Dedicated to Saving Lives Mda on the Rock Kiryat Malachi

Winter 2018 | RedShield | 3 6 | RedShield | Winter 2018 DEDICATED TO SAVING LIVES NORMAN’S POINT OF LIGHT

Red ShieldBulletin from Magen David Adom UK THE LEWINS Magen David Adom can Norman Rosenbaum received community fundraising drive in the Cockfosters Number 43 | Winter 2018 After experiencing first hand how important continue saving lives thanks to the Points of Light award earlier and N. Southgate Synagogue to supply the medicycles’ quick response time can be, the £60,000 vehicles which have gone on to attend all of your donations. The past Lewins were approached by another couple who this year for fundraising for over 63,000 emergencies, providing medical aid few months have been filled were keen to donate a bike after a medicycle Magen David Adom. to the sick and the injured regardless of religion, with many exciting and special had given them the care they needed after race, nationality or gender. Part of the collapsing on holiday in Israel. dedications which we are The award recognises outstanding volunteers who International Red Cross Movement, Magen David are making a change in their community and Adom is the national aid society of Israel, always ever grateful for. inspiring others. Norman is a retired surgeon providing emergency care, supplying blood and whose support for Magen David Adom has cooperating with the Palestinian Red Crescent VERA AND JACK ACKERMAN Z”L enabled the Israeli emergency service to buy 11 and other Red Cross and Red Crescent At the beginning of October, five Mobile Intensive ambulances for its life saving work. 83-year-old organisations across the world. Norman is Care Units were donated in memory of Vera and Norman has spearheaded an impressive ongoing currently fundraising for a 12th ambulance. Jack Ackerman Z”L. These MICUs alone will save potentially 50,000 lives during their operations on the roads.

The Lewins felt a bond to Israel as their daughter and her family live in Jeruslaem – their youngest granddaughter was named after the paramedic 70 PHOTOS who had helped her mother to deliver her when MDA ON THE ROCK she had fallen ill at home. FOR 70 Together with the UHC of Leeds they donated two NORMAN AND JILL FAUST After months of planning, on medicycles. At the dedication ceremony the Thursday 13th September MDA UK In September we welcomed an ambulance, medics present knew the paramedic who she had YEARS a Mobile Intensive Care Unit as well as four been named after. launched, in collaboration with medicycles. These were donated by Norman and the Gibraltar-Israel Chamber of th Jill Faust, all to mark Norman’s 90 birthday. On CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM To mark the 70th year of Commerce Gibrael, its presence the day of the dedication, MK Avi Dichter was This year we remember the Hadassah Convoy Israel’s independence, present and donated a unit of blood in honour of Massacre that took place 70 years ago. The in Gibraltar at The Bistro Point the donor’s big birthday. Christian Friends of Magen David Adom Jonathan Straight has Restaurant, which overlooks honoured this and dedicated two ambulances created a photobook northern Africa.

in memory of the tragedy. with 70 original photos, 34 guests and dignitaries from Gibraltar and that capture and follow Southern Spain attended the launch dinner, KIRYAT MALACHI OPENING the day-to-day work of where Prof Eilat Shinar, Director of MDA Blood Services, informed dinner guests about Magen Magen David Adom. David Adom’s work in Israel as well as across the CLOSES ‘70 FOR 70’ CAMPAIGN The book is split into four different parts, world. As well as other speeches, a founding blood, sweat, tears & helicopters. Each member of the new Gibraltar committee also aspect of the book really puts you in the announced plans for the near future. Irish Ambassador Alison Kelly was also present midst of and allows you to visualise At the end of October we Donors in Gibraltar had already pledged a and was presented with a Medicycle to celebrate every day action amongst Magen celebrated the opening of a brand INSIDE medicycle, and a further one was pledged the launch of MDA Ireland. David Adom workers and volunteers. during the evening. new station in Kiryat Malachi in the Our ‘70 for 70’ campaign was a great success. It BREAKING BOUNDARIES TO SAVE LIVES 2 presence of the Deputy British th began in January to mark the 70 anniversary of 2018 TREKKERS RAISE OVER £100K 2 Ambassador Tony Kay OBE who was Israel’s independence and in under a year Magen David Adom UK has successfully put 70 presented with a Medicycle to DEDICATED TO SAVING LIVES 3 commemorate HRH The Duke of medicycles on the streets of Israel. MELANIE PHILLIPS’ IMPROMPTU TALK Cambridge’s visit. In the immediate aftermath of a car crash, terror THE ANNUAL DINNER RAISES £2.6M 4 attack or any life-threatening incident, the first few moments are critical. Medicycles are A TRIBUTE TO ELI BENSON 5 specifically designed to cut through the traffic on On Tuesday 16th October, Guests enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at Chucs Israel’s roads and reduce the response times by NORMAN’S POINT OF LIGHT 6 restaurant and listened to Magen David Adom up to seven minutes. This is why medicycles are 70 PHOTOS FOR 70 YEARS 6 85 guests joined to support advocate Ian Langdon talk about his support for so important to the life-saving ability of Magen the MDA UK Impromptu MDA and how others can get involved. David Adom. MDA ON THE ROCK 6

