Ethiopia, Tikkun Olam, Tenacity: Dr. Rick Hodes

Dr. Rick Hodes is an American physician who has spent the past 35 years in Ethiopia serving as the Medical Director for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Based in a public hospital in Addis Ababa, he treats children with severe spinal deformities, heart disease, and other complex conditions. In partnership with a Ghanaian surgeon, Dr. Hodes founded a spine program that now serves over 400 new patients annually and performs surgeries across Ethiopia, Ghana, and the United States. Dr. Hodes has also cared for refugees across Africa and collaborates with a cardiac center in India. He’s been recognized as a CNN Hero, awarded five honorary doctorates, and featured in the HBO documentary Making the Crooked Straight and Marilyn Berger’s book This is a Soul.