The successful doctors who came to the MedEx conference in Paris, held against the backdrop of the acute shortage of doctors in Israel, talk about anti-Semitism in Europe. In Israel they hope to accelerate the increase of 2000 doctors that are needed in the country
The MedEx conference in Paris concluded a week of Aliya events and solidarity with Israel, with the participation of thousands of Jews from around the world.
The conference, which was held with the participation of Minister of Immigration and Absorption Ofir Sofer, representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Israel Medical Association, the health insurance funds and leading hospitals, was designed to accelerate the immigration of 2,000 Jewish doctors from around the world in the next five years.
Among the participants in the conference were many doctors from France and Belgium, who expressed their desire to immigrate to Israel following the rising wave of anti-Semitism in Europe.
Dr. Natan Blaish, a family doctor from Paris, added: “I feel the anti-Semitism in the hospital and in the union. I don’t feel safe here and will immigrate to Israel next year.”
Dr. Laurent Savage is an expert cardiologist who works in the French capital and manages nine catheterization clinics.
One of his children studies medicine at Bar-Ilan University and specializes in Ziv Hospital. Two more children are studying medicine and biomedicine. “I want to join my children,” he explains what brought him to the conference. “It’s a bit difficult in terms of language and bureaucracy. If I can’t catheterize in Israel, then it’s better for me to stay in France. For me, it’s problematic to stay here, the future is problematic. Slogans ‘liberate Palestine’ were sprayed in my hospital. Anti-Semitism is definitely growing and we think there is no future for Jews in France, all of us, Rather doctors.”
Dr. Ariela, an emergency physician, talked about her volunteering at the MDA after the last wave of terror: “I treated a 9-year-old girl who had a heart attack because of an alarm. I want to go to Israel and help my people.”
As part of the conference, the doctors met with representatives of the Ministry of Health and the Medical Association to arrange their employment license and all the specialization documents. They also held rounds of interviews with representatives of the hospitals and health insurance funds and received information about the official procedures and the various grants.
Alongside the MedEx conference, an Aliyah and Solidarity to Israel fair was held in Paris, following the growing interest in Aliyah since October 7. At the beginning of the month, a conference was held with about 1,500 participants in New York, and two weeks ago a large fair was held in London after five years in which no similar fair was held.
Minister of Immigration and Absorption, Ofir Sofer, said:
“The immigration of doctors to the State of Israel, and in particular to the Galilee and the Negev, will greatly strengthen the Israeli health system. The doctors’ conference in Paris is a continuation of the large conference that took place this month in New York, and their goal is to bring talented and good Jewish doctors to the State of Israel in the immediate time frame.”
Co-founder and CEO of Nefesh Benefesh, Rabbi Yehoshua Pess, added: “This is a historic moment. This is nothing less than good news that will give the health system in Israel the extra working hands it so desperately needs.”
The Chairman of the Jewish Agency, General (Ret.) Doron Almog, stated:
“The new immigrants are important partners in the building of the state and its development since its inception. They are an essential part of the mosaic of the entire Israeli society. Their contribution is significant in all fields and so is the field of medicine and health.”
The head of the delegation of the Jewish Agency in France, Emmanuel Zion, estimated that this year about 4,000 Jews from France will immigrate to Israel, compared to only 1,000 in 2023.
The conference emphasizes Israel’s commitment to receiving quality immigration, and the desire of many Jews from around the world to join it and be partners in its destiny.
