IsrA.L.S was established in 2004 by David Cohen, (deceased), an Israeli businessman who was diagnosed with ALS a year before. Driven by the extreme lack of patient resources and research funding available to help fight ALS, and moved by the courage and spirit of other ALS victims and families he encountered, Cohen speedily and successfully recruited the crucial circle of supporters needed to launch the organization.

 

In the short time since its inception, IsrA.L.S. activity has been driven and inspired by many dedicated activists and colleagues, such as Nir Tsoran,(deceased), former CEO of IsrA.L.S. and our current President, Dov Lautman.

 

The IsrA.L.S. vision is that of all ALS victims everywhere: to create a world where ALS is a treatable and manageable disease, and ALS patients can enjoy an optimal quality of life.

 

Though still a young organization, IsrA.L.S. has become the first and only address for ALS in Israel. With a minimal staff, a tight budget and big hearts, IsrA.L.S is making a significant impact among the ALS community. Working toward empowerment of patients and their families, we provide a broad resource base of accurate and timely information and an extensive support system. We identify and rally support for the most essential needs while building a rich network of knowledgeable and reliable experts in the field.

 

A primary goal of IsrA.L.S is to advance research of ALS in Israel. Long considered an orphan disease where too few people are affected to justify sustained scientific attention, almost no research has been done in this country. IsrA.L.S has changed the environment with targeted funding challenges to the medical community, including the Weizmann Institute, The Technion, Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University, and the Hebrew University, as well as the Tel Aviv Soraski Medical Center and Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem.

 

In addition, an annual international ALS conference in Israel, hosted by IsrA.L.S, brings leading medical experts and researchers from around the world together as part of a continued effort to find a cure for this horrifying disease.