1. L
onny can’t remember any details from the day his entire
life changed, much less the weeks that followed. He was
hit by a truck while riding his motorcycle, and the impact
broke his body in almost every way imaginable. His pelvis
fractured, his spine cracked, he slipped into a coma, and he was
losing so much blood, doctors had to pump it in as quickly as he
was losing it.
Today,Lonnyisfullyrecovered,allthankstoMagenDavidAdom.
MDA paramedics treated him at the scene and took him to the
hospital. And once there, it was blood from MDA’s National
Blood Services Center that saved his life.
MDA collects, tests, stores, and distributes 97 percent of the blood
for Israel’s hospitals and 100 percent of the blood supply for the
Israel Defense Forces. So Israelis who find themselves in a situation
like Lonny’s rely completely on MDA and its single blood center.
Thatbloodcenter,whichservestheentirenation,isatrisk.Whenit
wasbuiltinthe1980s,nooneimaginedthatrocketswouldoneday
reach Ramat Gan, outside Tel Aviv. But last summer’s Operation
Protective Edge confirmed our worst fears: now there’s nowhere
in Israel terrorist rockets can’t reach. On the night of July 8, 2014,
with Israel under heavy rocket fire, MDA Director General Eli
Bin ordered the evacuation of Israel’s blood supply into an under-
ground shelter for the remainder of the conflict. This allowed the
bloodcenter’scriticaloperationstocontinue,butcallingitaperma-
nent solution is like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
In This Issue
MDA First Team in Nepal After Earthquake......................... pg. 2
Day Schools Jointly Sponsor Ambulance.................................. pg. 7
Holocaust Survivor Donates 12 Ambulances...................... pg.11
Israel’s Blood Supply Going Underground
AFMDA launches $100 million campaign to build new blood services center.
Pulse
THE The Newsletter of American Friends of Magen David Adom Summer 2015 Issue 5
NORTHEAST EDITION
(continued on page 3)

2. THE FRONT LINES
The Newsletter of American Friends of Magen David AdomTHEPulse
MDA IN ACTION IN ISRAEL AND ABROAD THE FRONT LINES MDA IN ACTION IN ISRAEL AND ABROAD
32
MDA Paramedic Becomes Hero for Baby Bat
Not all MDA patients are of the human variety.
After a baby fruit bat crashed into the windshield of an MDA ambulance, Paramedic Nati
Haron got out and immediately began trying to resuscitate the animal.
Using tools designed for much larger mammals, Haron knew he had to be a bit creative.
Putting a syringe (minus the needle) into the unconscious bat’s mouth, Haron fed it sugar
water. The animal woke up and drank enthusiastically.
“I looked at her, and she looked back at me. I tried to release her twice in the Ma’aleh
Adumim area, but I saw she couldn’t fly. I took her home and called the zoo,” said Haron.
The zoo took the baby bat and promised to release her back to nature, where she had been
found, when she is well enough to fly. ■
Lessons Learned in Second Intifada Save Lives in Nepal
When NepaleseAmbassador to Israel Prahlad Kumar
Prasai recently thanked Magen David Adom for its
swift response to the massive earthquake in Nepal, it
wasn’t the first time Ilan Klein heard expressions of
gratitude from a foreign leader.
Ilan Klein, a longtime paramedic at MDA, arrived in Kathmandu with a
group of MDA paramedics one day after the earthquake devastated the
city on April 25. What he saw looked hauntingly familiar.
The huge number of people in need of medical attention and the types
of injuries — broken bones, crush-type compression injuries, and lac-
erations consistent with collapsing buildings — were the same types
of wounds he saw five years ago after the earthquake in Haiti, when
he was part of MDA’s medical-response team there. But the fact that
Klein and MDA had willingly been on the scene in both catastrophes
isn’t a coincidence.
“As Israelis, we’ve been blessed to live in a country with a first-world
economy that has the wherewithal to weather catastrophes,” Klein said.
“I think we have a responsibility to help those who are more challenged
when disasters strike. As doctors and paramedics, we can make a big dif-
ference in saving lives. It’s what we do.”
The notion of exporting emergency medical expertise arose after the sec-
ond intifada, when MDA was experiencing catastrophic bombings on
a weekly, sometimes daily, basis. When the bombings subsided, MDA
turned its attention to teaching the world what it had learned and sent
medical teams to disasters in Thailand in the aftermath of the Indian
Ocean tsunami in 2004, Haiti in 2010 (where MDA maintained a pres-
ence for more than two years), the Philippines in the aftermath of its
2013 typhoon, and now Nepal.
