On Rosh Chodesh Nissan, tragedy struck a chareidi family in Yerushalayim, whose 8-month-old infant died, reportedly due to ‘crib death’. Part of the realities that accompany their efforts to get over the tragedy, which they explain they accept as frum yidden, is a bill that arrived for the Magen David Adom paramedic unit which responded to the call, a bill for NIS 678.

The young avreich explains he has no problem with the bill, or the sum, but was pained by the insensitivity, with the bill arriving in the name of his dead child. Further complicating matters is the bureaucracy, as he tried to recoup the money from his HMO, which demanded the original form left on the scene by the paramedics. He explained that no one can find it, perhaps lost due to the difficult atmosphere in the home when his infant child was pronounced dead.

He explains what adds to the pain is the fact that MDA is demanding NIS 80 to provide him a copy of the form, which is readily available on the EMS’ computer. The avreich believes the form was never left in his home, and even if it was, the NIS 80 fee is most unreasonable and a large chunk of money for him, living on a limited income.

Mom explained that “we accept the g’zar din from Hashem, painful as it is, but it is more difficult to accept the lack of sensitivity from MDA”. Only after a bit of intervention, an MDA management official provided them with the form, without charge, but the couple explains they endured much grief until this was accomplished.

MDA has issued an apology for any grief caused the young couple, calling it “an innocent mistake”. MDA spokesman Yerucham Mandela explains the charge for the copy of the form is determined by law, not an MDA decision. He added that the organization really went above and beyond by providing the form without charge, realizing the pain caused to the young couple.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)