The war sparked by the atrocities committed by antisemitic organization Hamas against Israel on Oct. 7 continues as do the health needs of Palestinians  and the foundational change that has to take place for Palestinians and Israel to live as neighbors in peace.

The terrorist group Hamas killed about 2,400 Israelis in brutal manners such as beheadings, raping women and girls and taking hostages, some of whom have been killed by the torture and wounds inflicted by Hamas.

Against this backdrop of horror some people rise to the occasion, seeing the need to help and offering to help heal wounds borne from traumas both physical and emotional.

It is in this context that American International College invites Baystate Health physician and colleagues to speak remotely from Israel and the West Bank to  address public health initiatives in the embattled region

From AIC Press Release:

SPRINGFIELD, MA – American International College (AIC) is pleased to present the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Lecture in Public Health, featuring Dr. Norbert Goldfield, MD, a physician at Baystate Health and Founder and Executive Director of Healing Across the Divides (HATD).

The lecture, scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will be held in AIC’s Schwartz Campus Center Auditorium, with remote presentations from speakers in Israel and the West Bank.

Dr. Goldfield will discuss the work of HATD, an organization based in Northampton, Massachusetts, which he established twenty years ago. HATD works to enhance healthcare for Israelis and Palestinians by providing grant funding and technical support to community groups in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

This lecture provides an opportunity for the campus and local communities to hear compelling stories about people on opposite sides of a conflict working together to advance community health, even amidst stressful and challenging conditions.

“The mission of Healing Across the Divides to advance peace through health is powerful,” said Karen Rousseau, PhD, RN, Dean of AIC’s School of Health Sciences. “Their work promoting health among Israeli and Palestinian people with a focus on community-based interventions is critical, especially at this time.”

The lecture will focus on HATD’s approach to fostering peacebuilding through initiatives designed to improve health. HATD supports organizations employing evidence-based approaches to address health challenges, including diabetes, lifestyles, youth mental health, heart disease, stroke prevention, and reproductive health.

However, due to the ongoing conflict in the region, the group’s priority is delivering essential emergency services. Dr. Goldfield is a practicing internist at Baystate Brightwood Health Center, a community healthcare facility in Springfield. With over thirty years of experience, he has led restructuring efforts in healthcare systems at national and community levels. Additionally, he has extensive experience collaborating with those in the Israeli and Palestinian communities.

The lecture will also include virtual appearances from Veronica Vigdorchik in Israel and Nehad Fatah in the West Bank, both program specialists with Healing Across the Divides. They will discuss the health programs funded by HATD in those areas and address the impact of the current conflict on residents.

Vigdorchik, originally from Russia, immigrated to Israel at six with her parents. In addition to her role as an HATD representative, she serves as a facilitator for Israeli-Palestinian dialogue. Fatah, a Palestinian American living in Ramallah, West Bank, has been affiliated with HATD since 2016.

AIC established the Desmond Tutu Public Health Lecture Series in 2010 to bring awareness to the issue of public health. Its namesake, Archbishop Tutu, served as the event’s inaugural speaker. The lecture, presented with generous sponsorship support from Baystate Health, is free and open to the public.