Israeli medical clowns cheer Syrian refugees
Israeli medical clowns cheer Syrian refugeesNimrod Eisenberg

"Even in a place where there are no words, there can still be a smile," said Nimrod Eisenberg, a medical clown from Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.

Eisenberg was one of a group of medical clowns who journeyed to Germany, visiting Syrian refugees who were living in temporary shelters.

The group also taught local medical staff the basic techniques in hospital clowning.

"Soon after the Syrian refugees arrived in Germany, it became clear that the language difficulties, combined with the trauma the refugees had experienced required a different approach and that medical clowns would be essential, especially for the children. So we left for Germany, a group of four Israeli medical clowns, and we were the first medical clowns the Syrian children had ever seen. These kids went through horrific experiences. Everywhere we saw them, we introduced ourselves as Israelis and they were so happy to see us, so loving. The kids laughed, the parents cried, and we were just so glad to be able to help them forget the horrors they'd gone through. We were thankful to be able to help them - for the first time in what's probably been years - mile and be happy, and to be able to receive the medical treatments they needed, with acceptance and without fear," Eisenberg said.

Ichilov Hospital, in conjunction with the "Dream Doctors" organization, plans to send additional groups of medical clowns to Germany throughout the year, to work with Syrian refugees.