Visits to MDA Israel

Bruce & Andrea Esterman visit to MDA Israel

2024

Caulfield Shule Solidarity Mission visit to MDA Israel

2024

Our final visit in Israel was nothing short of extraordinary as we explored the very lifeblood of the nation: Magen David Adom. Witnessing firsthand the state-of-the-art infrastructure and the vital role of the blood bank in saving countless lives was deeply inspiring. It’s a powerful reminder of the unyielding commitment and dedication that keeps Israel strong in its most challenging moments. Immense gratitude to Aryeh Myers for his warm hospitality and for illuminating the incredible, life-saving work MDA does every day.

I also want to acknowledge the amazing efforts of our local MDA team in Victoria, whose unwavering support of MDA in Israel plays a crucial role in strengthening their ability to respond and save lives. Proud to stand in awe of such global heroism and resilience.
– Rabbi Daniel Rabin

Liberal MPs Study Tour to Israel

May-June 2024

Magen David Adom – Operations Centre
We visited the Magen David Adom (MDA) Operations Centre. The brand new building was impressive and contained the many activities of the MDA in a carefully designed building.

The meeting was in the form of an extensive briefing and a tour of the impressive new building. MDA was formed in 1930 as a volunteer service but now has 3,200 paid staff and 30,000 volunteers.

MDA runs Israel’s national Emergency Medical Service including its ambulance service. This complex service has a number od call centres and dispatch capacity of emergency and other ambulances.

MDA also runs Israels blood banks, both its general blood bank and its IDF blood bank.

MDA is also a large volunteer organisation with many varied roles. It also is the Israeli red cross society recognised by the International Red Cross Society.

We saw many different aspects of the organisation, including its large ambulance fleet. Significantly MDA must manage the serious challenge of Hamas attacks on ambulances, including in the recent invasion of the South by Hamas. This saw the attack and destruction of marked ambulances by terrorists. Consequently, MDA is providing more bullet proof ambulances to protect their crews and the critically injured patients within. The 14 ambulances destroyed have been replaced through generous donations.

A detailed description of the MDA response on 7 October was provided. This occurred whilst normal demand and services continued. MDA performed amazingly well in such a difficult war situation.

The new blood management and storage centre is world class. It has high quality protocols and the most impressive focus on protecting the blood supply that can be Imagined.

As a former Health Minister and having held responsibility for Ambulance services and the Blood supply I can only point to the amazing achievements of MDA under the most difficult of circumstances.

Response times for example appear to be superior to Victoria’s achievements over the last 6 to 7 years. I should say that Victoria has a lot to learn from MDA and if we are elected in 2026, I will be ensuring that we build the links and learn those lessons.

Rabbi Shmuel & Rebbetzin Rivki Karnowsky and Rabbi Shlomo & Rebbetzin Rivki Nathanson visit to MDA Israel

July 2024

Rivki and I together with Shlomo & Rivki Nathanson visited the incredible Magen David Adom blood bank and dispatch centre.

A mindblowing grassroots centre built to sustain, preserve and save the lives of Israel’s citizens through collecting, testing and storing thousands of units of blood, used daily throughout the country and on the front lines of battle.

The blood bank itself is deep below ground, behind the thickest of concrete walls and blast doors, with generators and backup air filtration systems in place, shielding the blood supply from missile, chemical and biological attack, as well as from earthquakes.

The gift of life extends further than just blood. Israel’s one of a kind breast milk donations, processing and storage happens in this facility as well, saving the lives of premature babies around the country, as well as babies whose mothers are unable to sustain them, as is tragically the case post 7 Oct.

The emergency dispatch centre also housed here is second to none, using cutting edge technology and mapping systems to streamline their life saving emergency services response. Thank you to the 30+ thousand volunteers, call takers, dispatchers, paramedics for their life saving work.

Thank you Aryeh Myers for spending hours with us, giving us an inside view of the MDA operations and showing us around the centre.

Thank you Glynis Lipson from Magen David Adom Australia for coordinating our visit.

Irit and Barry Kave visit to MDA Israel

2024

Thank you so much Aryeh Myers and Magen David Adom for an absolutely inspirational visit to the amazing world class MDA facility in Ramle. Your passion was palpable and we were totally humbled by what we were privileged to experience.

Toda Rabah U Ve Hatzlacha

Nathan & Ruth Shafir visit to MDA Israel

2024

It was never going to be a simple tourist visit to Israel or a family and friends catch-up visit to Israel. Coming within 9 months of October 7, a visit to Israel was going to be like no previous visit. We arrived to a relatively empty airport, but the walkway was filled with posters of the hostages. This was a stark introduction to what we should expect for the duration of our visit.

But perhaps we were wrong. Over the next few days in Tel Aviv, the mood seemed upbeat, the beaches were bustling, our hotel pool had no spare deck chairs and restaurants were busy. Our first indication that what we were witnessing may not have been the real situation came from the occasional comment from taxi drivers and waiters – these people were thanking us for visiting Israel.

We had decided to go south for a day. We know people who chose not to go south, mainly because they felt they would be in the way, but we had spoken in advance to a person who insisted we visit her on her moshav. She wanted to show us first-hand the destruction, the places where people were shot at point blank range and so on. She wanted us to come back and tell the story, because, as we know, the hostages are no longer front-page news and the destruction to lives and property down south is also no longer front-page news.
We went. We saw. We felt the pain.

