Stand With Us: A Plea to Our International Nursing & Midwifery Community

Miriam Hirschfeld; Aisha Saifi

doi:10.25071/2291-5796.193

Authors

Miriam Hirschfeld Nurses in the Middle East Steering committee; Israeli-Palestinian Midwives Group
Aisha Saifi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25071/2291-5796.193

Keywords:

nursing, advocacy, peace, solidarity, Stand with us

Abstract

We are a large, informal group of Palestinian and Israeli nurses and midwives, working side by side yet mired in despair, and we need your support.

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Author Biographies

Miriam Hirschfeld, Nurses in the Middle East Steering committee; Israeli-Palestinian Midwives Group

Dr. Miriam Hirschfeld graduated from a Diploma program in Vienna, Austria before she immigrated to Israel in 1966. Her B.A. is from Tel-Aviv University and her Master’s of Science and her Doctor of Nursing Science degrees are from the University of California San Francisco. After working as a staff nurse and clinical instructor in cardiac care, neurosurgery, oncology and psychiatry she taught at Tel-Aviv University, where she became the director of the first generic nursing program, while being responsible for the development of geriatric and long-term care for the Clallit Sick Fund. In 1989 she was selected as the Chief Scientist for Nursing of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva and held this position for nine years, when she was nominated (as the first nurse) Director of Human Resources for Health. After becoming Acting Director of Health Systems, she established a new WHO Initiative on Long term care. Upon retirement from WHO, she returned to Israel in 2003, where she joined the faculty of the Emek Yezreel College, as Professor in the Department of Health Systems Management, and in 2007 she established the academic nursing program, which she headed until 2013. Her interests range from long-term care, multi-cultural nursing education and health workforce policy to ethics and human rights, as well as the impact of globalization upon health.

She is a member of the Nurses in the Middle East Steering committee and the Israeli-Palestinian Midwives Group, as well as the Israel Nursing Ethics Bureau Research committee, active in ongoing ethics research. From 2017-2025 she was a board member of the Physicians for Human Rights, Israel. She has a considerable list of publications and held Workshops for Palestinian and Israeli nurses on solving common problems in their daily practice.

The University of Nottingham awarded her an honorary medical degree and the Oregon Health Sciences University an honorary doctorate in science.

The President of Austria awarded her the highest Award of the Republic for her contribution to nursing development and in 2022 she received the Princess Srinagarindra Award in recognition of a lifelong career in advancement of nursing, ethics and human rights.

Aisha Saifi

Aisha Saifi is a women’s empowerment specialist and founder of Salon Plus, a community-based initiative that supports women’s social and economic independence in Palestine.

With over 30 years of experience in community development and gender-focused programs, she has designed and led initiatives promoting vocational training, leadership development, and psychosocial support for women and girls.

Under her leadership, Salon Plus has provided skill-building and employment opportunities for over 300 women across the West Bank.

Aisha holds a B A in nursing, High Diploma in Midwifery Master’s degree in Social Work from Bethlehem University in Palestine and is certified in leadership and community organizing. She is deeply committed to advancing gender equality and creating pathways for women to lead fulfilling, independent lives.