Heard Around Jerusalem takes a different tack than usual today, bringing our readers the following two noteworthy, and unrelated, items:

First, we hear from Ron Krumer, Director, External Relations at Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem:

“This is one of the most surreal situations I remember since the first Gulf War in the early 90’s. Jerusalem (HMO included) is quiet and continues with routine – work, schools, and going out – everything. Some 40 miles from here there is war. Hundreds of thousand people are under on going bombardments of rockets and missiles, which have gone heavier in recent hours, and this time the attacks claimed some casualties on our side. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air force has also intensified its attacks in Gaza. I’m listening to the radio and the broadcast is stopped every couple of minutes with the announcement of another attack on another city in Israel.

Some 40 HMO employees were called up for military service, 30 of them are physicians. Our human resources division maintains contact with their families to assist them while the husbands/fathers are in the front. According to the news, the chance for a ground assault is higher now and everyone hopes it will not happen.

Still, both hospitals made necessary preparations to be ready just in case.

To make it more surreal, we continue to treat Palestinians from Gaza – there are a few of them here. Also, a soldier who needs a hand orthopedic surgery was transferred to Hadassah from a hospital in the south.”

And second, eJewish Philanthropy extends a Kol HaKavod to long-time educator Avraham Infeld who, last week, was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem. In presenting the degree, HUC president Rabbi Dr. David Ellenson described Infeld as “one of the most transformative leaders in Jewish life.”