AFMDA Pulse December 2023

DECEMBER 2023

In this issue MDA in Israel..................................3 Reflections from the Field..........14 Donor Spotlights...........................19 Vehicle Dedications......................21 MDA in the U.S. .............................23

ISRAEL AT WAR

A Message From AFMDA’s CEO My dear friends, When we began putting together this issue of our quarterly newsletter, never could I have imagined the tragic and horrific events that would occur in Israel on October 7. Never could I have anticipated that our beloved homeland would be facing an existential threat like one it hasn’t seen in at least 50 years.

But what I could expect is the immediate response by the brave men and women of Magen David Adom, who treated thousands of people suffering from gunfire and shrapnel wounds in just the first four days of the Hamas invasion. They worked to save lives even while under rocket and gunfire.

And sadly, some were killed and some were wounded. Ambulances were damaged beyond repair and even taken into Gaza. This issue of The Pulse shares some of these stories with you: stories of heroes, of loss, of trauma, and of resilience on October 7 and the days that followed.

And we salute our friends who in record numbers donated ambulances, Medicycles, and even a bloodmobile. I am comforted and inspired by the support of the American public in rallying for Israel and providing unprecedented emergency assistance. On behalf of the Israeli people, I thank you.

I pray that the war is over by the time you read these pages, but in the coming days, weeks, and months — during wartime or calm — Israelis will continue to rely on Magen David Adom for the care and treatment they need. And Magen David Adom will continue to rely on us.

If ever there were an all-hands-on-deck moment for the State of Israel and for Magen David Adom, this is it. If you haven’t yet made a donation, please make one today. If you ever thought about sponsoring an ambulance — with your family, business, synagogue, or community — the time is now.

Help us purchase new vehicles and replace lifesaving medical supplies and equipment that are rapidly depleting.

Catherine Reed Chief Executive Officer

has incurred an additional daily cost of between 1 and 2 million URGENT NEEDS MDA shekels above and beyond its normal operating budget.

Emergency Vehicles Donation Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) $160,000 Life Support Ambulance $115,000 Medicycle $36,000 Protective Equipment Ballistic Vests (flak jackets) Helmets

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Donation $600 $400

Medical Supplies Donation First Responder Bag Supplies $1,800 Manual Respirator (Ambu Bag) $750 IV Solution $600 Medical Bag $460 Bandages $400 Syringes $330 Gloves $226 Disinfectant $165 Oxygen Mask $125 Sedation Medication $120 Medical Linen $110

MDA IN ISRAEL

Magen David Adom rolls out massive logistical response to Hamas attack.

CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Shutterstock

In the early hours of October 7, 2023, Hamas launched its brutal attack against Israel. The day has been likened to 9/11 by some and compared to the gruesome acts of Nazis by many. In just the first couple of days, more than 1,200 Israelis were killed and some 3,300 injured. Terrorists kidnapped 240 people, holding them hostage. Magen David Adom immediately deployed its highest-level alert, activating all 1,400 ambulances and 600 emergency vehicles, staff, and 30,000 volunteers.

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 3

MDA IN ISRAEL MDA’s EMT dispatchers began to receive hundreds of desperate calls that morning, and MDA teams responded, arriving at what would become the front lines and putting their own lives at risk. Paramedics and EMTs were killed and wounded, purposely ambushed. More than a dozen ambulances were destroyed or damaged.

“Almost every Israeli — Jews, Christians, Druze, and Muslims alike — has a relative or friend who was murdered, injured, or is still missing,” said David Pollack, a senior EMT and coordinator of MDA’s training center. “The war is affecting us all, mentally and physically. We cannot even imagine the long-term consequences for the years ahead.”

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MDA IN ISRAEL

While hundreds of staff and volunteers were called up for emergency reserve duty in the Israel Defense Forces, MDA reinforced its stations in the areas surrounding Gaza and along the northern border. Even inactive volunteers were requalified through online courses and e-learning platforms. New recruits were fast-tracked for various assignments throughout the organization. Free first-aid e-learning sessions were offered to the public.

And youth volunteers conducted stop-thebleed and first-aid trainings in shelters, empowering individuals and communities.

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 5

MDA IN ISRAEL

Evacuation teams worked nonstop to treat and transport the wounded to hospitals, and when the major hospital in the south became overwhelmed with casualties, MDA transported the wounded to hospitals in the center and north of the country. MDA teams also assisted in moving the bodies of those killed — often discovering their own friends and neighbors — and in notifying families of the fallen. Other volunteers carried out extensive humanitarian efforts: delivering food, medications, and necessities to Israelis displaced from their homes, to soldiers, and to ambulance teams.

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MDA IN ISRAEL MDA organizes blood drives and Israelis donate en masse.

Magen David Adom began collecting blood donations throughout Israel. Thousands of Israelis lined up to give — sometimes willingly waiting in line for hours. Two days after the attack, blood donors stood in line for more than 11 hours to donate blood at a station set up by MDA in a Jerusalem sports arena staffed by more than 150 MDA personnel.

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 7

MDA IN ISRAEL

In the first 10 days alone, more than 31,000 units of blood were donated. That’s about 12% of what MDA collects in a normal year. Nevertheless, MDA organized more blood drives in preparation for a protracted conflict. And thanks to MDA’s new Marcus National Blood Services Center, which is protected from missile, chemical, and biological attack, processing the blood is able to go on uninterrupted.

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MDA IN ISRAEL

MDA's human milk bank feeds more infants in need.

Within the first three weeks of the war, Magen David Adom’s national Sussman Family Foundation Human Milk Bank increased its supply of tested and processed breast milk for premature babies to provide for infants who were orphaned, and for babies whose mothers were abducted, injured, or serving in the Israel Defense Forces. Some 200 new breast milk donors volunteered to help fill the demand. All needs throughout the country are being met by the national milk bank.

