Our Team

Operation Ethiopia is a grassroots organization and our small but mighty team makes an enormous impact providing life-changing eyecare to as many Ethiopians as possible.

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Our Leadership Team

Morris Hartstein, MD, FACS

Founder & Director

Professor Morris E. Hartstein, MD, FACS, Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Tel Aviv University School of Medicine, Director of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Shamir Medical Center, is the Founding Director of Operation Ethiopia. He lectures internationally, has published four best-selling textbooks on Oculoplastic Surgery, and will soon be releasing the first book on the culture and practice of Global Ophthalmology [Elsevier Press].

Dr. Hartstein has been in practice for 30 years, performed over 12,000 eyelid and orbital surgeries, and been the recipient of several awards in his field.

Dr. Hartstein was invited to join President Reuven Rivlin’s delegation of the first Israeli presidential visit to Ethiopia in 2018, and Prof. Hartstein has addressed several Israeli Knesset [parliament] committee meetings regarding humanitarian suffering in Ethiopia. In 2022, Dr. Hartstein was the recipient of the Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Since the first visit with his family, Dr. Hartstein has returned over 25 times to Ethiopia as a volunteer to provide eyecare, operate, and to teach local ophthalmologists.

Elisa Minsk Hartstein is a seasoned entrepreneur who founded and ran two successful companies that designed, manufactured, and sold a brand of fashionable clothing for nursing mothers. With over 20 years operating two businesses, she brings to Operation Ethiopia her years of business experience to run nearly all aspects of Operation Ethiopia, an organization close to her heart. Elisa is behind the scenes ensuring every mission runs smoothly and that the organization as a whole is operating optimally.

Elisa manages all of Operation Ethiopia’s day-to-day operations, fundraising, marketing, planning, the volunteer program, and more – whatever is needed to support Operation Ethiopia’s important, life-changing work for Ethiopia’s most destitute populations.

Elisa Minsk Hartstein, MBA

Managing Director

Our Team of Volunteer Israeli Ophthalmic Eye Surgeons

Our incredible team of Israeli ophthalmic surgeons volunteer their time and skills to operate with us in Ethiopia. We’ve secured Ethiopian Medical licenses for each of them and they join us 1-2 per year on week-long surgery campaigns, taking time off of their busy practices to operate for free on needy patients in Ethiopia.