HMZOA previously refused to keep HMO director-general beyond 2009.
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICHmor yosef 311(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The doctors’ committee of the Hadassah Medical Organization issued “warm congratulations” to Hadassah Women’s Zionist Organization of America national president Nancy Falchuk for agreeing to extend the tenure of HMO director-general Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef for about two years, The Jerusalem Post learned on Saturday night. Previously, Falchuk and the American members of HMO’s board of directors had refused to extend his term beyond December 2010.The agreement was reached after hours of discussions in Falchuk’s New York office, where Mor-Yosef was specially invited. HMZOA and Mor-Yosef issued a terse joint statement on Friday that they “have reached an amicable agreement concerning the continued management of HMO in Jerusalem.”No details were released, but the Post learned that Mor-Yosef, who has the overwhelming support of thousands of HMO’s workers, would continue for another two years into 2012 – the period during which the 14-story hospitalization tower at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem is due to open. Mor-Yosef was involved in the planning of the monumental facility from the start. The building, which will have 500 beds and the most advanced technologies and replace all existing wards, is meant to celebrate the women’s organization’s 100th birthday.Those close to Mor-Yosef, who flew back to Jerusalem before Shabbat, said he was “satisfied” with the results of the New York meeting, which also included an HWZOA commitment for continued financial support for the HMO.Committee heads Prof. Avinoam Reches and Prof. Raphael Udassin stated that the recent public struggle for the continuation of Mor-Yosef, who has been at the helm of HMO for nine years, “was not meant personally against anyone, including the national president of Hadassah. If we hurt the honor and status of Mrs. Falchuk in the last few weeks, we apologize publicly,” the senior doctors said. “The staff commit themselves to work in total harmony with HWZOA – which we appreciate and honor – to preserve the clinical and research excellence of HMO and do all we can for the patients, according to Hadassah’s long tradition,” they concluded. More details will be released when the HMO board convenes in Jerusalem on March 16 and 17.It was not certain on Saturday night whether HWZOA would replace the four Israeli board members who resigned in protest over the Mor-Yosef issue with new ones, or invite the previous members to return.In a message to the HMO staff upon his return to Jerusalem, Mor-Yosefsaid that “the last few months were very difficult for relationsbetween the Hadassah University Medical Centers and HWZOA. To the joyof all of us, the HWZOA president and I reached a positive agreement onthe issues of disagreement. I hope that from this crisis we will emergestrong and continue to advance the development of the hospitals to newheights. HWZOA is an impressive and important organization, and itscontributions to the State of Israel are overwhelming. We all thankHWZOA and Nancy Falchuk for its boundless support over the years andhope the partnership continues for many more.”