MDA was among the first foreign medical-response agencies, and the
first Israeli group, to land in Nepal, arriving within 24 hours after the
quake. MDA brought a contingent of seven paramedics and two doc-
tors, including Klein, to treat injured Nepalese and treat and evacuate its
own citizens from the country.
HalfofMDA’sadvancedteamaccompaniedIsraelis,includingmorethan
a dozen newborns born to surrogate mothers, and some preschool-age
MDA evacuates Israelis, treats Nepalese: MDA Paramedic Ilan Klein (photo at far
left) sets up triage at field hospital; MDA Paramedics Ravit Martinez and Tal Rabin (top)
evacuate newborn Israeli babies born to surrogate mothers in Nepal; Martinez (bottom)
treats patient in Kathmandu.
Full recovery: When Lonny isn’t saving lives, he’s busy teaching others how to defend
theirs as a martial arts teacher.
siblings, back to Israel. Six paramedics, however, remained there, taking
assignments either in the Israel Defense Forces field hospital or as part
of the International Red Cross contingent, the latter option made possi-
ble because MDA is a member of the Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies.
An additional team from Israel was dispatched after a second quake
on May 12 wreaked further havoc on already damaged hospitals in
Kathmandu. They were assigned with taking home an additional four
prematurely born Israeli children.
The total number of Israeli relief workers from MDA, the IDF, and oth-
er organizations totaled more than 260, the largest foreign contingent in
Nepal. MDA has also pledged four ambulances to the Nepalese people
to help recovery efforts.
“I know MDA, its history and work,” Prasai, the Nepalese ambassador,
said. “Thank you for what you did in Nepal — for the aid, the donations
and means of protection for the population, and for your willingness to
help and care for the Nepalese people during this difficult time.” ■
“As Israelis, we’ve been
blessed to live in a country
with a first-world economy
that has the wherewithal
to weather catastrophes.
”
MDA Blood Services Center (continued from page 1)
Now — before the next war, emergency, or natural disaster —
is the time to ensure the safety of Israel’s blood supply. That’s
why American Friends of Magen David Adom has launched a
$100 million campaign to build a new underground blood cen-
ter, safe from rocket attacks, chemical warfare, and earthquakes. A
grassy field in Ramlah, south of Ben-Gurion Airport, is ready for
the first bricks to be laid. Now all we need is you.
Imagine Israel’s blood bank, able to protect and provide enough
blood for the state’s rapidly growing population. Hear the buzz of
machinery and the clinking of vials as Israel’s top hematologists
test blood donations for safety. Picture all of this housed under-
ground, behind reinforced walls, and with air-filtration systems
capable of protecting against chemical attacks.
With your help, we can make this dream a reality and ensure that
when another Lonny comes along, he can get the lifesaving blood
transfusion he needs.
Today, the same blood that saved Lonny’s life 22 years ago pumps
through his heart a million miles a minute as he races to the scene
of the latest emergency call. That’s because Lonny is now one of
MDA’s highest-ranking paramedics, the result of a career change
he made after his accident. MDA saved his life, and it helped him
find his calling.
The new MDA blood center isn’t just about blood — it’s about
giving people like Lonny a second chance at life. By ensuring the
safety of Israel’s blood supply for generations to come, we can en-
sure that Israel remains the inspiring, vibrant nation it is.
Contact your local AFMDA office, listed on the last page of this
newsletter, for a confidential conversation about how you can
build Israel’s new blood services center. ■
In Her Own Words:
Professor Eilat Shinar, MDA Director of Blood Services
“When you live in a country with so much uncertainty, you must take every measure to ensure
the safety of its people. We don’t know what might happen tomorrow, but we must prepare for
the worst. The best way I know how to do that is by protecting Israel’s blood supply, and that
means moving it underground permanently. A new center means more blood can be processed,
better research can be conducted, and more lives will be saved.”

3. 4 5
FUNDRAISING FROM COAST TO COASTEVENTS
Why the Time to Prepare is Now — Before the Next Crisis.
A letter from MDA Director General Eli Bin
To our American friends,
Onthesurface,itfeelslikeIcouldbeginthismessagetoyouwith“whatadifferenceayearmakes.”