Committee’s Lunch at the Following lunch Melanie Phillips was interviewed To find out how you can get involved or for MELANIE PHILLIPS’ IMPROMPTU TALK 6 Serpentine Gallery with British about her incredibly successful career and more information about Magen David Adom journalist, author and public guests had the chance to ask their own UK, please visit www.mdauk.org or call the questions. office on 020 8201 5900. commentator Melanie Phillips. Guests were then able to pledge to Magen David Adom and managed to raise a generous sum.

Registered Charity No. 1113409 2 | RedShield | Winter 2018 Winter 2018 | RedShield | 5

BREAKING 2018 TREKKERS THE ANNUAL DINNER RAISES BOUNDARIES TO SAVE RAISE OVER £100K AN INCREDIBLE £2.6M LIVES Two unique treks took place in Magen David Adom is October and November which Israel’s ONLY national collectively saw a phenomenal Trekking in Israel this year for Magen medical emergency and amount fundraised for a brand blood service. There is no David Adom was an experience I will other organisation new Mobile Intensive Care Unit never ever forget. From visiting the responsible for delivering and two medicycles – a Blood Centre and the Dispatch medical response across combined amount of £100k. Centre, to racing through Jerusalem the length and breadth of at dawn with the sirens blaring, we the country. We are fortunate that our work is The trekking missions comprised 39 brave were able to truly see the real work supported by a team of 22,000 volunteers. So individuals in October and 20 in November, with that this incredible charity does. The much so that when a first responder attends on several veteran trekkers from previous years. In 5 trekking was not easy. It was hot and a medicycle, MDA can provide this lifesaving days they crammed site visits to MDA facilities, tough but very worthwhile and the service for free. Incredibly, this is provided as a grueling trekking in the North and South of Israel friendships made along the way will non-governmental service and is dependent on and taking part in ambulance shifts. last a lifetime. the generosity of donors from across the world. Which means the challenge of funding and Both missions began by visiting MDA facilities Nikki Cohen, October Trek 2018 running Magen David Adom is a challenge such as the current National Blood Services and which we in the diaspora must share. the site of the protected Blood Center and Logistics center, which is currently under This challenge is exacerbated by the th limited edition copy of ‘Blood, Sweat, Tears & construction in Ramla. Trekkers then continued to On Monday 26 November over changing nature of Israel and its relationship Helicopters’ by the photobook’s author, the MDA National Medical Dispatch where they 400 guests attended the Magen with Jewish communities around the world. Jonathan Straight. Some no longer see Israel as the cause it once gained insight into the technology developed David Adom UK Lifeblood Dinner and used by MDA. They met with Senior MDA This year’s film was focused on blood and how was. It is down to us, the organisations working at The Dorchester on Park Lane. in the ‘philanthropy for Israel’ space, to make officials including MDA’s Deputy Director General Magen David Adom plays such a huge role in the the case to a new generation of donors. The of Blood Services, Prof. Eilat Shinar and Chief The record breaking attendance produced a blood supply in Israel. case for Israel. record-breaking fundraising return with the Financial Officer Alon Fridman. The group joined During the evening, there were screens up which annual dinner campaign hitting £2.6million. This We are fortunate that Magen David Adom is spectator shifts on MDA’s Intensive Care Units and were connected live to the dispatch centre in money will go towards funding the National Blood an attractive cause to so many people. The ambulances throughout central Israel and Israel. Donors were able to follow their and Logistics Centre in Ramla – a partnership with tangibility of our product; the vehicles, the witnessed firsthand the lifesaving work of the The MDA UK Trek challenge is a one of a kind ambulances live, real time on a shift and all the Government of Israel and the American stations, the National Blood & Logistics Centre volunteers and workers of the organization. experience where participants can enjoy Israel in guests were able to follow all activity on the and even the consumables, mean that Friends of Magen David Adom. a unique way, all whilst contributing towards the streets of Tel Aviv. donors can literally see how they are wonderful cause of lifesaving in Israel and seeing Special guest Judge