One of United Hatzalah’s community outreach programs is geared to specifically serving the elderly community in Israel, among whom are the many holocaust survivors who live among us. The ‘Giving Honor’ project is an initiative of the organization to reach out and help the elderly monitor and maintain their health as they continue to age.

At least once a week, United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs, paramedics and doctors pays a house call to an elderly person or holocaust survivor who lives on their own and provides them with a free medical checkup. The volunteer checks the person’s vitals and if something is abnormal the volunteer phones the person’s family doctor and reports the information.

Dr. Yaron Tamir, who holds a PhD. in Business Management, is the Vice-Dean of the school for Business Management at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya. He is also a volunteer EMT for United Hatzalah and is one of the ambucycle drivers of the organization. In his spare time, he manages to visit Christina, a holocaust survivor aged 90 at least once a week.

The relationship that has grown between the two has long since passed the point of just being part of the project. They act as if they are family. Christina and Yaron act as if they are Grandmother and Grandson.

Tamir spoke about the special connection that he has developed with Christina. “Half a year after I joined United Hatzalah they told us about the Giving Honor program. Immediately once I heard about it I knew I was going to join. I have a family connection. My grandmother who was a holocaust survivor managed to save some of her family members during the holocaust and then move to Israel.”

Tamir said that he developed a special connection over time with Christina, one which he cherishes. “I was told about a woman who lived near me named Christina. I went to meet her and it was a love story from first site. I’ve been visiting her for more than two years now. The connection began when I went to check up on her for her medical reasons, but now she is pretty much like my grandmother. She has my number she calls me I call her. When I talk to her we talk about everything under the sun.”

Christina Treibish was born in 1924 and was 15 years old when WWII broke out. She spent two years in a Ghetto in Poland, where she was born and was transferred to a work camp in 1943.

Her parents were taken from her by the Nazis and killed in 1942 and she was saved by her brother who lied and said that she was his wife in order to save her from being sent to death camp. She was in Auschwitz for over six months and she suffered medical trauma and abuse at the hands of the Germans. She returned to Krakow after the war and made her way to Israel in 1950.

Currently she has two daughters four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She is 92-years-old and she goes and volunteers wherever and whenever she can. She talks to soldiers and groups of students to tell her story.

“She has become part of my life in every way,” said Tamir who cherishes the time that he spends each week with her, often visiting even more than the required amount.

Christina said that “I am very appreciative of the project. The fact the Yaron comes once a week or more is really nice and I enjoy the visits. Over the years he has become like family to me. Ten years ago my hands and legs stopped listening to me, now they do whatever they want. I walk with walker but I still get around. I go out and I visit people who are older than me, and I try to keep a connection with the people whom I’ve visited and helped in the past.” Christina used to volunteer with Yad L’Yeled and is still in contact with some of the children she helped many years ago who are adults living in Israel abroad. She has returned and visited Poland together with trips to tell her story, but she is no longer healthy enough to continue those trips. “Yaron helps a lot. He helps me stay connected to others and he helps make sure that I am as healthy as I can be at the age of 92. I am very grateful for him.”

United Hatzalah volunteers visit hundreds of elderly people throughout Israel each week and continue to maintain both the health of the patient as well as provide them with someone to talk to and develop a relationship with. This ongoing project occurs year round and is undertaken by individuals who have jobs and families of their own as well as volunteer as part of United Hatzalah’s EMS first response team. These dedicated volunteer truly do give honor and respect to the elderly patients that they see, be they holocaust survivors or not.

Photo: Yaron & Christina during one of their weekly visits.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: United Hatzalah Spokesperson’s office)