While My Guitar Gently Weeps

L-R: Itamar Solomon, Osher Damri and Chaim Yakar photographed just minutes before the incident.

A picture of three handsome, young soldiers smiling and embracing hangs framed in front of the bed in full view of Sergeant Itamar Solomon who just three weeks ago was admitted to Beilinson Hospital at the Rabin Medical Center.

Sergeant Itamar Solomon, 20 years old, was seriously injured while on a mission in Nablus (Shechem) with his unit called "Charov," which is part of the infantry division of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He was first treated in the Trauma Unit at Rabin Medical Center and underwent a series of operations. He is currently recovering in the intensive care unit.

During the mission, in which Itamar was critically wounded, his best friend Osher Damri (z"l) (pictured center) stood by his side during the attack, but was killed.

Itamar has been an avid guitar player since a young age. After the incident, and the death of his best friend Osher, Itamar lost all will to play. In order to lift his spirits, his family decided to surprise him with a guest visitor, renowned Israeli guitar player Sin-Goldah. The surprise worked. Not only did the two guitarists jam together, but most importantly, it brought a huge smile to Itamar's face and he has since resumed playing.

Itamar's mother, Michal Solomon, expressed her amazement at the luxurious accommodations and the around the clock personal attention that the staff at Rabin Medical Center is providing to her son. "It is exceptional, commented his mother." She has been given a bed in an adjoining room so that she can be near her son. Mrs. Solomon attributes much of her son's recovery to the personal care of the doctors and nurses at Rabin Medical Center.

Rabin Medical Center's campus admits roughly 6,000 IDF soldiers a year. As a result of the ongoing attacks in the North of Israel, hospitals and government offices in the Northern region are overwhelmed. Rabin Medical Center, being one of the premier hospitals in Israel, more then doubled its number of Northern residents admitted as in-patients to the hospital in the last month and received wounded soldiers from Lebanon.

It is with this unified and determined goal that the staff of Rabin Medical Center vows to continue to offer the citizens of Israel and its brave soldiers the most up-to-date treatment and comfortable care during these difficult times.

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