Dear Friends and Supporters of Magen David Adom,
For decades, the residents of Boca Pointe have proudly supported Magen David Adom and the remarkable men and women who work tirelessly to save lives throughout Israel. We often share stories of how MDA’s medics and paramedics respond to emergencies, treat the injured, and care for Israelis during some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable.
But what you might not realize is that Magen David Adom isn’t just saving lives in Israel. It’s also teaching medical professionals from around the world how to save lives more effectively in their own communities.
A recent article in The Jerusalem Post, published on October 15, 2026, highlights this remarkable exchange of knowledge through MDA’s International Seminar on Emergency Response, which brings American doctors, paramedics, and other medical professionals to Israel to learn firsthand from some of the world’s most experienced emergency responders.
What Makes Magen David Adom So Extraordinary?
One of the medical professionals featured in the article is Jeff Covitz, a paramedic captain with the San Francisco Fire Department who has spent years working on mass-casualty response and emergency preparedness.
Despite his extensive experience, Jeff traveled to Israel because he wanted to understand something that had always amazed him: How does Magen David Adom mobilize dozens of ambulances and emergency personnel so quickly when disaster strikes?
In San Francisco, he explained, even routine days can stretch emergency medical resources thin. Yet in Israel, MDA’s nationally coordinated system can mobilize an extraordinary number of ambulances, medics, paramedics, and medical supplies within minutes.
What Jeff discovered was a level of coordination, preparedness, and efficiency that he believed could offer valuable lessons for emergency medical systems back home.
And perhaps most importantly, he met the men and women who have put these lifesaving skills to the ultimate test.
During his visit to southern Israel, Jeff spoke with MDA paramedics who responded to the horrific attacks of October 7. These first responders described treating casualties across multiple locations simultaneously, often while terrorists were still operating nearby.
Their courage, resourcefulness, and ability to bring order to unimaginable chaos left a lasting impression.
A Father, a Son, and a Lifesaving Mission
Another remarkable story featured Dr. Michael Block, an American anesthesiologist who first attended MDA’s international seminar in 2019.
His experience inspired a lasting connection with Israel and MDA, one that eventually brought him back to serve alongside his son, Evan, an emergency medical technician.
While working together aboard an MDA ambulance in Tel Aviv, father and son responded to a young man suffering a heart attack.
Through rapid assessment, treatment, and coordination with Ichilov Hospital, their ambulance crew was able to transport the patient directly to the cardiac catheterization laboratory, bypassing the emergency department and helping ensure he received critical treatment without delay.
It was an extraordinary example of how training, teamwork, and precious minutes can make the difference between life and death.
For Dr. Block, whose parents survived the Holocaust, his connection to MDA became even more meaningful following October 7.
With Israeli physicians being called into military reserve duty, he returned to Israel three times to volunteer his medical skills at Ichilov Hospital, helping care for patients and support Israel’s healthcare system during a time of tremendous need.
His story is a powerful reminder that the relationship between American supporters and Magen David Adom extends far beyond philanthropy. It is also a partnership built on shared knowledge, professional dedication, and a profound commitment to saving lives.
Bringing Israel’s Lifesaving Expertise to the World
This December, Magen David Adom will host its 11th International Seminar on Emergency Response, December 13–18, 2026, welcoming medical professionals for intensive training in mass-casualty response, disaster preparedness, and search and rescue.
Participants will train alongside Israeli emergency responders, experience realistic simulations, visit MDA facilities, and spend time aboard MDA ambulances.
They will also learn from the lessons of October 7 and Israel’s recent wars, gaining invaluable insight into how MDA responds when every second matters.
What makes this program so special is that the knowledge doesn’t stay in Israel.
These doctors and first responders return to their communities in America and around the world carrying lessons that may help save lives for years to come.
And that is another extraordinary dimension of the impact we make together.
When you support Magen David Adom, you are helping provide the ambulances, emergency equipment, training, and infrastructure that allow these remarkable professionals to do what they do best.
You are helping save lives in Israel each and every day, while also supporting an organization whose expertise is helping shape emergency medical care far beyond Israel’s borders.
To me, that is something we can all be incredibly proud of.
If you are interested in learning more about Magen David Adom, becoming involved in our lifesaving mission, or arranging a visit to one of MDA’s facilities during your next trip to Israel, please reach out to me at 561.288.5658 or [email protected].
Thank you, as always, for standing with Magen David Adom and helping keep the people of Israel safe and healthy.
Am Yisrael Chai,
Yishai Mizrahi
Area Director
American Friends of Magen David Adom
