The Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv (known as the Ichilov Hospital) has begun serving vegetarian meals to patients and staff on Mondays.

It’s not the only Israeli hospital to join the Meatless Monday initiative, a national campaign launched eight months ago by former news anchor Miki Haimovich. Assuta and Bnai Zion hospitals have also signed on. But Sourasky is the biggest hospital to join, and the first to extend the meatless menus to patients.

Meat dishes will be served only if specifically requested.

The hospital decided to adopt the initiative, hoping to improve the health of both the employees and patients and contribute to environmental protection.

According to Haimovich, Israelis’ meat consumption is five times what it was 50 years ago.

“If all Israelis give up on meat for just one day a week, in terms of the environment this equals taking half a million cars off the road,” he said.

A pilot test was conducted last week at the hospital’s cafeteria, where half of the served dishes contained meat and half were vegetarian. Kitchen workers reported that the vegetarian dishes were quickly eaten up. — ynetnews.com