At this time last year, many Magen David Adom EMTs and I were spending days on end in Israel’s
south, frequently taking cover from incoming Hamas rockets. While there, we treated injured
civiliansandawaitedwoundedsoldiersbeingtransportedbytheIDFbackacrossthebordertoour
care for treatment and, ultimately, transportation to Israeli hospitals.
Compared to when thousands of rockets were raining down on Israelis last year, things here are
now unquestionably calmer. But to some degree, that calm is a facade. Even as I write this, Israelis
are under attack almost daily. It’s only the weapons and the geography that have changed. Where rockets and mortars were the weapons
of choice from Hamas in Gaza, the weapons now used by terrorists operating out of Judea and Samaria are knives, guns, and cars.
And while it would be easy to dismiss these comparatively primitive weapons as less threatening to Israelis, there’s one inescapable fact:
NearlytwiceasmanyciviliansinIsraelhavebeenkilledinterroristincidentsinthelastyearinso-calledlone-wolfattacks(13)thanduring
the entirety of Operation Protective Edge (7). The number of people injured in these types of attacks has been equally sobering. From
the Har Nof Synagogue massacre to multiple vehicular rampages, stabbings, and shootings, the threat to Israeli lives — Jews and Israeli
Arabs alike — continues every day.
I’m proud Magen David Adom was able to play an important role in many of these incidents, rushing the injured to area hospitals and,
in some cases, applying the on-scene treatment that prevented the severely injured from joining the ranks of the fatalities. Much of this
was made possible by friends like you in the United States, people who generously donated money that paid for lifesaving equipment or
who sponsored the ambulances and Medicycles that rushed medics to the scene and, ultimately, that brought patients to hospitals for
even more extensive treatment and eventually their recovery.
Despite our role as medical first-responders, we haven’t been granted immunity from attacks. Several of our ambulances have been
targeted by rock throwers and, in the most egregious incident, in late June one of our ambulances returning home in Judea and Samaria
cameundergunfire,strikingtheambulanceatleastfourtimes,missingtheparamedicatthewheelofthevehiclebyjustfourinches.Given
the locations of where the ambulance was hit, had there been an accompanying EMT in the passenger seat or the medic’s chair in back,
or had there been a patient on a gurney in back, they almost surely would have been struck.
Weknowtherewillbemoretocome—morelone-wolfattacksand,wefear,eventuallyaresumptionofmoreall-outhostilities,whether
intheformofQassamrocketsfromHamasinGaza;KatyusharocketsfromHezbollah,Al-Qaida,orISISinSyria;orsomethingakinto
a third intifada. Given the current political climate in this part of the world, it is almost inevitable.
This is why we appreciate your support and your continued commitment to ensuring we have the equipment we need, and can provide
thecontinuedtrainingourEMTsneedtoaddressthechallengestocome.Weneedtobeprepared—now.Andthankstoyourcontinued
support, we are.
Every year, our EMTs and paramedics save thousands of Israeli lives and deliver new ones into this world — helping to sustain the Israeli
people. But it’s you, through your support and continued commitment, who helps sustain us. So thank you!
With our profound appreciation,
Eli Bin
Director-General
Magen David Adom in Israel
Events across Southeast: Clockwise from top: Boca-Delray
Community Event kicks off with ambulance dedications from
Meryl and Ron Gallatin and Jane and Martin Greenberg; John
Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, speaks
at the Aventura Red Star Ball; Celebration of Life Gala in Palm
Beach honors Sydell Miller (center) and family; Barry and
Patricia Goldstein at the Aventura Red Star Ball; and Gen. Kreiss
with FAU students. Below from top: Dan Gillerman, Israeli
ambassador to the United Nations (2003-2008) speaks at the
Boca-Delray Community Event; Pulitzer Prize–winning author,
commentator, and political analyst Charles Krauthammer
speaks at the Palm Beach Gala.
MDA IN ACTION IN ISRAEL AND ABROADTHE FRONT LINES
The Newsletter of American Friends of Magen David AdomTHEPulse
Southeast Events Sizzle
AFMDA’S HUGELY SUCCESSFUL WINTER 2014–2015 EVENTS RAISED MILLIONS for MDA’s new
national blood center. With dinners and galas in Aventura, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Porto
Vita, the Southeast Region kicked off an exciting year honoring some of the community’s finest
leaders and philanthropists.
THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE GALA IN PALM BEACH attracted more than 420 people to the Mar-a-
Lago Club as it feted a family’s multigenerational commitment to philanthropy. Sydell L. Miller;
her daughters, Lauren Spilman and Stacie Halpern; their husbands, Steven Spilman and Jeffrey
Halpern; and their children were honored with the 2015 Humanitarian Award. The event, fea-
turingPulitzerPrize–winningauthor,commentator,andpoliticalanalystCharlesKrauthammer,
raised more than $1 million.
AT THE ST. ANDREWS COUNTRY CLUB IN BOCA RATON, more than 150 guests honored commu-
nity leaders Meryl and Ron Gallatin at the Boca-Delray Community Event. The evening raised
more than $500,000, including an ambulance pledged by Jane and Martin Greenberg.
WHILE NEW AMBULANCES ARE BEING PLEDGED, others are ready to make their way to Israel.
The Boca Pointe Chapter of AFMDA celebrated its 19th lifesaving MDA ambulance at a
community dedication ceremony.
LONGTIME AFMDA SUPPORTERS BARRY AND PATRICIA GOLDSTEIN were honored at the annual
Aventura Red Star Ball at which speaker John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United
Nations, addressed attendees. Ambassador Bolton also spoke at a private home in Admiral’s
Cove before addressing more than 300 people at Frenchman’s Creek, the largest-ever turnout for
a speaker there.
IDF FORMER SURGEON GENERAL BRIG. GEN. (RES.) PROFESSOR YITSHAK KREISS alsotouredthe
Southeast Region this winter. Gen. Kreiss visited the home of Dr. Andrew and Brenda Nullman
in Miami Beach before traveling north to Porto Vita’s Celebration of Life event. Other stops
included a private tea reception in Boca-Delray, Palm Beach’s Major Donor Reception, and an
event at St. Andrews Country Club. He spoke about Magen David Adom’s role in helping Israel
Defense Forces soldiers survive catastrophic battlefield injuries. In addition, Gen. Kreiss spoke to
studentsfromFloridaAtlanticUniversity,aswellasBNYMellonWealthManagementandBerger
SingermanLawFirm.
WE’RE ALREADY PLANNING FOR THE 2016 SEASON, so mark your calendar for the Palm Beach
CelebrationofLifeGalaonSunday,February21,andlookformoreinformationaboutotherevents.■

4. 6 THEPulse The Newsletter of American Friends of Magen David Adom 7
EVENTS FUNDRAISING FROM COAST TO COAST
Celebrating ambulance dedications: From left: CEO of The Bottle Crew Inc. Joel Jacob gets behind the wheel of his newly donated ambulance; Judge Bernard and Rozanne Friedman
receive their AFMDA Beacon Award from AFMDA Midwest Regional Director Cari Margulis Immerman; and Sylvia Footlik (third from right) with family and AFMDA Upper Midwest/
Chicagoland Director Cindy Iglitzen-Socianu (far right) at the March dedication.
AFMDA Makes Noise at 51st Israel Parade
With lights and sirens, two MDA ambulances led the AFMDA delegation at the 51st
annual Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City on Sunday, May 31. Tens of thousands
of spectators cheered the group on as the ambulances and float drove up Fifth Avenue.
AFMDA staff and volunteers waved the Israeli, American, and MDA flags side by side as
theymarched.ItwasagreatdaysupportingIsraelandtheworkofMagenDavidAdom.■
Day Schools Jointly Sponsor Ambulance
Elie and Esther Katz of Bergen County are doing more than raising funds for an MDA
ambulance. They’ve invited the entire Jewish day school community to join them.
Students from Yavneh Academy, Yeshiva He’Atid, Yeshivat Noam, and Moriah have
all joined in.
“The kids took it very seriously. For two months they collected money in their ambu-
lance-shaped tzedakah boxes,” said Elie Y. Katz.
The Bergen County Day School Magen David Adom Fund Drive was initiated
in September 2014 in honor of the 25th yahrzeit of Esther’s father, Rabbi Joseph
Feinstein. Feinstein, a beloved LA chaplain, made it his lifelong mission to enhance
Jewish life for patients and family members at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. However,
his own personal dream of making aliyah was never realized.
“We immediately knew that saving lives in Israel was the ideal way to honor him,”
said Esther Katz.
