Call it a meeting of the minds for an important cause — the wellbeing of Jews, in Israel and around the Baltimore area. For the first time ever, Hatzalah of Baltimore held a joint gathering with American Friends of Magen David Adom.
MDA is Israel’s emergency services system and a leader in mass casualty response and emergency medical services technology.
The joint breakfast and briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 28, was held at the Northwest Baltimore headquarters of Hatzalah, a nonprofit volunteer organization that provides emergency care to the local community.
Among the 25 attendees were Hatzalah President Eli Goldstein, Dovid Heyman, the organization’s executive director, Baltimore City Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer (D-5th), Rabbi Jonathan Aryeh Seidemann of Kehilath B’nai Torah, Danny Kochavi, AFMDA’s chief of staff, and Ira Gewanter, director of AFMDAs Mid-Atlantic Region.
At the meeting, Yoni Yagodovsky, MDA’s director of international relations and an expert on mass casualty response, offered a briefing on the state of emergency medical response in Israel, detailing the ways in which the organization has met the nation’s needs since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.
He also addressed the ways that lessons learned in Israel could benefit local emergency response personnel.
In addition, Yagodovsky spoke about opportunities for American medics to volunteer with MDA in Israel.
At the gathering, Gewanter presented Hatzalah members with a signature mezuzah similar to the one displayed at MDA’s Marcus National Blood Services Center in the central Israeli city of Ramla. The center is where Israel’s blood supply is tested, processed and stored. The mezuzah will be affixed to the doorway of Hatzalah’s training center.
“Hatzalah has [sent] critical first-responders for me and my family on different occasions, and it was terrific to start my day reinforcing how fortunate we are to be in a community that profoundly cares for each other and our family in Israel together, said Gewanter. “I anticipate more opportunities for close partnership going forward.”
For information, visit afmda.org.
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