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 9

MDA IN ISRAEL

MDA partners with American blood centers.

MDA currently has enough blood for Israel’s hospitals and expects it will be able to collect whatever might be needed, even as war rages on. But if a second front opens in the north or rocket attacks escalate to a point where Israeli citizens fear venturing out to donate blood, American Friends of Magen David Adom has facilitated an agreement between Blood Centers of America (BCA) and MDA.

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MDA IN ISRAEL

“As MDA continues to bravely serve and respond to the horrific events unfolding in Israel, Blood Centers of America is prepared to support any blood supply or product needs if called upon by MDA,” said Harpreet Sandhu, BCA board chair and CEO of the Stanford Blood Center.

BCA is the largest blood-supply network in the U.S. To donate blood for your community and ensure Israel can get blood if needed, contact a BCA-affiliated blood center.

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 11

MDA IN ISRAEL American doctors and paramedics join MDA units.

Around 30 medically trained volunteers from the U.S. and France flew to Israel to help staff MDA Life Support Ambulances and Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICUs).

“On Shabbat morning, as soon as we heard that the war had started, I decided that I had to come to Israel, and tonight [October 17] I will do my first shift on the MDA Mobile Intensive Care Unit,” said Dr. Yoav Dori, a cardiologist from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

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MDA IN ISRAEL The doctors and paramedics who arrived received accelerated training on protocols and treatments, and instruction about the MICUs and their equipment and medications.

They also received training in dealing with multi-casualty events and safety protocols for working under fire.

“We are here to help and do everything we can. The most important people are the soldiers and the residents in the south, and I hold them close during this time,” said Dr. Dori.

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 13

MDA IN ISRAEL

Reflections From the Field

During the initial days that followed the brutal terrorist attack from Hamas on October 7, MDA’s paramedics and EMTs worked fiercely, courageously, and selflessly around the clock to save lives. They were forced to put personal emotions aside as they managed tens of thousands of calls depicting horrific events they could never have imagined occurring. When rest and relief were finally taken, some of them felt compelled to document their experiences, their grief, and their resilience. We are honored to share these heroic testimonies.

Dissonance

By Ronit Glaser

Dissonance between the expectation for a quiet Saturday, to 12 and a half hours of answering calls nonstop, in war mode. Answering nonstop calls with children, teenagers, parents, grandparents, medical personnel, and soldiers who are in an incomprehensible situation.

Dissonance between the need to keep my young daughters safe by bringing them to the secure room, to bringing them into the chaos in the MDA station at the beginning of the war.

Dissonance between the sincere wish to help citizens, to the ability which was taken from us when the settlements around Gaza became a war field.

Dissonance between being used to saying, "The ambulance is on its way," to saying, "We'll get there as

soon as we can," while understanding that probably won't happen before they die.

Dissonance between trying to give hope to those who are injured, to the lack of hope and helplessness I felt inside.

Dissonance between me sitting in the safe dispatch center, in a padded chair, with a bottle of water next to me, to the situation the other side is in — hiding behind trees while hearing Arabic around him, his legs injured, feeling he's about to lose consciousness, and bawling when I try to strengthen him by reminding him that his pregnant wife is waiting for him at home, that he will be a father soon.

Or another patient talking to me from a hole in the ground he found, he has shrapnel in his legs, there are two dead people next to him, another friend who has been bleeding for a long time from shrapnel in his hip, and he's begging me that we'll arrive, because in addition to everything else, they ran out of water and he can only hear Arabic and shooting around him.

Dissonance between the regular interaction with our field workers when they call the dispatch center, to the repeating calls I received from Amit*, the paramedic from Be'eri who asks when we'll arrive. She's managing the scene in an inspiring way, unbelievably keeping calm. After she gives me another report on the situation

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*Amit Mann was murdered while attempting to save the lives of the wounded in her community.

MDA IN ISRAEL of the casualties there, she asks when we will arrive. I Dissonance between the knowledge that I am capable answer that I don't know, and each time she responds in of disconnecting my feelings and therefore functioning a subdued voice, “I understand. Thank you.” to the capability I found out I have had this past week — much less than I expect from myself.

Dissonance between knowing I'm doing everything I can to the guilty feeling that won't leave me; guilt toward those I didn't manage to save; guilt toward those who were angry at me (and those who weren't) when I didn’t have good enough answers; guilt toward my brave daughters who haven't seen their mother almost at all for over a week and are scared of the situation; guilt toward family members, close friends, casualties, the captured, and those who were killed; guilt that I have a hard time falling asleep, eating, and functioning, when the bottom line is that they're the real casualties of this war; guilt about feeling guilty.

Dissonance between the want to unload, to the need to stay strong for my girls, my family, my friends, other workers in the MDA dispatch center, my friends from work who stop by for a visit on a short break from their reserve service.

Dissonance between brain to emotion.

Dissonance between Ronit from a week and a half ago to Ronit today.

When Reality Sets In

By Guy Pozine

October 7, Saturday, 50 years since the Yom Kippur War began.

The answer we were used to giving routinely is that the ambulance will be there in a few minutes. To apologize in the name of the system for the delay, to give polite, courteous service, and to maintain our integrity.

I arrived at the dispatch center as soon as possible. The phone calls were horrendous, helplessness on a level that's impossible to describe.

Yesterday, that answer changed, the minutes turned into hours, without relevance to medical priority. The realization starts becoming clear that we are digging a mass grave, a bottomless pit.

Citizens are calling, whether they are hit by terrorists' shootings, by missiles, injured while running to the secure rooms. Some whose souls aren’t able to withstand the thoughts and anxiety, and some whose souls wished to help by donating blood or volunteering in the community.

It is very difficult to find the words to explain to someone who is injured and whose situation is deteriorating by the second — there is no expectation for rescue, that the teams are trying to achieve control over all the areas — some of them are sure that I am just making up another excuse.