In less than nine months, they surpassed the $100,000 goal and sponsored a new MDA
ambulance for Israel. Children from all the schools involved had the opportunity
to climb inside the ambulance, sit where MDA paramedics will sit, and imagine the
countless lives that will be saved thanks to their hard work and dedication. ■
FUNDRAISING FROM COAST TO COASTEVENTS
Seinfeld Headlines Los
Angeles Red Star Ball
You’ve seen him on America’s most popular TV sitcom.
NowyoucanseecomedianJerrySeinfeldliveatthe2015
Los Angeles Red Star Ball! Seinfeld will host the gala at
the Beverly Hilton on Thursday, October 22. The event
will honor Ben and Ruth Flinkman-Marandy with the
Lifetime Achievement Award, Barak Raviv with the
Next Generation Award, and Adam and Gila Milstein
with the Humanitarian Award. ■
AFMDA Kicks Off in Bay
Area with Wayne Brady
Over the past two years, the Red Star Ball in Los Angeles
has raised more than $12 million for Magen David
Adom. And now for the first time, the Bay Area joined
the lineup. On August 30, the inaugural AFMDA San
Francisco Red Star Gala supported Israel’s greatest life-
saving organization and honored local leaders. Maurice
Kanbar received the Lifetime Achievement Award for
his years of service in the Bay Area. Lior Tamir, a tech
pioneer with a passion for improving the world, received the
NextGenerationAward.ActorandsingerWayneBradyhosted
anentertainingeveningofsavinglives.Fundsraisedwillsecure
thefutureofIsraelbyhelpingMagenDavidAdombuildanew
nationalbloodservicescenterforthestate’s8millionpeople.■
Hard work pays off: Students at Moriah School get to look inside the lifesaving ambulance for which
they helped raise money.
Chicago Donors
Learn of MDA and
IDF Cooperation
More than 40 people gathered
on February 4 at the home
of Naomi and Jerry Senser
in Highland Park, Illinois,
to hear Prof. Yitshak Kreiss,
former surgeon general of Israel,
discuss the strategic partnership
between MDA and the Israel
Defense Forces (IDF). Together, MDA and the IDF developed new
battlefieldstrategiestoreducefatalitiesduring2014’sOperationProtective
Edge.Inaddition,MDAtrainsIDFmedics,andmanyMDAmedicstrade
in their white MDA uniforms for IDF “greens” when called up for duty. ■
Israel’s North Ready
for Possible Conflict,
MDA Tells Ohio
Jewish Communities
MDA Paramedic Erez Geller
spoke in Youngstown and
Cleveland, Ohio, about the
challenges northern Israel faced
in the late 2000s. As shocking
pictures were displayed on
screen, Geller discussed the
constant rocket attacks and the
fear of what might be looming
ahead. MDA is working with the residents up north on evacuation drills
and other safety precautions should tensions rise and rocket fire resume. ■
Three brand-new MDA ambulances are
on their way to Israel, ready to save lives,
after exciting ambulance dedications in
the Midwest region.
Inspired by the heroic work of MDA
during Operation Protective Edge, Sylvia
Footlik, 96, sponsored an MDA am-
bulance. After a March dedication and
celebration, the ambulance made stops
at other locations in the Chicago community, including North Shore
Congregation Israel, Ezra-Habonim, and the Solomon Schechter Day
School. Embodying the Jewish value of l’dor v’dor — from generation to
generation — Joel Jacob, CEO of The Bottle Crew Inc., donated an am-
bulance in memory of his father and uncle at a celebration in Franklin,
Michigan. Joel grew up attending MDA ambulance dedications and not-
edthatsinceMDAneeds100newambulancesthisyear,itwastimeforthe
nextgenerationtostepup.Morethan60communityleaderswereonhand
to join in the festivities, including his children and mother, Vi. A few days
later, Judge Bernard and Rozanne Friedman celebrated the dedication of
their Mobile Intensive Care Unit Ambulance at the 2015 Walk for Israel
at Congregation Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Surrounded
by family, friends, and thousands of Israel supporters, it was a great way to
send off this wonderful addition to MDA’s fleet. ■
Trio of Ambulances from Midwest Sponsors Join MDA Fleet
Midwest Donors Hear It First from Top MDA Officials
MDA and IDF on same team: From left,
Brigadier General (Res.) Prof.Yitzhak Kreiss, and
hosts Naomi and Jerry Senser.
