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Kibbutz Be’eri

Rebuilding the Dental Clinic at Kibbutz Be'eri

In Memory of Heroes

Together, we are helping Be’eri rebuild and ensure that care,
compassion, and courage continue to define its future.

  • Honor the fallen by continuing their legacy of service.
  • Restore access to vital dental care for survivors and future generations.
  • Support a powerful symbol of healing in one of Israel’s hardest-hit communities.

On October 7th, the dental clinic at Kibbutz Be’eri became the site of extraordinary bravery. In the face of unthinkable terror, a doctor, a paramedic, and three members of the emergency response team took refuge inside the clinic and mounted a heroic defense that stopped the attackers from advancing further into the community. All five gave their lives.

In July of 2025, the dental clinic—damaged beyond repair—was respectfully demolished in a moving community ceremony. It stood not only as a place of care, but as a lasting symbol of courage and sacrifice. 

In response, the Alpha Omega International Dental Society’s Philadelphia Chapter, in partnership with the Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation, is committed to honoring their memory through action: by helping to rebuild a new dental clinic as part of a state-of-the-art multi-clinic complex that will also provide general medical and pediatric care to the community. 

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D. Walter Cohen Ambassadorship to Israel

In Honor of D. Walter Cohen- Proud Alpha Omega Member

This annual award provides two third- or fourth-year dental students with the opportunity to travel to Israel and experience firsthand the impact of  the impact of the Alpha Omega Foundation’s support for
dental education and care.

Through visits to dental schools, private practices, public clinics, and other healthcare centers in multiple cities, recipients meet respected dental professionals, learn about programs supported by Alpha Omega, and see
how the foundation has strengthened
Israel’s dental community.

The program is designed to deepen students’ connections to Alpha Omega, dental education, and Israel while fostering lifelong professional relationships and promoting teamwork, innovation, education, and peace.

The Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation

Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1907, the Alpha Omega Fraternity was established in response to widespread antisemitism in educational institutions and throughout the broader dental community. From its earliest days, philanthropy was central to its mission.

That commitment became especially significant from the 1930s through the 1950s, amid World War II, the Holocaust and its aftermath, and the ongoing displacement of Jewish communities. 

Israel’s rapidly growing population created an urgent need for dental care, yet access remained severely limited. Meeting that need became a driving force that would transform Alpha Omega’s philanthropy.

Smiles Against Terror Program

Alpha Omega launched a program in Israel during the Second Lebanon War, to provide free dental care to individuals who have had more than 60% disability from the war.

A call to action

Supporting Inclusive Dental Care

Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation funded a Radiology Room for a new Panoramic X-ray machine designed for people with disabilities.

The equipment and room are part of the Robert I. Schattner Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities at the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

This state-of-the-art facility provides accessible, optimal care for children and adults with disabilities while training dental professionals to care for the most vulnerable population

A call to action

Tree of Peace

The first Tree of Peace sculpture was placed in 2007 at Hebrew University’s School of Dental Medicine, marking the close collaboration between Hebrew University and Al-Quds University and the shared vision of using the oral health profession as a vehicle for building relationships and understanding throughout the region and the world.

In 2011, the Tree of Peace arrived in the United States, becoming the second installation worldwide, at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health — a testament to the school’s commitment to global peace and a symbol of the collaboration between medicine, education, and the pursuit of peaceful coexistence worldwide.

Temple University’s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry in Philadelphia became the third dental school to install the sculpture, a steadfast reminder of the ongoing effort to build a lasting legacy of global peace through dentistry.

The fourth installation, on the campus of Al-Quds University, continued that legacy: it opened avenues for dental professionals, educators, and students to transcend political and religious barriers, using oral health as a catalyst to improve quality of life for people of diverse nationalities.

The fifth installation, at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, was dedicated to Dr. Walter Guralnick, professor emeritus of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dr. R. Bruce Donoff, former dean of the school. It commemorates the active engagement of Harvard’s students and faculty in global initiatives and reflects the belief that education, cultural exchange, and mutual respect can build a more inclusive, compassionate, and harmonious world.

Haiti Relief Program

Responded to the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, focusing on restoring access to emergency dental and oral healthcare for affected communities.

Alpha Omega supported the delivery of dental supplies, clinical care, and rebuilding efforts aimed at strengthening Haiti’s long-term oral health infrastructure.

Expanding
Alpha Omega's Philanthropic Reach

Distributed up to $150,000 annually in the early 2000’s to support dental education, healthcare, humanitarian programs, and leadership scholarships within the dental profession and global Jewish community. 

Beneficiaries included:

Israeli dental schools
Rambam Medical Center
Dental Volunteers Israel
Beit Issie Shapiro
Save a Child’s Heart
Jewish Homes in Los Angeles
and Washington, DC
Numerous community organizations
in Israel and North America. 

The Alpha Omega Centennial Fund

The Alpha Omega Centennial Fund was established in 2002, five years ahead of the organization’s 100th anniversary in 2007.

The goal was to build the Foundation’s corpus, advancing its commitment to leadership, philanthropy, education, and service while supporting initiatives that strengthen the future of the dental profession and the global Jewish community

A call to action

Advancing Collaboration Across the Middle East

In 1997, Alpha Omega endowed the The D. Walter Cohen, DDS Middle East Center for Dental Education at Hebrew University to promote peace through dental education, collaborative research, and cross-cultural partnership.

The Adopt-A-Soviet-Dentist Program

Alpha Omega launched an urgent and successful fundraising campaign to retrain Soviet immigrant dentists in Israel at the Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University – Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

Nearly $500,000 was raised, enabling 350 dentists from the former Soviet Union to complete the retraining required to practice in Israel. This paved the way for their integration into their new homeland of Israel.

Expanding Global Care And Trainig

  • Launched a dental peace corps in Israel
  • Funded a mobile clinic in Morocco
  • Created a student internship program
  • Supported the Rambam Maxillofacial Clinic in Haifa

Maxillofacial Prosthetic Rehabilitation Program

Following the Yom Kippur War in 1973,
Alpha Omega members began training
Israeli maxillofacial teams and dentists at Sloan Kettering Hospital and the MD Anderson Clinic in the United States to help
rehabilitate wounded Israeli soldiers. 

Retraining Russian Dentists

Launched a global initiative to retrain Russian dentists emigrating from the Soviet Union through educational programs in Israel, helping them continue their careers and integrate into new communities.