Dr. Rick Hodes has overseen the medical care for immigrants to Israel from Ethiopia since 1990 and serves as Director of JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) programs in Ethiopia, managing medical clinics, providing treatment, immunization, nutritional support, family planning, and community health for tens of thousands of people. Dr. Hodes participated in Operation Solomon in 1991, the historic airlift over 14,000 Ethiopians to Israel in 48 hours.

As part of JDC’s non-sectarian work in Ethiopia, Dr. Hodes is an attending physician at Mother Teresa’s Mission, working with people suffering from heart disease, diseases of the spine, and cancer. On behalf of JDC, he has also worked with Rwandan refugees in Zaire; Kosovo refugees in Albania; and Zairean refugees in Tanzania. Dr. Hodes has also lent his medical expertise to Swedish Red Cross in Eritrea and the U.S. Peace Corps in Ethiopia.

Dr. Hodes was inducted into the Medical Mission Hall of Fame in Ohio in 2006, and in 2007, CNN selected him as one of its “CNN Heroes” in the “Championing Children” category. In 2008, the American College of Physicians awarded him the rare title of “Mastership,” in recognition of “exceedingly stellar career accomplishments.”