Soldiers calling saying that they were confronted, with a broken heart saying that their friends in the platoon have fallen. In the same breath additional calls are received from the Command Center, the burden is widespread throughout all the citizens.

Some of the calls are disconnected from the fury of the callers, they think they were left behind as cannon fodder.

Some of us go to rest so we will be able to replace others later, and here — four hours later — I find myself at work again. Nonstop calls begin to come in again, at least there is slowly a sign that our warriors are beginning to reclaim security. The thoughts are very curious: What's really going on in the country?

I begin reading the description of the events in the system, and then the realization begins to set in: While I went for a quick refresh at home, those people whom I spoke to in the morning became bereaved families, or victims of hostile actions, or they died.

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MDA IN ISRAEL Despair and Resilience

By Arbel Cohen

I woke up early on Shabbat, the 7th of October. It was 5:00, and I was traveling through the quiet streets of the Shmuel Hanavi neighborhood on the way to my shift at MDA national headquarters. The roads were very peaceful.

In the middle of the highway, I began to receive notifications about red alerts in the south, and as soon as I entered the headquarters in Kiryat Ono, air-raid sirens started in central Israel.

I don’t remember the moment I realized what is really happening. I just remember hundreds of red-flag symbols flashing on our map, indicating emergency sites. I remember the calls from first responders fighting for the lives of the casualties they were treating.

I remember the broadcasts, the emergency notifications, the injured first responder, the shot ambulance, the helplessness.

The knowledge of what will be with the people on the other end of the line, the knowledge that you have no way of helping them, no way to assist them.

The noise, the chaos, the screams, the alarms, the ringing phones, the beeping pagers.

I remember the silence hours later when I rode around the south of the country. Empty streets, darkened homes, shuttered windows.

City after city, neighborhood after neighborhood, the silence of fear, the smell of death. I remember it all.

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MDA IN ISRAEL Bomb explosions, gunshots, bodies lying by the roadside, the injured soldier with a bleeding gunshot wound, and another soldier, and another. Groans of pain and anguish, cold sweat, the noise of the departing helicopter, the fear, the relentless pounding of my heart.

The volunteers that serve under me, with me, who give everything and fight for each and every one, in their own way. Who help, support, embrace, and show up every time. Who don’t sleep, who run to every location, to help, to treat.

I think about my friends, my partners. My colleagues, those who fell, those who were injured, physically and emotionally.

Who save lives.

I think of the look in their eyes, of them drying their tears, biting their lips. Through the phone lines, behind the screens, in the ambulances charging toward their missions, responding to every call with everything they have. I stand in awe of them.

The road ahead of us is long, and there is so much work still to be done. Another air-raid siren just went off. Now we can leave the protected area again and keep fighting. Take care of yourselves and stay safe.

And remember, in any medical emergency, we are here.

Together, we will win.

Under fire and trapped, MDA paramedic works to save lives in Sderot.

Georgi Guliak, a senior paramedic at MDA, woke up Saturday morning and went to his regular shift at the MDA station in Sderot. Just before arriving at the station, he heard gunshots. Victims, including those in serious and critical condition, began to arrive.

“The terrorists passed just a few meters away from the station as they drove in trucks with submachine guns, firing indiscriminately,” said Guliak. “If they had turned left, we probably wouldn't be here today.

“At that moment, we realized the magnitude of the event and that we were under battlefield conditions without the reinforcement of additional teams.”

treatment site was set up by the IDF and MDA — when the paramedics began evacuating the wounded from the police station under live fire and risking their lives.

Some of the injured were transferred to hospitals by helicopter.

As Guliak and colleagues provided initial medical care, massive gunfire was heard outside. The team locked the When the exchange of fire around the police station doors and continued treating the severely wounded subsided, the paramedics continued to provide care until they could be evacuated to hospitals in bulletproof and evacuate the injured and deceased within Sderot.

Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulances.

“We fought for the lives of the victims in our station and After a few hours, Guliak, who was in command of the in our city and did everything possible to save them,” MDA teams, learned that terrorists had taken over the said Guliak. police station in Sderot. It wasn’t until evening — after a

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 17

Mourning MDA Personnel Killed by Hamas Since Hamas launched its attack against Israel on Saturday, October 7, the brave men and women of Magen David Adom have risked their lives to save the lives of others. EMTs and paramedics are treating the wounded, often while under rocket attack and gunfire themselves. We are deeply saddened by those who have been murdered while working to save lives, killed in the line of duty, or slaughtered in their homes.

May their memories be a blessing.*

Lior Arzi, 25, an MDA volunteer paramedic in the Netanya Station, was training to be a Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulance team leader. He was killed in battle in Gaza, while performing his duties as a combat medic.

Uriel Bibi, 30, of Shlomit, volunteered in the Yarkon and Negev regions. He had recently begun his studies in emergency medicine at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Shir Biton, 19, IDF soldier and EMT, was killed in battle in the Western Negev. A resident of Ashdod, she had been an MDA volunteer for four years.

Aharon Chaimov, 25, senior EMT and ambulance driver of Ofakim, was shot dead in his ambulance as he was driving to treat others. Aharon had worked for MDA for four years.

Aviya Hezroni, 69, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in his home in Kibbutz Be’eri.

Aviya volunteered for MDA for more than 20 years where he was a senior EMT and ambulance driver.

Lior Levy, 19, IDF soldier and MDA volunteer, was killed in battle in the Gaza Strip. A resident of Dimona, she began volunteering for MDA at age 14.

Amit Mann, 22, paramedic, was shot by terrorists while treating the wounded in the clinic of Kibbutz Be’eri, where she lived.

Saar Margolis, 37, was killed while protecting Kissufim, his kibbutz. He had been a volunteer EMT with MDA’s Ofakim Station for the past three years.

