Magen David Adom

We are excited to invite you to get to know Magen David Adom’s incredible volunteers and staff. This week, meet Ilai Cohen (18), a youth volunteer in the Jerusalem Region and a high school senior. Ilai was introduced to the world of emergency medicine through his cousin, an MDA paramedic. Seeing her work inspired him to join, and MDA has since become an integral part of his life. Most of his free time is dedicated to volunteering in the field, saving lives, and mentoring younger volunteers. This year, he is set to instruct the newest cohort of MDA's 60-hour youth EMT course. He experiences the true meaning of his work right out in the field: "On one call, we arrived at a motorcycle accident involving a patient in critical condition. We treated him and evacuated him to the hospital. A few months later, during a routine shift transporting a patient back home, I surprisingly realized it was the exact same person. Seeing him after his rehabilitation process was incredible. That encounter reminded me that behind every call is a human being with a complete story, and that we have the privilege of playing a small yet meaningful part in people’s lives." For Ilai, MDA is far more than just a place to volunteer, it is his second home, a place to grow, lead, and make a real impact. Ilai, you are a true inspiration to our youth and to all of us. Thank you for your dedication, your giant heart, and your tireless commitment! 💛

In a celebratory ceremony held in Kfar Hasidim, Magen David Adom officially laid the cornerstone for a brand-new emergency medical station that will significantly boost lifesaving response capabilities across the region. The event took place as part of the 2026 MDA Friends Societies Conference, attended by leaders of MDA Friends Societies from around the globe. Once complete, the new station will enable MDA EMTs and paramedics to provide even faster emergency medical care to the residents of Kfar Hasidim, surrounding communities, and along the region’s major traffic arteries. This critical project is made possible through the generosity and support of the MDA Friends Society in the Netherlands, which continues to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel’s national emergency medical service. Building this new station marks another vital step in expanding MDA’s operational footprint and ensuring rapid, high-quality medical response throughout Israel. 🚑💙

We are excited to invite you to get to know Magen David Adom’s incredible volunteers and staff. Meet Omri David (30), an MDA staff EMT who, for the past three years, has served as the National Lead for Marketing and Recruitment for National Service Paramedic Courses at MDA Headquarters, while simultaneously pursuing a degree in law. Omri began his journey with MDA as a youth volunteer in the Jerusalem Region, continued into a National Service gap year (Shin-Shin) in the Volunteer Department, remained an active volunteer throughout his military service, and subsequently spent nine years leading volunteer EMTs in the Jerusalem Region. One of the most meaningful moments of his career took place at a graduation ceremony for a paramedic course he oversaw: "One of the newly minted paramedics approached me and thanked me. Suddenly, you see a skilled professional standing before you after completing a long, challenging training process, and you realize you were part of the journey that brought her and her peers to this moment. It reminded me that behind every candidate is a person who will save lives in the future, and that behind-the-scenes work plays a significant role in making that happen." For Omri, MDA is much more than a workplace: "It’s a place where I’ve met incredible people, gained invaluable experiences, and grown personally. There’s something truly special about coming full circle, I was once a youth volunteer just starting out, and today I have the privilege of helping other young people begin their own journeys." Omri, it is a tremendous honor to have you as part of our family. Thank you for your dedication and for everything you do to build the next generation of lifesavers! 💛

. שמחים להזמין אתכם להכיר את אנשי ונשות מד"א. הכירו את עומרי דוד (30) חובש עובד האירגון, מכהן כבר שלוש שנים כאחראי על השיווק והגיוס הארצי לקורסי הפראמדיקים לשירות הלאומי (קפ"מ) במטה מד"א, ובמקביל סטודנט למשפטים. התחיל את דרכו במד"א כבר כמתנדב נוער במרחב ירושלים, המשיך לש"ש (שנת שירות) במשרד המתנדבים, התנדב לאורך כל שירותו הצבאי, ובהמשך שימש במשך תשע שנים כאחראי על החובשים המתנדבים במרחב ירושלים. אחד הרגעים המרגשים ביותר בתפקיד הוא זוכר מטקס סיום של אחד מקורסי הקפ"מ שהוא ליווה: "אחת הפראמדיקיות שסיימו את הקורס ניגשה אליי והודתה לי. פתאום אתה רואה מולך אשת מקצוע שסיימה הכשרה ארוכה ומאתגרת, ואתה מבין שהיית חלק מהדרך שהביאה אותה ואת חבריה לרגע הזה. זה הזכיר לי שמאחורי כל מועמד יש אדם שבעתיד יציל חיים, ושגם לעבודה מאחורי הקלעים יש חלק משמעותי בכך". בשבילו, מד"א הוא הרבה יותר ממקום עבודה: "זה מקום שבו הכרתי אנשים מדהימים, צברתי חוויות והתפתחתי ברמה האישית. יש משהו מיוחד בסגירת המעגל הזאת, פעם הייתי מתנדב נוער שרק התחיל, והיום אני זוכה לאפשר לצעירים אחרים להתחיל את הדרך שלהם". עומרי, זכות ענקית שאתה חלק מהמשפחה שלנו. תודה על המסירות ועל כל מה שאתה עושה עבור דור העתיד! 💛

