Families of MDA Staff lost in war light Chanukah Candles at Kotel
Families of MDA personnel who have lost their lives while fighting to save lives during the war, participated in the ceremony at the Kotel (Western Wall) and lit the 4th Chanukah candle
A ceremony took place this evening (Sunday) prior to lighting the 4th Chanukah candle, in the presence of the Rabbi of the Kotel and the Holy Sites, honoring the families of MDA staff who lost their lives while trying to save lives during the Iron Swords War. Also in attendance were the American Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew, Health Minister and Member of the Knesset Rabbi Uriel Buso, MDA Director General Eli Bin, senior members of the MDA management team, as well as MDA staff and volunteers from the south.
During the event, special mention was made of the memory and the heroic stories of MDA volunteers and staff, including Paramedic Amit Man Z’’L, who was murdered while she was treating casualties in a clinic in Be’eri; Senior EMT Aharon Haimov Z”L who was murdered as he was driving an ambulance on route to treating shooting victims; and Senior EMT Aviya Hetzroni Z”L who was the MDA ambulance driver on Kibbutz Be’eri. Their families were given a presentation in their memory by the MDA Director General.
At the end of the presentation to the families of the victims, representatives of the families lit the 4th Chanukah candle on the balcony of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, and then headed to the Western Wall Plaza, where MDA Director General Eli Bin lit the 4th candle in the central Chanukiah.
The Rabbi of the Kotel and the Holy Sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich: “We are blessed with a long memory. An historic memory. Our memory doesn’t begin with our birth or end with our death. In each generation, each person must see themselves as though they had been redeemed from Egypt, saved from the massacre of Haman in Persia, as if he lit the Menorah in the Temple with Judah Maccabee. We will never forget the United States standing strong alongside Israel during this dark time in Jewish history, you have chosen to stand on the side of light and justice. We will never forget the dedication of the volunteers during this nation’s difficult times. You have repaired not only the physical injuries, but also the injuries to the soul.”
Health Minister, Member of Knesset Rabbi Uriel Buso: “The story of MDA in this war is one of the stories of Zionism, the essence of being an Israeli, and the patriotism of the whole of the State of Israel. The holy people murdered could easily have escaped and not been at those scenes, each with their own story, but they fought and risked their lives, literally until their last drop of blood. During this great moment of lighting the Chanukah candles, we pray to God that the light of the candles at the Western Wall will spread light for all of Israel, for the success of our soldiers in the field, for the recovery of the victims, and the return of all those kidnapped.”
MDA Director General Eli Bin: “Tonight, on the 4th night of Chanukah, we remember the MDA volunteers and staff who were murdered by terrorists as they worked to save the lives of others. Amit Man, Aharon Haimov and Aviya Hetzroni, and in the last few days we sadly also learnt that MDA EMT Ronen Engel was murdered by terrorists in Nir Oz and was kidnapped. The four of them were real heroes, murdered on the Black Saturday. We cherish their memories, and hold you – their families – close. Magen David Adom staff and volunteers promise to follow their path, to continue always saving lives, any time and in any place, just as Amit, Aharon, Aviya and Ronen did. The Chanukah candles symbolize light and unity, things we see in their full glory across Israel. I hope that the candles we are lighting this evening – will shine better and safer days for us all.”