Dr. Eitan Ne’eman, 45, a volunteer doctor for MDA and a senior physician in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Soroka University Medical Center in Be’er Sheva, was killed in battle near Sderot while serving as a combat medic.

Yarin Peled, 20, IDF soldier and EMT from Kibbutz Be’eri, was killed while fighting for her country. She had volunteered with MDA since she was 15.

Amir Tzur, 23, EMT, was killed while serving in a special unit of the IDF.

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*As of November 6, 2023

DONOR SPOTLIGHTS MDA Ambulance Leads Chicago Donor’s Funeral Procession

When the war with Hamas broke out on October 7 and ambulances were needed immediately, AFMDA flew this ambulance along with 16 others to Israel. Normally, ambulances are shipped by sea.

“Harry and Brenda cared deeply about the Jewish people and Israel,” said Harry’s stepson, Brad Kolar, during his eulogy. “They gave to many causes, but the most important gift Harry ever gave was an ambulance for Magen David Adom. This ambulance will literally save lives.”

Harry Greenwald’s grandchildren, some wearing orange ties in support of his beloved alma mater.

Despite his ailing health, Harry Greenwald, z”l, dreamed he would see the ambulance he and his wife of 48 years, Brenda Kolar, sponsored for Magen David Adom before it was sent to Israel. Regrettably, Harry succumbed to his illness before the vehicle was completed.

Harry and Brenda had been dedicated supporters of AFMDA for 25 years, providing donations for crucial medical supplies and equipment to MDA. As Harry neared the end of his life, the couple decided to generously sponsor the Life Support Ambulance.

Harry was a leading entrepreneur in the plastics industry, who owned and operated molding, fabrication tool, and plumbing companies. A U.S. Navy veteran, graduate of Syracuse University in New York, and a long-standing But in a poignant tribute to Harry’s life, the ambulance member of the Plastic Pioneers Association, he founded arrived in Chicago from the factory in Indiana in time for his funeral. Newly dedicated in his memory, the ambulance the first industry magazine devoted to plastic distributors. led the procession to Harry’s final resting place.

Haas Family Sponsors an Ambulance to Serve as a Symbol of Justice Myrna Haas of Park Ridge, N.J., and her sons wanted a special way to remember the life and legacy of their beloved husband and father, Ernest. They chose Magen David Adom, an organization dedicated to saving lives, to pay tribute to the man who survived four concentration camps.

“Ernie always said that if there had been an Israel prior to World War II, there would not have been a Holocaust,” said Myrna. “As a result, I feel it’s imperative to support Israel.

Toward that end, my family donated this ambulance to Magen David Adom.”

This past summer, nearly seven years after his death, Ernie’s legacy was celebrated at the dedication of a Life Support Ambulance. Friends and family gathered at Myrna’s home, including the Haas sons, Jonathan, Michael, and Andrew.

Ernest Haas was a 16-year-old living with his family in Bavaria, Germany, in 1941 when the Nazis rounded up the local Jewish population. After four years of hard labor in four camps, Ernie was liberated by Soviet troops. In 1946, he immigrated to the U.S., where he met Myrna.

As someone who was singled out by the Nazis specifically for his religion, the ambulance will serve as a symbol of justice, his family says, saving lives in Israel, no matter what the religion of the patient — Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, Baha’i, or other.

“In addition, by putting an inscription on the ambulance detailing Ernie’s journey through the Holocaust, it will make people remember history,” Myrna said.

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 19

DONOR SPOTLIGHTS For Holocaust Refugee Ruth Slater, Israel’s War With Hamas Echoes Nazi’s Attempt to Eradicate Jews For most American Jews, Israel’s war with Hamas, and the many anti-Semitic protests it has sparked in cities across the U.S. and the world, has taken center stage. But the conflict looms particularly large for Ruth Slater, a Northridge, California, supporter of Magen David Adom.

For one thing, one of Ruth’s granddaughters joined the IDF as a lone soldier three years ago and is now an officer serving in southern Israel. But more than that, Ruth knows firsthand what life would be like if Israel didn’t exist, if there were no Jewish homeland.

Born in Vienna in 1939, just a year after Nazi Germany’s annexation of Austria, Ruth and her mother were spared

deportation to a concentration camp by virtue of her mother’s job as a nurse at the Rothschild Hospital, where all hospital workers were deemed essential workers by the Nazi government.

Her Polish-born father was not so lucky. Considered stateless, he was shipped off, shortly before Ruth’s birth, to Buchenwald and ultimately Auschwitz. He miraculously survived, carrying only 60 pounds on his 5-foot-7-inch frame, when he was liberated.

“We were not particularly religious, but we were passionately Jewish,” Ruth said. “After emigrating to the U.S. in early 1948, we were inspired by the creation of Israel just a few months later.”

Ruth and her late husband, Gene, made numerous trips to Israel. She has three daughters and eight grandchildren, who are proud of having sponsored, in Gene’s honor, a Life Support Ambulance and an Emergency Rapid Response Vehicle.

Miriam Wagmeister Sponsors an Ambulance to Honor Her Family Miriam “Jerri” Wagmeister, the youngest of a firstgeneration American family, has always supported Israel.

Her parents, Sam and Anna Fishman, emigrated from Russia in the early 1900s and raised a family of devout Jews. Although poor, they lived a life of hard work filled with contentment, love of family and friends, and the belief that “Jews should always try to help Jews.”

Her family rejoiced at Israel’s independence, as they were sure that distant family who may have survived the Holocaust would have a home. It became a dream of Miriam’s parents to visit Israel. Unfortunately, they passed away young and never had the opportunity to go.

Miriam raised three sons and passed onto them the values she learned from her parents. Over the years, she visited Israel twice and was amazed at both its historic and religious aspects and inspired by the nation’s growth and beauty. Each time Miriam was there, she could not help but think about her parents, especially when praying at the Western Wall.

