The war ends on the news. For the wounded, it is just beginning.
We walk beside Israel's wounded, in body and in mind, and beside families harmed by medical negligence. One person, one case, from the hospital door to a life rebuilt.
It started with one family no one would answer
Ofek Taub was catastrophically injured at eight months old as a result of medical negligence. For twelve years his family learned first‑hand what it means to stand alone against Israel's health, welfare and education systems, with no one to explain, guide, or take responsibility.
In 2014 they founded Ofek LaChaim so that no other family would face it alone. Since then we have accompanied 712 families through medical crises and supported 1,342 families raising children with disabilities.
On October 7th, 2023, the population changed, the method did not. Today we accompany 72 wounded veterans and are building capacity for 480.
Two fronts, one principle
Rehabilitation of the wounded
Personal case management for those wounded in the Israel–Hamas war and for their families: navigating the Ministry of Defense rehabilitation division and National Insurance, resilience workshops, vocational rehabilitation, and support for the family carrying it all.
Fixing the health system
Support for families harmed by medical negligence, alongside prevention: legislation, Knesset committee work, patient‑safety programs with the Ministry of Health, and public transparency databases.
Navigation
Who is responsible for what, in what order, and by when, across every agency involved.
Entitlements
Preparing for medical committees, gathering documentation, filing appeals, securing what is owed.
Resilience workshops
Groups for the wounded and for family members, led by clinicians. Alongside therapy, never instead of it.
Return to work
Skills mapping, training, placement with employers we have prepared, and support through the first months on the job.
The whole family
Spouses, parents and siblings. Caregivers erode quietly, and without their own support they break next.
Policy and law
Legislation that outlives any single case. Five laws and policy changes to date.
What actually changed
Every item below is backed by a law, a committee protocol or a published report.
Medical records law
Initiated by Ofek: hospitals are now required to hand a patient their full medical file. Without it, a family harmed by negligence cannot even find out what happened.
National task force on medical negligence
Co‑founded and co‑led by Ofek, bringing victims, professionals and legislators to one table.
Compensation for bodily‑injury claimants
A first legislative step toward regulating compensation, after work with Knesset committees.
Blocking a discriminatory triage document
At the height of COVID‑19, Ofek publicly opposed a document that discriminated against people with disabilities in treatment prioritisation.
₪500,000 redirected to treatment and prevention
Funds channelled directly into care for victims of medical negligence and into prevention work.
War response
Within weeks of October 7th, Ofek built a support system for war casualties, with particular focus on families already raising children with disabilities.
“This collaboration led to the ‘Partners for Life’ project, an innovative project creating dialogue and advancing transparency between clinician and patient. I thank Mr. Amiad Taub and the association members for this fruitful cooperation.”
Dana Arad, Head of the Patient Safety Division · Israel Ministry of Health · February 2023Ofek Raphael Taub, 2010 to 2022
Ofek lived twelve years. The association carries his name, and so do the places built in his memory: places that children, patients and soldiers use every day.
Every December, thousands of people across Israel mark a Day of Good Deeds in his name under the banner “Seeing the Horizon”: visiting the elderly, baking for soldiers and families in need, and teaching children to see the person next to them.
Also in his name: a scholarship fund for special-education students with the David Yellin College, and a community lending library of prayer books.
Run by volunteers, independent by design
Adv. Ruth Ofri Taub
Attorney. Co‑founded the association and chairs it. Oversees family case management, professional partnerships and reporting to the authorities. Serves as a full volunteer.
Amiad Taub
Ofek’s father and co‑founder of the association in 2014. Holds no office in the association and does not sit on its board. Volunteers without salary or expense reimbursement.
Shaike Bashan
Manages the association’s finances as a full volunteer, after 33 years in management at Tel Aviv’s Heichal HaTarbut. Responsible for reporting to the Registrar and to the auditing accountant.
Independence and conflicts of interest
Ofek LaChaim is an independent body. It does not act on behalf of, in the name of, or in partnership with any government, public or security body, and receives no dedicated funding from them. The founder’s involvement, and that of his entire family, is voluntary and unpaid. Other public or professional roles held by members are fully separate from the association and confer no advantage, access or status. Families and wounded veterans reach us on their own initiative or through professionals.
Your donation is tax‑deductible
Ofek LaChaim is a registered Israeli nonprofit. Donations are processed through JGive, a regulated giving platform, never on this site, and never by phone solicitation.
JGive's American arm is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. US donors receive a US tax receipt.
EIN 81-0757923
Approved under Section 46 of the Israeli Income Tax Ordinance, valid through 31/12/2028. Donations above ₪200 per year earn a 35% tax credit.
Donors in the UK, Canada, Australia and across the EU can give with local tax recognition. Contact us and we will route you correctly.
Check us before you give
All certificates are published in full on our Hebrew transparency page, and a complete document pack is available on request.
Ofek Ecosystem
Case‑by‑case support solves one person's problem. Answering 27,000 wounded requires infrastructure: a place where physical, psychological, vocational and family rehabilitation happen together, in the same place, at the same time.
That is Ofek Ecosystem, capability‑based rehabilitation villages. It is the association's central project for the coming decade, and the reason most donations are needed now.
72 today. 480 next.
Every gift goes directly into case management, resilience workshops and vocational rehabilitation, and is tax‑deductible in the United States, Israel and 32 other countries.