Myers recalls massive October 7 MDA mobilisation
“I needed to be there, treating the casualties … that is what being a paramedic is all about,” says Aryeh Myers – a Magen David Adom (MDA) senior paramedic.
In a strong show of support, more than 600 people attended the Celebrating Life – Honouring Lifesavers fundraising event at Moriah College on February 4, hosted by the Australian Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA)
Guest speaker from Israel, Aryeh Myers – a Magen David Adom (MDA) senior paramedic – recalled how on the morning of the October 7 terrorist invasion, he and four MDA peers headed to Ashkelon in an ambulance to begin a 14-hour shift, at a moment’s notice, and without any hesitation.
“I needed to be there, treating the casualties … that is what being a paramedic is all about,” Myers said.
The first patient he treated was a young man suffering an epileptic seizure, and at that point, “I realised the decisions that were made at 6.45am that morning [by MDA] saved countless lives.
“MDA made sure within the hour that every single one of the 1400 ambulances that we had at the time were manned, that the night shifts that should have finished at 7am stayed on, that dispatches came in.
“It meant that the blood service opened, even though it doesn’t usually on Shabbat – and if on a regular day MDA collects 1000 units of blood across Israel, on that day, we collected 4500.
“MDA is there at every critical moment, good and bad, for anyone and everyone in the State of Israel.
“And we can only do that thanks to you.”
Renowned British journalist, author, and political commentator Melanie Phillips – the event’s other international guest speaker – described MDA as “a truly magnificent organisation”.
Phillips, who now lives most of the time in Jerusalem, said that what the extraordinary courage, dedication and efficacy of MDA, its 3000 employees and 34,000 volunteers from all walks of life “represents to me, is that this is a nation pulling together at a time of extreme stress and distress, saving lives, looking after each other, and saving the life of a nation – and that is an amazing thing to feel part of”.
Turning to the topic of rising antisemitism worldwide, Phillips lamented how “the October 7 pogrom turbo-charged the West’s decades-long process of cultural suicide”.
She claimed, “The West will survive if it decides to love the Jewish people, instead of disdaining the Jewish people, and trying to erase what makes the Jewish people special, and which has made the West special too.”
Other speakers included AFMDA president Tony Ziegler and vice-president Melissa McCurdie, Liberal candidate for Wentworth Ro Knox, and Avner’s Bakery’s Ed Halmagyi.
Knox shared how impressive and fascinating it was to go in December on a guided tour of a blood plasma laboratory at an MDA facility near Tel Aviv that is saving people’s lives every day, including injured Israeli soldiers on active duty.
“This cutting edge technology and science was quite overwhelming [to see], but like everything in Israel, none of this would have been possible without donations by the community,” she said.
Halmagyi provided an energetic fundraising pep talk that doubled as an inspiring pick-me-up, in the face of the current, unprecedented wave of antisemitism occurring in Sydney.
“What is going to help you to feel braver and stronger and more resilient? … well, it’s not sitting back – that doesn’t help anybody,” he said.
“You actually need to take action, so take action by donating, by being a meaningful representative member of the Jewish community here in Australia, of the Jewish community worldwide, and as a friend of MDA.”
Ziegler, in his address, took a moment to reflect on how, “tragically, this war has claimed the lives of at least 36 members of MDA – both volunteers and employees –who fell either on MDA duty, or in battles defending the state during their military service”.
“At least seven were murdered on October 7,” he added, before paying tribute to two in particular, while their photographs were beamed onto a large screen.
They were 25-year-old ambulance driver and father of two, Aharon Haimov, from Ofakim, and 22-year-old paramedic, trainer and accomplished singer and actor Amit Mann, from Kibbutz Be’eri.
Ziegler emphasised how donations “from supporters like you”, provide the vehicles, equipment and training that MDA needs to save lives in Israel every day.
He said that donations made to AFMDA the previous year were enough to purchase three bulletproof MDA ambulances, three standard ambulances, a medi-cycle, community rapid response vehicles, more than 1200 helmets and bulletproof flak jackets, as well as continuing to support MDA’s lifesaving milk and blood banks.
“MDA and Israel’s Ministry of Health have started a new project to try to reduce the number of suicides and self-harm from a very traumatised population,” Ziegler concluded.
“MDA’s ‘101’ emergency call centre now can provide immediate intervention by highly trained mental health professionals.
“With every donation, we show the incredible lifesavers of MDA that no matter what happens in 2025 – our 95th year – we’ve got their backs.”
For more information, visit magendavidadom.org.au
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