Shortly after midnight on Sunday, a missile fired from Iran struck ALEH’s rehabilitative campus in Bnei Brak, one of Israel’s most advanced centers for children and teens with severe disabilities. The explosion shattered windows, collapsed portions of the building, and destroyed therapy rooms and vital equipment. An 80-year-old man living in a neighboring building was killed in the blast.
Miraculously, what could have been a mass casualty event was averted. Although the campus includes a public bomb shelter meant for nearby residents, it was locked that night. Dozens seeking refuge were forced to flee elsewhere, narrowly escaping the collapse.
The campus, which opened five years ago, served over 300 children with severe physical and cognitive disabilities. Many are unable to walk, speak, or breathe unaided and depend on ALEH for essential daily care and therapy.
“We were met with destruction at every turn,” said Rabbi Yehuda Marmorstein, ALEH’s founder and CEO, surveying the wreckage. “Classrooms, mobility equipment, therapy rooms — all gone. But the greatest pain is knowing that these children, who require around-the-clock treatment, are now left without it. They can’t wait. We must rebuild quickly — for them and their families.”
The attack came amid an unprecedented missile barrage by Iran targeting both military and civilian sites across Israel. For many, the strike on ALEH’s campus marked a heartbreaking escalation.
“This wasn’t just a building,” said one staff member. “It was a sanctuary.”