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Miriam donated to organizations that supported Israel but wanted to do something special to honor her parents. After the passing of her brothers, Morris and Charles Fishman (both veterans of World War II); her youngest son, Steven Wagmeister; and her husband, Murray Meisner, Miriam decided that the perfect way to honor them would be to sponsor a Magen David Adom ambulance.

She is proud to know that her loved ones will always be a part of Israel and to help Israelis in their time of emergency and need.

DEDICATIONS The following pages highlight our generous supporters who sponsored ambulances and dedicated them at public ceremonies. When the war with Hamas started, the need for ambulances became urgent. AFMDA began to fly ambulances to Israel over the usual, more economical method of shipping by sea. Some of these ambulances were on those flights. Many other donors agreed to forgo dedications that were meant to take place after October 7 in order to get them to Israel immediately. We are deeply grateful to them and to those who made commitments to sponsor emergency vehicles since the war began, and we look forward to honoring those friends in a future issue of The Pulse.

Beth Israel Senior Citizens Housing — Malden, Mass.

Chicago Community

Beth Israel Senior Citizens Housing, Inc., board members and Ambassador Meron Reuben, consul general of Israel to New England, celebrated the dedication of the organization’s third ambulance to Israel.

Six Reform synagogues from the suburbs of Chicago gathered at Makom Solel Lakeside in Highland Park to mark their collective sponsorship of a Life Support Ambulance. They were joined by Congressman Brad Schneider and Illinois State Representative Bob Morgan.

Bushinsky Family — Boynton Beach, Fla.

Dr. David and Maxine Cook — Newtown Square, Pa.

Danny, Jack, and Louis Bushinsky and Janice Cooper dedicated two ambulances in loving memory of Alice Bushinsky, mother of Danny and Jack Bushinsky, and Nancy Bushinsky, Jack’s beloved wife.

The Cooks dedicated a Life Support Ambulance on a rainy spring day accompanied by family and friends.

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DEDICATIONS

Eimer-Foldes Family — Yonkers, N.Y.

Lisa and Mitch Livstone — Brookline, Mass.

Surrounded by family, Gail Foldes, Renee Rozenberg, and Jeff Eimer dedicated a Life Support Ambulance in memory of their mother, Luisa Osiakowska.

Surrounded by family and friends, Lisa Livstone and her mother, Paula Becker Riegel, dedicated an ambulance in memory of their beloved brother and son, Bram Livstone.

La Jolla Community — Calif.

Rita Rabb and Family — Sharon, Mass.

Mike and Karen Aron and members of the La Jolla community dedicated an ambulance in memory of Mike Aron’s father, Yitzchak Ben Zuzman-HaKohein.

Rita Rabb’s second ambulance was dedicated in honor of her 10 grandchildren. The ceremony took place in Israel.

Family across the U.S. participated via Zoom.

Joel Lapin — Ellicott City, Md., and Michael Lapin, Miami, Fla.

Yelin Family — Houston, Texas

Brothers Joel and Michael Lapin gathered with their family to dedicate a Life Support Ambulance in loving memory of their parents, Anne and Aaron Lapin.

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Linda Yelin and her family dedicated a Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulance at Houston’s Congregation Emanu El on the day of Frank Yelin’s unveiling, in honor of his work as a neurosurgeon and passion for Israel.

MDA IN THE U.S. MIDWEST REGION Ohio couple drives to Indiana facility to wish sponsored ambulance bon voyage.

Ethan Fleishman had a lifelong dream to donate an ambulance to Israel. That dream had finally come to fruition, and Ethan and his wife, Debbie, were looking forward to the celebratory dedication of the ambulance in their hometown before it would be shipped by cargo boat to Israel.

Everything changed on October 7, when Hamas infiltrated Israel and began its horrific terrorist attack. Magen David Adom needed additional ambulances now.

The Fleishmans eagerly agreed to forgo the dedication so that AFMDA could fly a group of newly assembled ambulances to Israel immediately.

This ambulance would be one of 14 on AFMDA’s second airlift instead of taking the usual six-week journey by sea.

MDA’s ambulances are made in a facility in Elkhart, Indiana. The plant is only about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from the couple’s home in Goshen, Ohio. So Ethan and Debbie packed up their camper and drove to Elkhart with their two dogs.

“It has always been a dream of mine, for decades, that I would be able to donate an ambulance to Israel,” said

Ethan. “I learned of AFMDA from my mother probably in the 1970s, as this was one of her favorite charities.”

The Fleishmans sponsored the ambulance in memory of Ethan’s parents and held their own very personal dedication ceremony at the Medix facility in the presence of employees, who were moved by their visit and Ethan’s remarks.

“Debbie and I get so much comfort knowing that lives in Israel will be saved with this Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulance.”

Great Vest Side holds its annual luncheon for MDA. The Great Vest Side Club of Chicago held their annual luncheon in June, raising funds for their second Automated External Defibrillator (AED) SmartBox. To date, the club has sponsored 15 Life Support Ambulances, a Medicycle, and an AED SmartBox.

First 7 Minutes training takes place in Detroit and Cleveland.

Congregation Shaarey Zedek, one of the largest synagogues in the Detroit area, sponsored the First 7 Minutes training program for members of its security committee and congregants. The Jewish Federation of Cleveland hosted two sessions for professionals of its affiliated agencies, as well as members of synagogues in the area. More than 60 people attending the June trainings and learned what to do after a violent attack or disaster in the first seven minutes it typically takes before first responders arrive.

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MDA IN THE U.S. NORTHEAST REGION Bergen County residents commit to replacing destroyed ambulance in memory of murdered EMT. Elie Y. Katz, the former deputy mayor of Teaneck, N.J., and his wife, Esther, had a dream of sending ambulances to Israel. They rallied the Jewish community of Bergen County, N.J., and in 2015, the community sponsored their first ambulance for MDA. Since then, two more ambulances have followed.

