Rabbi Eliyahu Madina, the Sephardic chief rabbi of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City, collapsed Tuesday morning after suffering a severe head injury in a fall, and remains in critical condition, sedated and on a ventilator at Shaarei Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, Kikar HaShabbat reported.
According to the report, Rabbi Madina davened at sunrise, as is his daily custom, at one of the synagogues in the Jewish Quarter. After finishing his prayers, he left to walk home, and on the way, he stumbled and hit his head in a fall on a staircase, sustaining a severe injury and bleeding heavily.
Because it was so early, he was not found until the shul's gabbai arrived ahead of the following minyan. The gabbai discovered Rabbi Madina lying on the floor, having lost significant blood, with his condition described as one of clouded consciousness.
Emergency responders and Magen David Adom paramedics rushed to the scene and administered life saving first aid before urgently transferring him to Shaarei Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem, where he remains sedated, on a ventilator, and in very serious condition.
In light of the critical medical situation, senior rabbinic leaders instructed that a name be added to Rabbi Madina for healing purposes, and he is now to be referred to as Rabbi Eliyahu Refael. The public is asked to pray for the recovery of Rabbi Eliyahu Refael ben Sa'ada, among the other ill of the Jewish people.