Israel’s north prepared for worst: From
left, MDA Carmel Regional Director Erez Geller
and hosts Jill and Brad Helfman, board mem-
bers of Cleveland’s David Mark Berger Chapter.
Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist Charles
Krauthammer will be the keynote speaker at the
AFMDA Dr. John J. Mames Chapter – Michigan
Region Celebration of Life Gala on Thursday,
October 8, an event at which MDA supporters Joel
Jacob, Benny Margolis, Melissa Mendelson, and the
region’s overseas volunteers will be honored.
Jacob,chairmanandfounderofTheBottleCrew,willreceiveL’DorV’dor
Award, in recognition of his support of MDA and other philanthropic
causes. Margolis and Mendelson will receive Rising Star Awards. The
event will be held at Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills. For
information, call 1.877.405.3913 or email Midwest@afmda.org.
FundraisingfortheMichiganregionisofftoafaststart,withtheMarvin
& Betty Danto Family Foundation becoming the first Founders Circle
Sponsor in the area, with a $1.5 million gift to support AFMDA’s ini-
tiative to build a new blood center for Israel. In addition, donors from
Michigan raised more than $1 million to sponsor six ambulances and
purchase medical equipment for MDA. ■
Krauthammer to Address Michiganders at Mames Chapter Gala

5. 8
EVENTS FUNDRAISING FROM COAST TO COAST
Heart to Heart Israel Takes
Road Trip to Save Lives
Astute observers from Florida to Washington, D.C., may
have noticed an unusual presence on the roads this past
February. Among the commuters and carpoolers was a
newly dedicated MDA ambulance, setting out on an
unprecedented road trip.
A project of Heart to Heart Israel, AFMDA’s Christian outreach program,
led by Jonathan Feldstein, the journey began in sunny Melbourne, Florida,
with more than 200 people celebrating the ambulance dedication in mem-
ory of Bridges for Peace founder Dr. G. Douglas Young. Although Florida
GovernorRickScottcouldn’tattend,hesentapersonalizedletterofsupport.
En route, Heart to Heart was featured on four Christian TV stations. The
ambulance made an impromptu stop in a Lowe’s parking lot in Valdosta,
Georgia.Acrowdgatheredandprayednoonewouldeverdieontheambu-
lance.Curiousbystandersjoinedinonthespecialtributebeforesendingthe
ambulance on its way.
In North Carolina, the Bridges for Peace ambulance made several stops,
starting with the Billy Graham Library. It then continued on to Rockwell,
North Carolina, visiting the Southeast district director of Foursquare
Ministries, and the nationally syndicated radio host Dr. Michael Brown.
Things wrapped up in Raleigh with a visit to Anne Graham Lotz at AnGeL
Ministries.
The Bridges for Peace ambulance reached its final destination on American
soil at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Carrying countless prayers
from all the ministries it visited, the ambulance was later loaded onto a ship
boundforIsrael,andnowit’sfulfillingitsmissiontosavelives. ■
Up the East Coast: At the Billy Graham Library several supporters came out to see,
take photos with, and pray for the MDA ambulance.
From Rockwell to Raleigh: Anne Graham Lotz (left) with Heart to Heart Director
Jonathan Feldstein and a group of supporters (right) from Foursquare Restoration Church
offering their heartfelt prayers for the MDA ambulance.
Mashadi Community Scores Big
The Mashadi community of Great Neck, New York, scored big at its third
annualbasketballtournamentinsupportofanewlifesavingambulancefor
Magen David Adom. More than 200 members of the community came
out to the Mashadi Jewish Center to cheer on the 12 teams. After an in-
tense day of tournament-style play, one team emerged victorious, led by
Josh Namdar, Jonah Gorjian, Joey Cohen, and Cody Cohen. But the real
victory of the day was the $9,000 raised toward the second ambulance to
come from this generous community of MDA supporters. ■
THEPulse The Newsletter of American Friends of Magen David Adom 9
AFMDA LAB PROPELLING MDA AND JEWISH PHILANTHROPY FORWARD
Innovation Comes in All Sizes
AFMDA isn’t a one-size-fits-all organization. We thrive on
our base of supporters who generously write checks and
give online.And we also welcome those who want to get
creative and do more. We’re open to anything, as long as
it’s powered by our supporters and infused with that“do it
yourself” spirit that inspires action.