We also went to the Nova Dance Festival site. It was eerie. There were memorials for each of the murdered attendees. There were pleas for help for the people taken hostage. There were signs stating that we were under the threat or rocket attacks at the site and that the time available to get to a shelter is 15 seconds, else lie face down on the ground for 10 minutes.
Again. We went. We saw. We felt the pain.

At all times, we were looking around – looking to see what could perhaps have been done to prevent or minimise the disaster and looking to see how the army, the police and MDA could operate when the attacks were simultaneously orchestrated over a reasonably large geographic area.
We returned to Tel Aviv and realised we had seen the reality of Israel, far more realistic than sitting poolside around 90 minutes away.
The next day, we filled in part of the puzzle. We went to the MDA operational centre. We went to see what MDA does – how they answer calls, how they despatch teams, how they prepare the blood for distribution and we also saw the baby milk distribution centre.

Witnessing the role of MDA and the effectiveness of the operation was reassuring. It showed us that Israeli determination and know-how has prevailed and will continue to prevail. Dedicated staff, excellent facilities and an air of calm – that was our impression. We observed that with MDA, all Israelis can be assured that if they need help, help will be both professional and timely.

Our last observation took place after our MDA visit. We went to nearby Ramle, right in the heart of Israel, a place that is not affluent, a place that has people who have migrated from many parts of the world and a place that has many Arab residents. And what did we do? We went to an Arab restaurant, filled with both Jews and Arabs, and probably Christians also, as there was a very large Christian school nearly opposite. Sitting at lunch, we were reassured that during these troubled times, Israeli citizens seem to have a common bond, no matter what their background is. They want Israel to succeed and prosper and they want to have a reasonably trouble-free life.

-Nathan and Ruth Shafir

Kathy Janovic, Lisa, Jessie & Sienna Lurie visit to MDA Israel

2024

It is hard to describe this unique, state of the art facility using artificial intelligence that serves the needs of the Israeli people wherever and whenever.

Every contingency has been anticipated including chemical and biological attacks apart from the daily rocket attacks. The engineering, design and self sustainability of the facility is remarkable.

It was a privilege to be guided through by Yoni. Thank you again.

Kathy Janovic & Lisa Lurie

Ricci Swart, Sue & Alex Hampel visit to MDA Israel

2024

Jeff & Sue Appel visit to MDA Israel

2024

Rachel & Tommy Winter visit to MDA Israel

2024

Israel is truly a country of amazing contrasts. Daily we encounter behaviour and activity that could best be described as befitting a 3rd world country. Then at the complete opposite end of the scale are organisations that exceed the expectations of any 1st world country.

MDA is an outstanding example of the latter. We had the privilege of visiting and touring the new Blood Bank and dispatch facility in Ramla. It has been so carefully planned and every possible issue has been harvested from visionaries and put into practice. It is buried 20 meters underground. Housing Israel’s blood supplies in near perfect conditions.

Blood donations from around the country are collected tested, sorted, stored and available for dispatch within minutes. In difficult times the facility can seal itself from the world outside. Its own supply of the vitals for survival, water, air, and power. It is fully integrated into the existing MDA call centre network and is able to react to any incoming medical emergency call staffed by trained paramedics. And then there is the Mother’s Milk Bank but that is a story so unbelievable and futuristic I’m still comprehending its wonder.

Rebecca Davis visit to MDA Israel

2024

Melbourne-based journalist Rebecca Davis spent time with Magen David Adom during her recent trip to Israel, visiting the Jerusalem region team, experiencing field operations and getting a behind-the-scenes at the dispatch Centre. She then travelled to our state-of-the art underground Marcus Blood Centre in Ramla to see how MDA is supporting the war effort with blood donations, and how we assist mothers through the milk bank.

Leonie & Luis Fleiszig visit to MDA Israel

2023

On 8/1/23 we were privileged to be shown the new MDA Blood Bank by Aryeh Myers, of the International Relations and Fundraising Department. This unique facility was opened in May 2022 but will only become fully staffed and operational in about a year.

The building consists of three upper floors and three levels of basement. Each floor is double the usual height to allow for any required maintenance without interfering with operations. There are numerous laboratories, cold storage chambers and other work areas within a structure designed to withstand heavy bombardment.

Every conceivable redundancy has been provided in case any system becomes damaged. The building will also house a special vault in which many thousands of blood products will be stored. This extraordinary facility is a testament to Israeli ingenuity and diaspora generosity and an expression of the high value the Jewish People place on the preservation of life.

Am Israel Chai

Gary Bryfman visit to Marcus National Blood Services Center

2022

Philip Zajac visit to Marcus National Blood Services Center

2022

Bernice & Mannie Stub Visit to Marcus National Blood Services Center

2022

Carla & Michael Sharp Visit to MDA Israel

2022

This amazing facility, like none other in the world, will secure Israel’s vital blood supplies in the event of any man made or natural disaster. It also is the centre of Israel’s Human Milk Bank and it’s Cord Blood Bank.

But, it’s not enough to build this unique facility, funds are urgently needed to fully equip and operate it to its maximum capacity. Money is also needed to build an adjacent paramedic training and conference centre. MDA needs overseas support now more than ever.