On October 7, 2023 Israel was brutally attacked by Hamas.

The Katz family received news that an EMT racing to treat victims was shot dead and the ambulance he was driving — the most recent one the community had donated in 2022 — was destroyed.

“We were shocked and distraught as we viewed pictures of the bullet-riddled driver side of the ambulance, thinking of Aharon Chaimov’s tragic and violent end,” said Elie. “To imagine that a hero — a first responder who dedicated his life to helping others — could be shot down while serving those in need was incomprehensible.”

The Katz family is determined to raise funds in Bergen County for another ambulance and dedicate it to Aharon’s memory. On learning about these events, Natalie and Davidi Jonas of Paramus, N.J., decided to match all donations.

The ambulance Aharon Chaimov, z"l, was driving when he was shot to death.

“During these unprecedented, challenging times, MDA needs our help more than ever,” said Elie. “We are fortunate that Natalie and Davidi Jonas will be matching all donations, so that all money raised will have double the impact and allow for a speedy acquisition of this most needed ambulance.”

Elie encourages those who want to contribute to contact Laurie Bandremer, director of major gifts, at 646.388.7521 or lbandremer@afmda.org.

MDA director briefs N.Y. and Boston communities on the response to the Hamas attack.

to and observations of the horrific Hamas attacks. He shared his personal experiences on the front lines and discussed how Magen David Adom strategically responds to calls throughout Israel.

Attendees were moved by his heartfelt and powerful testimony about MDA first responders gunned down while trying to save lives, ambulances destroyed, bodies found, and the overwhelming grief shared by all Israelis caused by unimaginable acts of terror, as well as their determination to persevere.

We are grateful to the hosting organizations Lincoln Square Synagogue, the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, the Jewish Center on the Upper West Yoni Yagodovsky, MDA’s director of international relations, Side, The Riverdale Minyan, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale spoke to several Jewish communities in New York City and — The Bayit, and Congregation Beth El-Atereth Israel in the greater Boston area about the organization’s response Newton Centre, Mass.

Rabbi Gershon Segal of Congregation Beth El-Atereth Israel, Yoni Yagodovsky, and Kurt Schwartz, AFMDA national board member.

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MDA IN THE U.S. Boston suburbs rally for Israel as ground war looms on.

The Jewish community of Shrewsbury, Mass., hosted an evening In Solidarity With Israel and a fundraiser at the Eastern Shores Club to support Magen David Adom. Speakers included Rabbi Fogelman, Elliot Honig, MDA EMT Yuval Brodsky, Olga Serebrennikov, and Monique Martin, AFMDA New England area director.

Irv Kempner and Gary Keimach, members of the Brotherhood at Temple Israel in Sharon, Mass., presented a check in support of MDA to Monique Martin, New England area director.

Israel’s first lady visits MDA supporters in D.C. Israeli First Lady Michal Herzog was the guest of honor at an exclusive event for MDA supporters at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., on July 18.

She was joined by her sister-in law, Madam Shirin Herzog — the wife of Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog — herself a former youth volunteer for Magen David Adom. They both praised MDA’s lifesaving work, especially during recent rocket and terror attacks in Israel.

From left: AFMDA Senior Development Executive Dawn Saidel, Evyan Koenig, First Lady Michal Herzog, Shirin Herzog, Bob Koenig, paramedic Michael Strongin, and Hilary Koenig Beynon.

Sam Konig named director of strategic philanthropy for AFMDA’s Northeast Region.

Born in Vienna to Polish Jewish parents, Sam Konig grew up in Copenhagen and speaks Danish, English, German, Polish, and Hebrew. He immigrated to the U.S. in 2012.

Sam assumed the role of director of strategic philanthropy for AFMDA’s Northeast Region in August. He is the former northeast regional director of American Friends of Bar-Ilan University and, prior to that, he was director of major gifts at Hillel International.

“I never could have anticipated that two months after starting at AFMDA, I would be leading a fundraising effort to assist Israel during its darkest time since the War of Independence. And yet, it is the most gratifying thing I can do right now.

“I’m grateful to my colleagues and generous donors who are pulling out all the stops to help.”

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 25

MDA IN THE U.S. SOUTHEAST REGION Jewish communities and individuals throughout Florida raise millions for Magen David Adom.

Residents of Frenchman's Creek Beach & Country Club and congregants of Temple Judea, both in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., immediately sprang into action to mobilize community support for Magen David Adom following the brutal October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas. Their independent fundraising drives raised funds for eight Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulances.

“We all felt so heartbroken and needed to do something to help and encourage others to join us,” said Patti Lampert, who initiated the Frenchman’s Creek effort with her husband, Tony. “Ambulances and the work of Magen David Adom inspire us all.”

The Lamperts sent an email to 10 friends, and within a few hours, $140,000 was raised for a MICU. Word of the fundraising drive spread quickly, and 56 Frenchman’s Creek families soon pledged their support. After three MICUs were fully sponsored within 48 hours, another was added to the list shortly after, for a total of four vehicles.

Many residents also made gifts to support MDA outside of this campaign.

At the same time, Temple Judea was reaching out to its congregants with an urgent message to help provide emergency medical vehicles and supplies to Magen David Adom.

“When the crisis began, it was clear to us that we needed to support Israel and the Israeli people,” said Rabbi Yaron Kapitulnik. “We wanted to support an organization that has an immediate impact on the lives of those in Israel.”

The response from the congregation was swift and extraordinarily generous. They quickly exceeded their goal to sponsor one MICU, and ultimately sponsored four Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulances.

“Every time I wanted to stop, I thought of those tortured, and then thought of those who would be saved,” said Michael Dobin, who ran 26 miles with friends and raised $100,000 for MDA.

