These are complex, painful days. Israel is engaged in a difficult battle. Our hearts are bleeding in the face of the terrible sights and news that we are experiencing and witnessing.
We are united in prayer to the Almighty for the healing of the wounded, for the return of the abductees and for the safe return of every IDF soldier to their homes. Our hearts are with the families of those who were ruthlessly murdered and who lost what is most precious in this unexpected war.
In the face of the difficult battle, Ezer Mizion is mobilizing in full force, as one man with one heart. Working alongside volunteers, our professional and administrative team work side by side with our corps of dedicated volunteers. You can get a peek into the demanding work in the following lines.
Involve your relatives and friends in Ezer Mizion’s activities, add them to the circle of those involved or those in need of assistance, so that we can continue to sustain and assist anyone who needs it.
We will continue to help anyone in need, just as Ezer Mizion is always there during routine times, and certainly in times of emergency. Our strength is in our unity, in our actions, in our prayers, as one man with one heart
Rabbi Chananya Chollak
International Chairman
Emotional Support Hotline
As soon as the holiday ended and the dimensions of the crisis we are in began to be comprehended, a mental health support hotline was opened. Professionals from our Mental Health Rehab Division, under the direction of Merav Levy, have answered and continue to respond to hundreds of inquiries from people from all over Israel. The fearful and anxious callers receive a professional response, reassurance, and emotional first aid to help them get through the difficult hours and the sights. Alongside the physical, it is vital to prevent as much as possible injuries to the person’s inner being. A professional and efficient response can be very effective and helpful in these cases and it is important to access this support as soon as possible.
Hundreds of applicants join Ezer Mizion’s “Linked to Life” groups
Ezer Mizion’s “Linked to Life” division has established a command center that provides a round-the-clock response to the many inquiries that are flooding it. Division Director, Israel Spritzer says: From the outbreak of this war, as soon as we opened the Linked to Life command center, we were flooded with requests from people in need of assistance – people locked in homes stuck without milk substitutes, elderly people wanting to reach their children to a safer place, etc. The people of Israel are revealing themselves at their best and also want to come and volunteer. Mutual responsibility is our guiding light throughout the year, and certainly in these difficult times.”
Mutual Responsibility
A spirit of mutual responsibility, constant action and response to emergency needs, alongside the provision of ongoing needs, is felt strongly at all of Ezer Mizion’s branches and Departments. We have chosen to share in some of the activities:
Ezer Mizion Jerusalem Branch
Volunteers came to Shaare Zedek Hospital to help run a day camp for the children of the medical teams, so they could work.
Volunteers came to Herzog Hospital to help with various needs. Volunteers also serve as the auxiliary force in the hospital kitchen to ensure that patients receive nutritious food.
Ezer Mizion refreshment carts are operating in all the Jerusalem hospitals, and volunteers accompany the wounded and their families with food, drinks, information and emotional support.
Ezer Mizion Kfar Saba branch
Ezer Mizion refreshment cart volunteers came to Meir Hospital to support the families of the wounded. Along with the usual distribution, they brought coffee and cakes to the families in their difficult hour.
Despite the many sirens that shuddered the city, the refreshment cart volunteers persisted at their stations in the hospital and did not give up their shifts, even under the alarming blare of sirens.
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Southern Israel Region Branch
Round-the-clock activity takes place in the south, which is the area closest to the direct attacks and violence. At Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva, emergency kits are being distributed by our volunteers to wounded soldiers, including slippers and toiletries, cooked meals are distributed to family members, and active refreshment carts that provide respite for families and caregivers are on duty for most of the day and night. In addition, volunteers are deployed at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod and in Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.
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Central Israel Hospitals and Medical Centers
Ezer Mizion staff and volunteers assist and accompany families at Tel Hashomer-Sheba Medical Center (in Ramat Gan) and Ichilov Hospital (in Tel Aviv). Dozens of volunteers are deployed in these hospitals, providing assistance to both families and medical staff.
Among the extensive activities at Tel Hashomer that take place around the clock: Ezer Mizion’s refreshment carts were repeatedly restocked as they constantly distributed food and drinks to patient escorts, assisted in the painful process of locating missing persons, and provided religious needs while maintaining continuous contact with the hospital rabbi.
Volunteers were sent to the pediatric wards to help calm the patients, assisting in transporting patients from the wards of the rehabilitation hospital to the paramedical treatments. In addition, dozens of trips were carried out on the hospital grounds themselves which cover a large area. All this was carried out in collaboration with Sheba’s volunteer unit, which absorbs the volunteers and maps out the needs and the Human Resources Department, which is also responsible for the Information Center for the Families of the Missing, all while maintaining routine Ezer Mizion services.
Bone Marrow Registry and Oranit Cancer Patient Guest Home
Ezer Mizion’s Oranit cancer patient guest home is providing accommodations for entire families of cancer patients who prefer to stay close to the hospital and avoid travelling on the road. The bone marrow registry continues to save lives.
A particularly moving bone marrow collection was from a resident of Ashkelon which is in Southern Israel in the line of fire. The donor is a soldier on active duty who, despite the fighting, answered the call to save lives and arrived immediately.
Blood Bank Drives
In collaboration with Magen Davide Adom, Ezer Mizion hosted a blood drive in Modi’in Ilit, where hundreds of blood units were collected. This was the first of several blood drives that are planned for different area of Israel. We were excited to see such an exceptional response to the urgent need for blood units for the injured.
Geriatric Service Dept. Focuses on Elders’ Needs
Ezer Mizion Has opened a dedicated hotline to provide support and assistance for the elderly in Israel. The challenges that everyone faces in war time are even more complex for the elderly, many of whom feel vulnerable. Ezer Mizion operates a dedicated hotline that provides a response for the unique needs of the elderly. The hotline operates daily for the duration of the war from 8 AM to 8 PM.
Services that can be accessed via the Geriatric Services hotline:
– Free transportation
– Relief of loneliness and isolation
– Counselling for family members of dementia patients
– Support by geriatric social workers and professionals
– Delivery of food and medicine
Director of Ezer Mizion Auxiliary Geriatric Services, Sagit Coleman: “The elderly population faces difficulties that are unique to them in their day-to-day routine, which intensify in times of crisis or emergency. Our hotline is designed to provide a response to this population in a variety of areas –physically, functionally, emotionally and professionally. We call on anyone who needs assistance to contact us. We are committed to help as much as possible through Ezer Mizion’s array of services, staff and volunteers throughout Israel.”
Our appreciation for all the departments that continue to provide service despite the emergency situation – loan of medical equipment, voice output communication aids, the Childrens Division, Medical referral services and more. Thank you for your support during these challenging times!
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