Former IDF Medical Commander Transforms Meir Hospital Into Major Healthcare Center
Dr. Erez, 52, currently CEO of Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, has a diverse background blending Italian and Jewish heritage. Born in Israel to a Polish-Jewish father and an Italian Christian mother who converted to Judaism, he grew up in Herzliya and maintains distant ties with family in Italy. Initially interested in economics, he ultimately pursued medicine following family tradition, overcoming initial rejection from medical school by studying dentistry first and later transferring to the Hebrew University for medicine. Alongside his medical degree, he earned three additional advanced degrees, including an MBA with honors from Tel Aviv University.
Dr. Erez served 20 years in the IDF, including as the medical officer for the Givati Brigade and later as head of the medical platoon in Unit 669. In 2009, he led the evacuation of wounded during the 2010 Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara flotilla incident, where despite the deaths of ten participants, all treated in Israel survived. His military medical experience extended to a 2013 fellowship with the U.S. Army, where he researched full blood transfusions, a practice later credited with saving many lives during Israel’s 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls, earning him an Israel Defense Prize.
Transitioning to civilian healthcare in 2020, Dr. Erez became deputy director of Meir Hospital and was appointed CEO in 2024. Under his leadership, Meir Hospital expanded from being considered a "medium" hospital to a large facility with 801 beds, 35 departments, and over 100 clinics, becoming the largest employer in Kfar Saba. Dr. Erez emphasizes practical leadership and systemic healthcare improvements, reflecting his military and academic background. He prefers to focus on healthcare challenges rather than political disputes within the health sector.
