In 1944, Mary Queen Young and her husband, a British-trained physician, returned to her native country of Israel to open a clinic to serve the local residents, who had been without a doctor for many years. Her husband died shortly after, and she remained there for 35 years treating both Jews and Arabs. Almost a million patients visited the clinic in those years.
The clinic has operated as a soup kitchen, a bomb shelter, a makeshift hospital, and a hiding place for wounded Jewish fighters. One of her goals was to build partnerships between Arabs and Jews through providing medical care. Her work serves as a remarkable example of what can be achieved through cross-cultural cooperation in healthcare.
Young later established a nursing school adjacent to the clinic, which trained hundreds of local women in basic healthcare. These nurses became vital resources in their communities, extending the clinic’s reach far beyond its physical location.
Her legacy continues today through the Mary Young Foundation, which sponsors healthcare initiatives in underserved regions around the world.