“Through their remarkable generosity, residents of Frenchman’s Creek and congregants of Temple Judea were able to make a direct impact to save lives in Israel,” said Tammy Karu, national director of strategic philanthropy for AFMDA’s Southeast Region.

“I can’t begin to thank the thousands of individuals who made donations and led remarkable efforts to help us provide immediate emergency medical assistance,” she added.

“From Michael Dobin in Ft. Lauderdale, who put together a group of people to run a marathon and raised $100,000, and Jaime Weiss, who sponsored a breakfast for Israel in Boca Raton, to the little girl from Wellington who donated her tooth fairy money of $48 in support of the Temple Beth Torah Israel campaign — their boundless compassion and support bring great comfort to us during this very dark time.”

Stand with Israel at these upcoming community events Miami — Tuesday, December 12, 2023 Boca-Delray — Thursday, March 7, 2024 Palm Beach — Thursday, March 28, 2024 Visit afmda.org/events for details.

26 THE PULSE DECEMBER 2023

MDA IN THE U.S. Churches across the Southeast come together in support of Israel and MDA. “I didn’t know I needed a community hug until I walked into this church and felt the warmth, and the love, and the support of Israel,” said Tammy Karu, national director of strategic philanthropy for AFMDA’s Southeast Region.

Winston Parrish, senior pastor at Trinity Baptist, has served as a paramedic himself for 11 years in Asheville. “I have a deep appreciation for the commitment of MDA’s paramedics and EMTs, who are being deployed around the clock,” he said. “We’re looking forward with our hearts in standing with you for the long term. We’re in this as long as it goes,” he told Tammy.

From left: Tammy Karu; Rob Rosenthal, AFMDA chief marketing officer; Yoni Yagodovsky; Pastor Winston Parrish; Ralph Sexton Jr., pastor emeritus of Trinity Baptist Church and founder of Ralph Sexton Ministries.

Thousands of Christians across the Southeast came out in solidarity on October 25 for A Night for Israel, hosted by Trinity Baptist Church in Asheville, N.C., in collaboration with Ralph Sexton Ministries. More than $300,000 was raised for Magen David Adom at a telethon broadcast on television and radio and live streamed on multiple platforms. One donation came from a cattle breeder in Georgia who sold three cows for the cause.

The church and ministry have been friends and supporters of MDA for many years and lifelong supporters of Israel, sponsoring ambulances, a Medicycle, and medical equipment. “The ministry’s support of four vehicles has provided medical treatment to more than 30,000 Israelis,” said Yoni Yagodovsky, MDA’s director of international relations, during the event.

“You can’t imagine what it means to us. You are our partners for life. Thanks to all of you, we are able to reach out to people in need, help them, reassure their families, and do the best we can,” he said.

Miami teenager shares his admiration for MDA’s lifesaving work with school.

While most teenagers are playing video games or skateboarding, one 16-year-old is using his artistic talent to raise money for Magen David Adom.

A high school junior at the Scheck Hillel Community School in North Miami Beach, Benjamin Herschman established the Magen David Adom Club at his school to raise awareness and money for the important work MDA does in Israel. The club’s most successful fundraising event to date has been selling puzzles of MDA ambulances that Benjamin paints himself.

A third-generation MDA supporter, Benjamin’s devotion to MDA and Israel stems from his family. His parents, Laura and Robert Herschman, are involved with the organization, and his grandparents, Dana and Michael Werner, sponsored labs at MDA’s Marcus National Blood Services Center.

“We want to express our immense gratitude to Benjamin for all that he has done to support the lifesaving work of Magen David Adom,” said Adi Ben-Ezra, a development executive with AFMDA. “He is an inspiration to us all.”

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MDA IN THE U.S. WESTERN REGION

Communities demonstrate outpouring of support for Israel.

Corporations, foundations, individual philanthropists, and groups of supporters from throughout the country’s western region have reached deeply into their hearts and pockets to stand in solidarity with Israel and show their support for the heroic first responders of Magen David Adom.

Wilshire Boulevard Temple, one of the oldest and largest centers of Jewish community life in Los Angeles, mobilized A MICU that was damaged beyond repair due to gunfire. an ambulance drive for Magen David Adom. In only one week, Adom for delivering them to the skilled paramedics and more than 435 families and individual congregants EMTs that need them.” donated generously to meet its initial goal of two In Southern Arizona, the Jewish community is rallying ambulances. But thanks to matching-gift opportunities behind Israel and close to its goal of raising $1 million.

by Jaime and Andrew Schwartzberg and the Karen and AFMDA staff throughout the region has been gratefully Russell Goldsmith Family Charitable Trust, the community overwhelmed with thousands of donations being made ultimately sponsored seven Life Support Ambulances, for vehicles and equipment. with additional funding to cover ambulance maintenance.

“In times like these,” said Janet Morgan, director of “There is no greater imperative than saving a life,” said strategic philanthropy for the Western Region, “I am Rabbi Steve Leder, senior rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard deeply comforted by the incredible generosity and love Temple. “Our temple is proud of our members. We being shared with the men and women of Magen David are also grateful to them for funding these lifesaving Adom, who are putting their lives at risk every day to ambulances and to American Friends of Magen David save others.”

L.A. attorney launches ambulance drive.

Bobby Saadian, Esq., MBA, founder of Wilshire Law Firm, PLC, hosted a fundraising drive for a Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulance. He and his wife, Renee, donated $50,000 and inspired friends, family, and colleagues to contribute. Within three weeks, the funds were secured, making the lifesaving gift for the people of Israel possible. “My wife and I have been so moved by the stories of heroism and service that MDA engages in every day. It has been a true honor to partner in support of their tremendous work.”

28 THE PULSE DECEMBER 2023

MDA IN THE U.S. MDA’s disaster-response training makes its California debut.

Trainees and MDA instructors at the Osher Marin JCC in San Rafael.

