The Tel Aviv Chapter of United Hatzalah has opened a new base of operations and training center for volunteers in the area. During a special ceremony that occurred this past Tuesday, in which all chapter volunteers were invited to participate, the organization inaugurated the new building in the heart of Israel’s White City.

Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita, Tel Aviv Police Chief Moshe Edri, Deputy Mayor Rabbi Natan Elnatan, and Communal Rabbi Ezra Traub all attended the event. They were accompanied by both officers from local law enforcement divisions and the national leadership of United Hatzalah. During the inauguration ceremony, two new ambucycles which will be serving the Tel Aviv area, were also unveiled. Currently, the Tel Aviv Ambucycle Division boasts more than 20 ambucycles that respond to emergency calls throughout the city. The use of ambucycles have helped lower average response times to under 90 seconds in certain areas, and under three minutes in far-flung locations within the city.

The Tel Aviv chapter of United Hatzalah numbers over fifty volunteers, and is run by chapter head Dan Gildoni. Special honors were given to volunteers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. The volunteers honored were local dispatch officer, Isaac Mahbubien, and the chapter’s local spokesperson, Yoseph Haim Ben-Zion, who also serves as the chapter’s logistics coordinator.

This new chapter house will serve as a meeting place for volunteers to learn from one another, as well as a training and education center for new recruits. Additionally, the chapter house will also function as a headquarters for all local operations occurring in Israel’s most vibrant city.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)