As part of a large-scale emergency drill in Dimona, Magen David Adom teams practiced responding to a direct missile strike on a residential building resulting in dozens of casualties. The exercise took place at an actual building damaged during Operation "Roar of the Lion," held in close coordination with the Dimona Municipality, Israel Fire and Rescue Services, Search and Rescue units, and municipal policing teams. MDA EMTs and paramedics drilled rapid entry to reach victims, providing advanced field trauma care, evacuating critical patients via Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICUs), and coordinating a swift transfer to an MDA Medevac helicopter at the local helipad to drastically shorten transport times to trauma centers. At Magen David Adom, continuous training and peak operational readiness ensure our teams remain ready to deliver rapid, expert medical care in any scenario, in routine times and in emergency.

Magen David Adom’s Medicycle Unit is upgrading its lifesaving capabilities with seven state-of-the-art medicycles! Equipped with advanced safety systems and comprehensive medical gear, including emergency medications, resuscitation equipment, and a monitor/defibrillator, these new units are designed to cut response times and reach patients rapidly, even through dense traffic and challenging terrain. MDA’s Medicycle Unit operates approximately 700 rapid-response medicycles across Israel, ridden by skilled EMTs, paramedics, and physicians. As first responders on the scene, these riders deliver critical, initial medical care when every second matters. The seven new medicycles have been deployed in Sderot, Beit Aryeh, Petah Tikva, Ramla, Nazareth, Harish, and Holon. They were generously donated by MDA Friends Societies in Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, and France. Every day, MDA teams continue working around the clock across the country, navigating any terrain and overcoming any obstacle to reach patients fast and save lives.

We’re excited to introduce you to the extraordinary volunteers and staff who make up Magen David Adom! This week, meet Paramedic Odel Pless (20), who began her MDA journey as a youth volunteer at the Safed Station and went on to complete a high-impact National Service (Sherut Leumi) path in MDA’s regional Paramedic Course (KAPAM 9) in the Carmel Region. Odel was looking for a dynamic, hands-on service, one built on face-to-face human connection rather than a traditional desk job. She chose the Paramedic track because it brought together everything she loved about medicine right to the front lines: from cardiology and pediatrics to obstetrics, alongside complex trauma and rescue calls. In the field, no two days are ever the same, and every shift brings new team dynamics, unique challenges, and immense responsibility at a young age. For Odel, an essential part of being a paramedic goes beyond medical interventions, it’s about offering a listening ear, providing calm, and simply being there for patients in their darkest moments. "You can’t always fix every problem, and there isn’t a medicine for every pain," Odel shares. "But sometimes, you can ease someone's fear, or simply make them feel like they aren't facing it alone." Odel, you are a true inspiration! We are so proud of your dedication, your leadership, and the meaningful path you’ve chosen with MDA. 💛🇮🇱 Wishing everyone a peaceful week ahead! MDA paramedics, EMTs, and National Service volunteers across Israel continue to stand ready 24/7 to save lives.

We’re excited to introduce you to the extraordinary volunteers who make up Magen David Adom! This week, meet Nicole Terazi (24), an EMT at the Lod Station who currently serves as the Youth Volunteer Coordinator for the Lod and Be'er Ya'akov cluster. After volunteering with MDA Youth in her high school years, Nicole returned to the organization six months ago as a licensed EMT. In her daily life, Nicole is an 8th-grade grade-level coordinator, a biology teacher, an athletic class educator, and holds two academic degrees. Nicole shares that her love for medicine and her deep desire to be there for people in their most vulnerable moments led her to MDA. Knowing that she can make a real impact—bringing calm, reassurance, and life-saving care, gives her a profound sense of purpose. One of Nicole’s most powerful experiences on the ambulance was responding to a call for a patient battling severe PTSD. Through patience, warmth, and empathy, Nicole gained the patient’s trust. At the end of the call, the woman hugged her and thanked her deeply. That moment reinforced for Nicole that sometimes, active listening and making a patient feel safe are just as vital as medical intervention. For Nicole, MDA is a second home and a family, a place where she learned leadership, responsibility, and true devotion. Today, as a Youth Coordinator, she has the privilege of mentoring Israel’s next generation of lifesavers. Nicole, we are so proud of you and grateful for your inspiring leadership both in the classroom and on the front lines!

Some babies are happy to wait until their parents are ready. Others have plans of their own! When a 25-year-old mother in northern Israel went into labor, she and her husband called MDA, hoping to reach the hospital in time. But their little girl had other ideas! Moments later, a healthy baby girl took her very first breath right inside an MDA ambulance. For MDA senior EMT Hussani Dalasha (35), a father of two and volunteer of 12 years, the moment was especially meaningful. “As a father myself, this moment touched me especially deeply,” he shared. MDA volunteer lead paramedic Shay Ashkenazi (22) felt the same joy: “It was an incredible experience. An extraordinary sense of purpose that reminded me why I chose to do this work.” Hussani and Shay, we are so proud of you! Thank you for reminding us that saving lives sometimes means welcoming new ones into the world. 🚑💛 Welcome to the world, little one! 💕