Magen David Adom emergency-response trainers traveled to California in May to lead a series of First 7 Minute trainings. Seven sessions were held in synagogues and Jewish community centers in Poway, La Jolla, San Diego, Laguna Niguel, Los Angeles, Foster City, and San Rafael. Participants learned what to do after an attack or disaster in the first seven minutes it typically takes for first responders to arrive. In the hands-on seminar, they played the roles of both victims — wearing blood-stained shirts to indicate their wounds — and unhurt bystanders suddenly thrust into the role of rescuers.

Marin Jewish community stands in solidarity with Israel.

Shortly after October 7, members of the Marin County Jewish community who took part in the First 7 Minutes training came together in solidarity and support for Israel. Some people were draped in Israeli flags, others were wearing shirts they had ripped in mourning for the lives lost. Together they lit yahrzeit candles. Many expressed gratitude for the training they received just months ago as incidents of anti-Semitism in schools and synagogues rise, and pledged support for MDA.

MDA’s head of disaster preparedness visits L.A. Felix Lotan, MDA’s head of disaster preparedness and a senior paramedic, visited Los Angeles in May to share experiences from MDA’s rescue mission in Turkey following its deadly earthquake. Lotan met with Beverly Hills City officials, spoke to students at UCLA, and addressed nearly 500 congregants at Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills. He discussed MDA’s international reach at an event hosted by Barak and Indre Raviv and at a dinner hosted by Nesim and Leon Hason.

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LEGACY CIRCLE LAUNCHES VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB AFMDA announces and invites Legacy Circle members to its new online book club. It will be led by well-known nonfiction book facilitator Lorraine Aronowitz Danzig.

Its inaugural meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.

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Meetings will occur quarterly on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. ET and last 90 minutes.

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All books selected will be titles already in paperback and available widely in libraries and often in electronic or audio book form. No book will be more than 400 pages.

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During the Zoom meetings, everyone will have the opportunity to discuss their ideas and insights about the book.

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No one needs to have completed reading the book to participate.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND BEGIN READING! First Book Club: Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 7:30 p.m. ET First Book:

“Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water-Starved World”

Author:

Seth M. Siegel

Lorraine Aronowitz Danzig has been the facilitator of a Jewish nonfiction book club in Manhattan for 25 years. She is excited to guide thought-provoking discussions on a variety of books covering topics of Jewish and Jewish-related themes on history, medicine, the State of Israel, and Jewish communities and leaders around the world. In her words, “We are glad to have intelligent, thinking people participating for 90 minutes of conversation and insights.”

Legacy Circle members can register by contacting Marilyn Stern Emas at msternemas@afmda.org or 646.388.7518.

30 THE PULSE DECEMBER 2023

Contact Us Magen David Adom is Israel’s emergency medical system and the country’s affiliate to the International Red Cross. A leader in mass-casualty response and in EMS technology, Magen David Adom treats and transports nearly 1 million people to hospitals every year, collects, tests, and distributes nearly all the blood to Israel’s hospitals, and responds to disasters around the world.

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 20 West 36th Street, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10018 Toll-Free: 866.632.2763 Tel: 212.757.1627 info@afmda.org NORTHEAST REGION 20 West 36th Street, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10018 Toll-Free: 866.632.2763 Tel: 212.757.1627 northeast@afmda.org SOUTHEAST REGION 4371 Northlake Blvd., #361 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 Toll-Free: 800.626.0046 Tel: 561.835.0510 southeast@afmda.org MIDWEST REGION 3175 Commercial Avenue, Suite 101 Northbrook, IL 60062 Toll-Free: 888.674.4871 Tel: 847.509.9802 midwest@afmda.org WESTERN REGION 6505 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 650 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Toll-Free: 800.323.2371 Tel: 323.655.4655 western@afmda.org ESTATE AND PLANNED GIVING American Friends of Magen David Adom 20 West 36th Street, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10018 Tel: 212.757.1627 msternemas@afmda.org legacy.afmda.org

AFMDA NATIONAL OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS National Chairman Mark D. Lebow Chief Executive Officer Catherine L. Reed Vice Chairs Daniel Dobin Gershon W. Trimpol Treasurer Neil Fox Secretary Barry S. Feldman Audit Chair Michael Goldman Directors Donna Fried Calcaterra Jenna D. Calcaterra Ann S. Deshe Dave Dias Herbert Donner Annetta Weller Epstein Jacqueline Goldman Albert Kalimian Fraeda Kopman Ann Lesser Ronit A.J. Neuman Robert Picow Isaac Pretter Kurt N. Schwartz Daniel Schwarzwalder Kent M. Swig Chairman of MDA Executive Board Rabbi Avraham Manela Director-General, Magen David Adom in Israel Eli Bin Advisory Board Seymour Brief Martin Cohen Paula Blaine Cohen

afmda.org facebook.com/afmda twitter.com/afmda vimeo.com/afmda @magen_david_adom_america linkedin.com/company/american-friends-of-magen-david-adom

DECEMBER 2023 THE PULSE 31

NON PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #281 BROOKLYN NY

20 W. 36th Street, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10018

Please remember AFMDA in your will.

Please remember AFMDA in your will.

HAVE YOU EVER WISHED YOU COULD HELP MORE? But thought you couldn’t afford to?

There are ways you can give today while still preserving your assets for retirement and providing for your family.

There is good news!

You can support Magen David Adom without impacting you or your family. Please contact us to learn more about these types of charitable gifts and how you can make an extraordinary commitment to saving more lives in Israel.

Here are gifts anyone can afford to make: • Gifts From a Will or Trust • Beneficiary Designations • Life Insurance • Appreciated Securities • Real Property • Tangible Personal Property • Life Estate • Business Interests, Closely Held Stock, and Partnerships

For more information, visit legacy.afmda.org or call 646.388.7518.