Dr. Nadia Khir, the first woman from the Druze community to become a doctor in Israel, has been honored with the prestigious Habama Shelahen award, which recognizes women in leadership positions in the country.
At 58 years old, she received the distinction for having paved the way for around 35 years, inspired by her desire to help women in her community.
From a young age, Nadia heard tragic stories of Druze women who died from hemorrhages or suffered miscarriages because they refused to see male doctors, due to religious traditions that do not allow men to touch women except close relatives.
Moved by this, she decided to study medicine to provide proper gynecological care.
At the time, in the early 1990s, there were no Druze doctors in Israel.
Studying outside the community was prohibited for women and could lead to the family’s expulsion from the religion.
Still, Nadia insisted.
Accepted at the Technion’s medical school in 1985, she only gained peace of mind after talking to the Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Faraj Fadul, who supported her and assured her that her mother would not be punished.
Today, she works as a gynecologist in four clinics in northern Israel and is proud to see that there are already around 40 Druze doctors in the country.
His example helped change old perceptions and showed that education and determination can strengthen an entire community.
The award highlights not only her personal achievement, but the lasting impact she has made in opening doors for generations of Druze women.
Published in 05/24/2026 03h00
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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