Photo by
Aleh/TPS-IL on 16 June, 2025
Israeli Center for Disabled Children Destroyed by Missile was a ‘Sanctuary’
Jerusalem, 16 June, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- An Iranian missile struck and destroyed a major rehabilitative center for severely disabled children in the central Israeli city of Bnei Brak on Sunday night, killing an elderly man in a nearby building and displacing hundreds of patients. The facility, operated by the Israeli nonprofit Aleh, served as one of the country’s most advanced centers for children with complex physical and cognitive disabilities.
The explosion caused extensive damage, collapsing parts of the structure, leveling therapy rooms, and destroying vital medical and mobility equipment. Magen David Adom emergency responders said the 80-year-old man was killed in his apartment by the force of the blast.
A far greater tragedy was narrowly avoided when dozens of local residents fled a nearby bomb shelter—only to find it locked—and escaped moments before the building collapsed.
Aleh provides cutting-edge therapies, specialized education, advocacy, and a nurturing environment for children and young adults with complex disabilities. Based in Bnei Brak, the organization is dedicated to empowering individuals with severe disabilities, helping them reach their full potential and lead meaningful lives. Many of the children are non-verbal, require ventilators, and depend on around-the-clock care.
“We were met with destruction in every corner,” said Rabbi Yehuda Marmorstein, founder and CEO of Aleh. “Classrooms, mobility equipment, therapy rooms—gone. But the greatest pain is knowing that these children, who need constant treatment, are now left without it. They can’t wait. We must rebuild. Quickly. For them and their families.”
Founded in 1982, Aleh operates a network of residential and outpatient facilities across Israel for children with severe developmental delays and medical needs. The Bnei Brak campus, opened in 2019, was considered its flagship center and a model for inclusive, high-level care.
“These are not children who can simply stay home,” Marmorstein added. “They rely on this place to survive, to make progress, to experience joy. We have an obligation—moral, national, and human—to get them back here, safely and soon.”
Said one Aleh staff member, “This wasn’t just a building, it was a sanctuary.”
Said another Aleh staff member, “The missiles are meant to break us, but all they’ve done is strengthen our resolve.”
Twenty-four people have been killed and hundreds injured in four days of Iranian missile attacks.
Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on Friday, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached “a point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. According to Israeli defense officials, Iran has developed the capacity to rapidly enrich uranium and assemble nuclear bombs, with sufficient fissile material for up to 15 weapons.
Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device. The strikes mark a dramatic escalation in what officials describe as a broader Iranian strategy combining nuclear development, missile proliferation, and proxy warfare aimed at Israel’s destruction.