InSanFrancisco,Heartbeat,AFMDA’scommunityofinnovators,hosted“Wine
for a Cause,” an exclusive wine-and-cheese event featuring world-renowned ex-
pert Alon Yitzhaki and local artisan cheese purveyor Cowgirl Creamery. The
30 attendees raised more than $6,000 toward a lifesaving MDA ambulance. To
raise the remaining funds, Heartbeat has turned to online crowdfunding with a
campaign on www.jewcer.com. The campaign, led by Heartbeat Board Member
Miriam Eshaghian, has already raised more than $12,000 from nearly 100 differ-
entdonors.Withaone-to-onematchingpledgealsointhemix,Heartbeatiswell
onitswaytosendingalifesavingambulancetoIsrael.
Generation Z is also out to prove you’re never too young to make a difference.
ForValentine’sDay,10-year-oldLaurynChotinersoldgiftboxesfullofbrown-
ies in support of AFMDA.
“My bubbie always tells me about the importance of Israel and what it means
to be Jewish. I am proud that the money I raised is going to save lives in Israel!”
said Lauryn.
Holidayscanalsobeagreattimetospreadawarenessincreativeways.OnPurim,
Elana Goldsmith and her children, Joey and Sophie, dressed up as a doctor,
patient, and MDA paramedic. The trio hand-delivered cardboard ambulance
Purimbasketsfilledwithredandwhitesnackstotheirneighborsandfriends.
Find what works for you, and join the do-it-yourselfers all over the country
who are helping to save lives in Israel. AFMDA is your organization. Support
it your way. ■
THEAFMDA
LAB
Periodically, the Pulse features The AFMDA
Lab, which highlights new ideas and
innovations that AFMDA supporters and
staff are using to raise funds for MDA …
and raise the bar in Jewish philanthropy.
Are You a Connoisseur of
All Things Social Media?
If you answered yes and you love AFMDA, we
want you to be a social media ambassador!
Members of this select group help us spread the
word about MDA’s lifesaving work on Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, and more.To join, contact Leah
Breevoort at LBreevoort@afmda.org.
Purim celebrations: Joey and Sophie Goldsmith dress up as a
doctor and Magen David Adom paramedic for Purim to help raise
money for MDA.
Baking for a cause: Using her dad’s favorite recipe, Lauryn Chotiner sells
boxes of brownies for Valentines Day in support of AFMDA.
Exclusive evening: San Francisco’s Heartbeat community hosts “Wine for a
Cause” with world-renowned expert Alon Yitzhaki.
Join Us! Upcoming AFMDA Events
Dr. John J. Mames Chapter —
Michigan Region Celebration of Life Gala
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Featuring Dr. Charles Krauthammer
For information, call 1.877.405.3913
or email Midwest@afmda.org.
Los Angeles Red Star Gala
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Featuring Jerry Seinfeld
For information, call 323.655.4655
or email LA-Gala@afmda.org.
New York Red Star Gala
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Honoring Ronald O. Perelman
For information, call 212.757.1627
or email NY-Dinner@afmda.org.

6. SAVING LIVES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
10
The Pulse • The AFMDA Newsletter • Issue 5
Chief Marketing Officer: Rob Rosenthal
Editor-in-Chief: Leah Breevoort
Design: Vincent DellaRatta
Copy Editor: Liza Schwartz Levine
Do you know someone whose life was saved by MDA?
Your story may be published in a future issue of the PULSE.
Email info@afmda.org with “Newsletter” in the subject line.
If you want more updates from AFMDA, please go to
www.afmda.org/enews-sign-up and sign up for our eNewsletter.
