SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Friends of United Hatzalah today announces the formation of its Northern California Board of Advisors and regional launch event, "Reimagining Community Response After COVID: Lessons from Jewish Wisdom and Modern Technology for a Traumatized World," scheduled for May 26, featuring panelists Shlomi Kofman, Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest; Carmen Dowell, Director for Technology Investments, Salesforce.org; Rabbi David Wolpe, Max Webb Senior Rabbi, Sinai Temple; Amanda Berman, Founder and Executive Director, Zioness; and United Hatzalah volunteers Rania Abu-Shaban and Miriam Miedzinski.
The board’s leading priority is to promote and support United Hatzalah’s vision of free, universal access to emergency healthcare in Israel through life-saving urgent treatment delivered to any person experiencing a medical or mental health crisis – regardless of race, religion, gender, or national origin.
"United Hatzalah has developed an infrastructure that allows individuals to come to the urgent aid of their friends, neighbors, and unknown others at times when immediate emergency help is most needed,” said Northern California Board Advisor Moses Libitzky. “In doing so, UH has saved innumerable lives and allowed those who volunteer in service to fulfill their very human need to do what is important and to be a vital support to fellow beings who are part of our interconnected societal web.”
Each day UH’s 6,000 volunteers answer more than 1,800 emergency calls across the country. The opportunity to save thousands of lives each year would not be possible without the support of philanthropists from around the world, including donors in the U.K., France, Canada, and the U.S. The nonprofit, which is fully donor-supported, provides volunteers with emergency medical service training, medical supplies, technical support, and transportation – including cutting-edge ambucycles that can cut traffic to deliver treatment in an average of 90 seconds to address life threatening emergencies across the country each day.
The Northern California Board of Advisors includes leaders from the legal, philanthropic, investment, and tech communities who aim to deploy their capital, networks, and skill sets in furthering the nonprofit’s good works. Advisory Board members include Moses Libitzky, Debra Bogaards, Oded Hermoni, Don Abramson, Ashleigh Talberth, Gil Shotan, Valerie Demicheva, Jonathan Alden, Soraya Hoberman, and Jessica Donig.
"Just as United Hatzalah needs the inspiration of Silicon Valley to help harness the best technology the world has to offer, perhaps Silicon Valley needs the inspiration of United Hatzalah to remind us what good we can do for the world when we not only unleash our technological might, but match it with 'moral grandeur and spiritual audacity,’ as Rabbi Heschel advocates,” said Northern California Regional President Mark Donig. “If we do so, then there is no limit to the light that we can collectively provide for a broken world."
"Reimagining Community Response After COVID: Lessons from Jewish Wisdom and Modern Technology for a Traumatized World” will be moderated by Mark Gerson, co-founder of Gerson Lehman Group and Thuzio, and Chair of the Board of United Hatzalah. Press and the public can submit their questions for the panel to CarolynK@israelrescue.org.
About United Hatzalah
United Hatzalah of Israel is the largest independent, non-profit, fully volunteer Emergency Medical Service organization that provides the fastest emergency medical first response throughout Israel. United Hatzalah’s service is completely free of charge and is available to all people regardless of race, religion, or national origin. The organization is completely funded by donations. United Hatzalah’s 6,000 volunteers are available around the clock – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. With the help of the nonprofit’s unique GPS technology and iconic ambucycles, the organization’s average response time is under 3 minutes across the country and 90 seconds in metropolitan areas. The organization’s mission is to arrive at the scene of medical emergencies as soon as possible and provide the patient with professional medical aid until an ambulance arrives, resulting in many more lives saved. To learn more or donate, visit United Hatzalah. For images, visit here.
