The Defense Ministry and the Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF) signed an agreement earlier this month to create a modern rehabilitation center for army veterans who have sustained traumatic brain injuries.

The accord follows the Israeli government's recent approval of reforms to the rehabilitation system for wounded IDF soldiers.

Since October 7, more than 26,000 wounded IDF soldiers and security personnel have required treatment, according to the Defense Ministry.

Of these, over 300 soldiers have suffered traumatic brain injuries, with roughly one-third needing more intensive and extended care that the new center is intended to supply.

The facility, covering 2,560 square meters, will replace the older Beit Marguza center in Jaffa, which dates to 1973 and fails to meet current accessibility standards. It is planned to serve about 60 veterans.

Situated in Tel Aviv, the center will be the sole facility in Israel dedicated exclusively to the rehabilitation of IDF veterans with brain trauma and is expected to be finished in 2030.

The center will deliver both short-term and long-term recovery services through rehabilitation programs that include occupational therapy, social work, and cognitive rehabilitation.

It will also feature outdoor spaces, balconies, and a rooftop terrace for community activities, as well as dedicated parking and protected areas.

Brain injuries: Traumatic, invisible wounds

The FIDF, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting Israeli soldiers, has pledged $10 million of the $24 million needed for the project. Permits have been secured, and final preparations before construction are in progress.

"Our duty to Israel's wounded veterans continues after they depart the battlefield. Traumatic brain injuries are often termed invisible wounds because their effects reach well beyond physical symptoms," said FIDF CEO Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nadav Padan.

"Veterans living with severe brain injuries commonly encounter long-term neurological, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral difficulties that call for sustained, specialized support."

He added that the new center will meet these needs with an "integrated rehabilitation model that unites therapeutic, educational, vocational, and social services under one roof."

The center will furnish veterans with the "comprehensive care, dignity, and enduring assistance they merit while ensuring Israel is ready to address the rehabilitation demands of today and tomorrow."

"The new rehabilitation center represents a milestone in the care provided to Israel's most severely wounded veterans," said Ronit Senderovitch, Head of Clinical Social Services at the Defense Ministry's Rehabilitation Department. "The center will combine world-leading treatments and technologies under one roof, in a modern, accessible, and dignified setting."

"Ensuring these individuals receive the finest possible care on their path back to life and community is both a national and moral obligation."