AFMDA National Headquarters
352 Seventh Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10001
Toll-Free: 866.632.2763
Tel: 212.757.1627
Fax: 212.757.4662
info@afmda.org
Northeast Region
352 Seventh Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10001
Toll-Free: 866.632.2763
Tel: 212.757.1627
Fax: 212.757.4662
northeast@afmda.org
Greater Philadelphia Area
PO Box 52158
Philadelphia, PA 19115
Tel: 215.947.7007
philadelphia@afmda.org
New England
PO Box 600714
Newton, MA 02460
Tel: 617.916.1827
new-england@afmda.org
Southeast Region
3300 PGA Blvd., Suite 970
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Toll-Free: 800.626.0046
Tel: 561.835.0510
Fax: 561.835.9410
southeast@afmda.org
Midwest Region
23215 Commerce Park Road, Suite 306
Beachwood, OH 44122
Toll-Free: 877.405.3913
Tel: 216.342.4032
Fax: 216.342.4034
central@afmda.org
Upper Midwest/Greater Chicagoland Area
3175 Commercial Avenue, Suite 101
Northbrook, IL 60062
Toll-Free: 888.674.4871
Tel: 847.509.9802
Fax: 847.509.9807
midwest@afmda.org
Western Region
6505 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Toll-Free: 800.323.2371
Tel: 323.655.4655
Fax: 323.655.4659
western@afmda.org
AFMDA Israel
Tel: 057.761.4220
israeloffice@afmda.org
www.afmda.org
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www.vimeo.com/afmda
www.youtube.com/afmda
AFMDA NATIONAL OFFICERS DIRECTORS
National Chairman
Mark D. Lebow
Chief Executive Officer
Arnold Gerson
Vice Chairs
Daniel Dobin
Fraeda Kopman
Gershon W. Trimpol
Secretary
Donna Fried Calcaterra
Treasurer
Neil Fox
Audit Chair
David N. Fleischer
Directors
Seymour Brief
Martin Cohen
Paula Blaine Cohen
Steven Einhorn
Annetta Weller Epstein
Leonard J. Epstein
Barry Feldman
Jacqueline Goldman
Les Handelsman
Stuart A. Jackson
Barbara Kay
Dina Leeds
Gaby Ferman Lehrer
Ann Lesser
Daniel Schwarzwalder
AFMDA Senior Staff
Chief Executive Officer
Arnold Gerson
Chief Development Officer
Eillene Leistner
Chief Marketing Officer
Rob Rosenthal
Chief Financial Officer
Jay Culang
Director of Operations, Strategic Initiatives, and HR
Marcy Mirkin
CONTACT
THEPulse The Newsletter of American Friends of Magen David Adom 11
Holocaust Survivor Honors
Life with 12 Ambulances
After barely escaping the horrors of the Holocaust,
Ilsa Rooz, of blessed memory, knew how important
it was to support Israel and save lives. She had
been able to leave Czechoslovakia for England on a
YWCA transport, but unfortunately most of her family
remained and did not survive.
After settling in the United States years later, Ilsa and her husband, Walter
Rooz, sponsored five lifesaving ambulances for MDA. After he passed away,
she continued the tradition by sponsoring an additional seven ambulances
andaMedicycle,makingheroneofthemostprolificmembersoftheBeacon
Society, an exclusive group created to recognize ambulance sponsors.
Her final ambulance in 2012 was given in honor of longtime friend and
former AFMDA Southeast Regional Director Ira Mogitz.
“Itwasthebiggesthonorinmylifewhenshetoldmeabouttheambulance.
She was a real mensch. Until her final moments, she was always asking
about AFMDA and how she could help,” said Ira.
Although Ilsa passed away in 2013, her legacy will live on because she
made the important decision to join the MDA Legacy Circle and include
AFMDA in her estate plans. Ilsa wanted to ensure that Israel would
continue to be able to save lives long after she was gone.
“I don’t donate to be in the limelight. I donate because I hope I make a
difference,” said Ilsa in 2010.
If you’ve added AFMDA to your will, or are considering it, please contact
Jeff Lipkin toll-free at 866.632.2763 or JLipkin@afmda.org so we may
acknowledge your commitment to MDA and welcome you to the MDA
Legacy Circle.
For confidential discussions about naming opportunities and capital
projects, please contact your regional office or AFMDA’s national office
in New York. ■
“I don’t donate to be in the limelight.
I donate because I hope I make a difference.”
Lifetime ambulance donor leaves legacy: From top: Ilsa Rooz (in blue) celebrates
the dedication of one of her ambulances with former AFMDA Southeast Regional
Director Ira Mogitz (wearing suit); Rooz dedicates an ambulance in memory of her
husband,Walter Rooz.

7. Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Permit #1235
Brooklyn, NY
www.afmda.org
352 Seventh Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10001
NEi5
Look Inside:
Page 2
Find out why Magen David Adom was the first team in Nepal
and how they were able to save lives.
Page 1
It’s official: Israel’s blood supply is moving
underground and out of harm’s way.
Page 7
Jerry Seinfeld and other stars will be hosting
upcoming events.Will you be there?
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