Members of the "501st Legion" Star Wars fan club in Israel paid a visit to the children’s ward of the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba on Monday to visit sick children and bring a smile to their faces – all while donning their favorite Star Wars costumes.
The volunteers dressed up as various Star Wars characters such as Darth Vader with a voice-changing mask. The children were especially pleased to see that Dr. Neil Zagol, a doctor at the hospital, was dressed as a fighter pilot from the movie.
501st Legion Star Wars fan club
With 15,000 members across 67 countries worldwide, the 501st Legion often sends volunteers to children facing various health conditions in the children's wards of hospitals around the world. Israel’s branch opened roughly three years ago.
In May 2021 amid clashes between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the 501st Legion held an event for children in a town seven kilometers from the Gaza border. Hosting over 80 children and their parents, it was organized by the official Israeli 501st outpost in cooperation with the Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum and the Jerusalem municipality.
"Great to be back! Today’s troop at Meir Hospital with Jedha Outpost of the Rebel legion. Thank you to the staff and medical teams for such a warm welcome,” the 501st Legion’s Israel chapter posted on Facebook.