Rinder was the compère for supporting a humanitarian cause and saving MDA UK Chief Executive Daniel Burger exactly how their funds are making a huge the evening and kept the guests entertained lives. Each year, numerous UK supporters join commented “You have just witnessed the very difference. MDA thanks the UK Trekkers for their throughout. MDA UK chairman David Curtis an ambulance shift out of one of our stations. real way that blood saves lives in Israel. And how, hard work and support and looks forward to presented Norman Rosenbaum with his “Point of Nothing shows how valuable our support is like in collecting, processing, distributing and welcoming them and new trekkers in future a day at the coal face. Light” award. An award of recognition by the A TRIBUTE TO ELI BENSON administering this most precious of commodities, trekking adventures. Prime Minister for his fundraising work for Magen In addition to our work in Ireland, the Channel Magen David Adom is genuinely providing the To register interest for our 2019 treks, please David Adom. David Curtis told guests of some of Islands and the Isle of Man, this past year has lifeblood of Israel.” We worked closely together on the phone, me from He was a giant among men, highly respected and the great work Norman has done for MDA. Eli Benson was born Eli Ben seen a concerted effort to reach the Jewish contact [email protected]. A tribute was paid to the late Eli Benson, former Zion. A more appropriate name my car and Eli in his office. We bounced ideas off the world is a poorer place without him. community of Gibraltar and the vibrant expat Mark Regev, Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, each other and it was a privilege and pleasure to Chief Executive of MDA UK, who devoted his He is sorely missed. population of Israel. Both responded positively spoke about the pride he took when his children career to helping others both in Israel and in could not have been given to a work with him. and generously to our mission and the volunteered for MDA. He was presented with a the diaspora. person who devoted his career coming months will see a continued push. He was small in stature and had a quiet Was very sad waving goodbye to my to helping others both in Israel demeanour. He had an amazing ability to enthuse All in all, 2018 has been a year of excitement newfound friends yesterday. I spent donors and have them make unexpected Nicholas Springer and achievement. However this is all tinged and the diaspora. the afternoon reflecting on the past 6 donations. During his period as chief executive, Vice President, Magen David Adom UK with a degree of sadness as we lost a true He started his career at Young Poale Zion before hero in Eli Benson. Eli was the ultimate special days and everything and MDA raised in excess of £50 million, making this moving to the Joint Israel Appeal, the precursor fundraiser for Israel and a mentor and friend to everyone I had met. I would just like cause one of the leading charities in our to the UJIA , and then to the CBF, renamed World me personally and all in MDA. Our Vice to add a huge thank you to each community. Even in retirement, if one can call it Jewish Relief. We were fortunate to have him join President, Nicholas Springer, has written a and everyone for your friendship, such, he continued to fundraise. Magen David Adom as chief executive in the heartfelt tribute elsewhere in the newsletter coffees, glasses of wine and arm to Eli was a modest person. Just before he passed and it goes without saying that Eli will be sorely hold on the dark walks home. I love late 1990s. away, he was told that the ambulance station at missed. what we have achieved and look At that time the charity was going through a Ramat Beit Shemesh was to be named in his forward to seeing you all soon. difficult period. There was nothing special about its honour. His immediate reaction was that the name major fundraising event and not an enormous Sandra Brown, November 2018 of his loving wife, Anita, should also be included. ‘Walkie Talkie’ Trek amount of money was raised otherwise. The then Daniel Burger Chairman invited me to take over as dinner chair The foundation of the organisation that we have Chief Executive and I inherited the skeleton of today’s function, today is a fitting tribute to him and we all have a which we developed together. responsibility to build on his legacy.

| SAVE MORE LIVES IN ISRAEL TODAY CALL 020 8201 5900 OR VISIT WWW.MDAUK.ORG/DONATE | | SAVE MORE LIVES IN ISRAEL TODAY CALL 020 8201 5900 OR VISIT WWW.MDAUK.ORG/DONATE | | SAVE MORE LIVES IN ISRAEL TODAY CALL 020 8201 5900 OR VISIT WWW.MDAUK.ORG/DONATE |