That was then. Ezer Mizion male staff members are on site pre and post Lag B’Omer(a Jewish holiday) at Meron (a religious site in Israel) . The logistics are huge. Ambulance drivers, transport escorts, technical setup and management staff. Roles have been assigned and preparatory meetings were held. Included in the roster are staff members in charge of collaboration with the police and local authorities, synchronization with others in the field at Meron, protocol for varied situations: the expected and the unexpected. Two huge tents are set up for use of the tireless Ezer Mizion team – one for sleeping and one for a kitchen and dining hall, plus toilet facilities – everything with lighting and A/C.
Ambulance transport for mobility-impaired people up and down the mountain is a major undertaking synchronized via an Ezer Mizion Command Center trailer with a full IT setup and with computerized map displays of the entire Meron area. The trailer has its own AC and generator and its own land-line phone system for coordinating the trips with the entire team.to and from the ziyon (place of burial) of Rabbi Shimon
One year all the cell phones on Meron crashed, and Ezer Mizion was the only communication source, via our land lines. We gave one of our land-lines to Hazalah (volunteer EMT organization) for their vital work. (The police were the only ones that had mobile phone communication when the cell phone systems were down which they do via satellite).
By request from the police, we had one ambulance in Meron for days before Lag B’Omer when it did 42 runs in one day, taking elderly, seriously ill and mobility impaired people up and down the mountain (84 trips…) to daven (pray) at Rabi Shimon’s gravesite, a small hint of what is yet to come on the big day itself.
That was then but…This Lag BaOmer, due to police restrictions resulting in severe attendance limitations, Ezer Mizion was unable to be in Meron. Instead, we were honored to take part in Rav Elimelech Biderman shlit”a’s central hadlaka (celebration) in Jerusalim.
Together with the Kinches Command Center, an on-site stem cell donor drive was held, and over 600 new donors joined the bone marrow registry in honor of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
A powerful night of unity, light, and lifesaving impact .
