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The Jerusalem Marathon 2019 The marathon has become a rite of passage for many gap year students in Israel. It is a beautiful route, complete with running past the Old City walls and into modern Jerusalem. Many students are using the Jerusalem Marathon to run for different chessed (charitable) organizations. Whether they are running the full 42 km, 21 km, 10 km, or 5 km, we wish all the runners stamina and luck! There are important medical guidelines to follow as per the Jerusalem Marathon organizers: The Ministry of Health recommends that a family or sports physician examine runners before running...

Are you coming to Israel for Passover? Travel insurance provides you with protection against medical costs. Many tourists arrive in Israel without any medical insurance or with a plan that requires tourists to pay out of pocket for any medical surprises while they are away. When tourists return home, they need to deal with the paperwork and bureaucracy to get reimbursed for medical expenses. Medical Problems on Passover Medical problems and emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime. We cannot anticipate them with hundreds of thousands of tourists coming to Israel for Passover, the likelihood of medical problems arising increases. Some common unexpected...

  If you are one of the hundreds of visitors coming to Israel for the holidays, EMA Care offers you tips on eating healthy on vacation!! In Israel, eating healthy when on vacation can be a double whammy……on vacation plus Jewish holidays!! Vacation is a time to relax, to not be at home, and to enjoy a different culture and foods. Some people look at a vacation as a time to indulge. Jewish holidays are based on lots of time praying in the synagogue and lots of time eating large, delicious holiday meals. This combination can result in an indulgent holiday...

Crohn’s disease in Israel can be challenging to manage, especially for students and tourists who do not have access to the full-service Israeli health care system. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affect as many as 1.4 million Americans, most of who are diagnosed before age 30.   Crohn’s disease causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue in the gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation. It is a life-long condition that can be treated but not cured.   Crohn's Disease Management in Israel Ashkenazi Jews are at significantly higher risk for Crohn's disease, and research is being conducted to...

Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with viruses, bacteria, toxins, parasites, or chemicals. Typical symptoms of food poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea. In Israel, during the long hot summer, the possibility of food being contaminated is greater due to food exposure to extreme temperatures, or food that does not have sufficient refrigeration.  Many food vendors display their products on the street, and it’s important to be cautious!! This year EMA Care has assisted scores of students hit by food poisoning after food served by the schools was contaminated. Food poisoning has been known to...

There are many cultural differences between Israel and other countries.  Anyone who has had any business interaction here will vouch for that! But did you know that culture also affects your health care? We are not only talking about a language barrier. A visitor to Israel who ends up in the emergency room will undergo an overwhelming, disorienting, truly foreign experience. The three ways cultural differences may affect your healthcare in Israel:   1.Chutzpah- Israeli chutzpah is world famous. It is how the commandos raided Entebbe and freed the hijacked passengers 40 years ago this week. It is also why other people...