| Lag Ba'omer in Meron is an exhilarating and inspirational experience that many refuse to miss. The chaotic traffic and crowded masses do not deter those who desire to be in Meron for this annual, uplifting moment, and - thanks to Ezer Mizion - age and physical state are not a deterrent either.
This year, once again, tens of thousands of Jews from across Israel and around the world made their annual pilgrimage to Meron on Lag Ba'Omer, converging on the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to pour out their hearts in prayer and to celebrate on the yahrtzeit of the revered tanna . And, once again, while the visitors sang and danced through the night, five Ezer Mizion ambulances waited in readiness to transport mobility impaired people to the point closest to the kever reserved for authorized vehicles.
Severely handicapped Daniel most likely would never have had the opportunity to participate in the Lag Ba'omer festivities were it not for Ezer Mizion. Suffering from cerebral palsy, fifteen year old Daniel needs to be fed and have all his physical needs tended to by others. Although he cannot walk, talk, or use his hands, Daniel will not be daunted; he successfully communicates with the world through a stick that he wears on his forehead, with which he sends messages from the keyboard or cell phone on his wheelchair!
Ezer Mizion driver Harel Magar brought Daniel to Meron from his home in Central Israel by ambulance. The boy's physical limitations did not keep him from "dancing" with the Biana Rebbe, from whom he received a warm bracha. "It was uplifting to see how much pleasure Daniel gained from this experience," noted Harel, "and I personally found it very meaningful to be able to help another Jew in this way".
Besides their role as transporters, the Ezer Mizion paramedics provided on the spot emergency assistance throughout the Lag Ba'omer festivities. Avishai Ozeri, one of the dedicated drivers, had just brought a young man - who had been wounded in army service - from the Haifa area to the grave of Rabbi Shimon, when a man came running up to him. His wife had just gone into labor and could not walk the three kilometers from the kever back to the parking lot where their car awaited them. Avishai, glad to be of service, promptly brought the couple to their car. Mazel tov! A healthy baby was born several hours later!
Moshe Trauber, director of the Holon branch of Ezer Mizion, has been part of the Lag Ba'omer ambulance crew for the past six years. His enthusiasm is contagious; one can sense that "being there to help" is Moshe's second nature. He shared with us the following Lag Ba'omer drama: Leah, a woman dependent on a constant supply of oxygen, took her portable tank, which provides a maximum two hours' supply of oxygen, along for the trek up the mountain to Rabbi Shimon's kever . The trek took longer than expected; Leah realized that she was in need of a refill. With the chaos around the mountain, she knew she would not be able to make it down in time to get to the reserve tank in her car. Moshe appeared at precisely the right moment. Not losing a second of time, he was down by her car in moments to pick up the precious oxygen, getting it back up the mountain in time.
Eli Godlevsky, a one time Ezer Mizion ambulance paramedic, was compelled to leave the unique team due to chronic back pains - but once a year, he makes an exception to the rule. Each Lag Ba'omer, Eli is back in the company of his dedicated comrades. During his most recent stint in Meron, an emergency call came in:
A young man in one of the hundreds of buses servicing the crowds was in desperate need of an inhalator. Traffic around the mountain was at a standstill. Getting to this man seemed impossible. But Eli did not think twice. Instantly, he was off and on his way, miraculously located the young man. After the initial first aid was offered, there was a sudden deterioration in the fellow's medical situation, but Eli was there to make sure he was safely transported to an ambulance and whisked through the heavy traffic to a nearby hospital to get the care he needed.
"Angels, you are simply angels" - was the refrain heard over and over again from a wide variety of people serviced by Ezer Mizion throughout that night and the next day. For the dedicated Ezer Mizion ambulance staff, it was "all in a day's work" - from the heart!
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