glasses for Soldiers project. We set an ambitious goal of 200,000 NIS, aiming to achieve it with the help of approximately 50 ambassadors. While this wasn’t our first crowdfunding campaign, it was the first time we initiated an ambassador-driven campaign, testing the strength of our community.
The results exceeded all expectations: We raised an impressive 291,500 NIS, which is 112% of our original goal. The most incredible statistic for us? 655 donors! 655 individuals who decided this cause mattered to them, who believed in our organization, and who were inspired by our dedicated ambassadors—you. We were thrilled to see how incredible our ambassadors were. Without you, our amazing community, we could not have reached—and surpassed—our goal.
So, here’s another heartfelt thank you: for every donation, every share, every bit of outreach, and every effort you made during this project and throughout the year. Thank you. |
Here is an example of a thank you letter wo got from one of our beneficiaries: To Nadine and the Lirot Association, We wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for your incredibly important contribution to our unit. The guys wouldn't have been wearing protective goggles if it weren’t for the ones you sent. These goggles, which don’t require swapping between dark and bright environments, make all the difference in whether a soldier wears protective goggles or not!
What we get from the army are goggles with two pairs of lenses: one for the sun and one clear for nighttime or shaded areas. If you head out to combat during the day, you constantly need to switch between the clear and sun lenses, which is exhausting. As a result, the guys simply don’t wear them.
What you provided completely transforms the combat experience and ensures the safety of our eyes. The goggles automatically adjust between sunlight and clear mode, eliminating the hassle entirely. This makes such a difference that the soldiers actually wear them—and they’re incredibly comfortable too.
Beyond this, it’s incredibly heartwarming to know, that there are people who care about us, have our backs, and value what we do. We are currently in the midst of reserve duty in the Netzarim corridor, carrying out critical missions with pride and great dedication. Even after a year and a half of combat, it’s touching to know we haven’t been forgotten, and we’re not taken for granted.
Thank you for protecting our eyes and warming our hearts! With love, The Reconnaissance Company of Battalion 7008, Brigade 55 |
Wishing you again a happy and healthy new year. Please feel free to reply to this mail with your thoughts, requests or comments. |
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