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🇮🇱 Israel /Health & Science

From massage table to healthcare empire: Sally Reidman's Israeli journey

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Sally Reidman, a Holocaust survivor's daughter, built Israel's largest complementary and integrative medicine college after immigrating in 1983.
  • Reidman College, founded in 1987, now enrolls over 4,000 students across five vocational schools and four campuses.
  • Reidman emphasizes the integration of natural medicine with conventional medicine, aiming for advancement through cooperation.

Sally Reidman arrived in Israel in 1983 with little more than a massage table and a spiritual calling. Decades later, she stands as the founder and president of Reidman College of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, recognized as Israel's largest institute of its kind and a recipient of the Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize in Education in 2023.

When the plane landed and my feet touched the ground, I became very emotional and started to cry.

— Sally ReidmanRecounting her arrival in Israel.

Born in Pennsylvania to Holocaust survivors, Reidman studied psychology in California before making aliyah. She describes her immigration as a deeply emotional decision, driven by a lifelong desire to live in Israel. "When the plane landed and my feet touched the ground, I became very emotional and started to cry," she recalled. "I ended up staying for two months, returned to California to wrap things up, and then made aliyah in 1983."

I had no money, only one distant relative in Israel, and no idea what I was going to do. I just knew I was meant to be here.

— Sally ReidmanDescribing her initial situation after immigrating.

Reidman's professional journey began with hard work and dedication. She started by traveling with her massage table to work in multiple locations, eventually establishing a small school that evolved into Reidman College. The college now offers programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Natural Medicine, Somatic Therapies, Holistic Psychotherapy, and Holistic Coaching, with campuses in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba. Over 4,000 students are currently enrolled.

My advice to new olim is to work hard, love what you do, become good at it, and be passionate.

— Sally ReidmanOffering guidance to new immigrants.

Reidman College's mission is to advance natural medicine by fostering integration and cooperation with conventional medicine. "We believe in the advancement of natural medicine by working side by side with conventional medicine through integration and cooperation," Reidman stated. She notes the shift in terminology from "alternative medicine" to "complementary" and "integrative" medicine, highlighting the college's commitment to this evolving field.

We believe in the advancement of natural medicine by working side by side with conventional medicine through integration and cooperation.

— Sally ReidmanExplaining the mission of Reidman College.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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