From: Tel Mond Bloc Documentation Archive – Writings of Eliezer Esterin, pp. 146–153
Health services were a concern for the residents of the Tel Mond Bloc from the very beginning, even though the available services were very limited. But that doesn’t mean health services weren’t needed — on the contrary, the early days required constant medical care.
Baruch Frieber, one of the first workers of the Clalit Health Fund (Kupat Holim) in Israel, especially in the Sharon area, told about the early years of health services in Tel Mond:
“When the workers’ camp in Tel Mond was established, the number of people needing Kupat Holim services grew a lot. In the beginning, the workers lived in tents. The nearby swamps helped spread malaria, and Dr. Kott, the first doctor in the Tel Mond area, had more than enough work. Actually, he wasn’t officially from Kupat Holim, but a representative of Hadassah. According to an agreement between Hadassah and Kupat Holim, Kupat Holim had to pay 5 grush (old coins) per member every month for the medical care provided by Hadassah in Kfar Saba, Herzliya, and Magdiel. Each of those towns had a special collector who received 10% of the money he collected as a fee.”
As the number of malaria cases in the Tel Mond camp grew daily, it was decided to build a large hut with no walls or mosquito nets — this became a place where sick people could stay and be treated.
Among the first medics were Sanitar Svet and Dr. Luchowitzer, who had come from Russia. Based on a recommendation by Moshe Rabinovich from Kupat Holim’s central office, he was hired as a medic. Later, a nurse named Penina Pachter also joined the team.
As Tel Mond’s population grew, and with the help of Mr. Kaminsky (representative of the Israel Plantations Company), it was decided to open an independent Kupat Holim branch in Tel Mond. When the first three villages in the area were founded, Dr. Kott was assigned to work at the Tel Mond clinic two days a week.
When he had to visit patients, he would ride a donkey — or, if lucky, travel in a wagon. Even years later, it was still common to see doctors in the area visiting patients on donkeys.
As the settlements in the bloc and nearby areas grew, Mordechai Rapoport from Moshav Herut was appointed as the local Kupat Holim representative. Dr. David Margalit, brother of Ephraim Margalit from Herut, would travel from Kfar Saba to visit patients.
The first doctor to actually live in Tel Mond, in a house owned by Kupat Holim, was Dr. Costa, followed by Dr. Bauer.