SA CHRISTIANS AND JEWS UNITE TO SAVE LIVES
When Israel was rocked by three separate terror attacks on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, Israel’s ‘Red Cross’, known as MDA (Magen David Adom – or Red Shield of David) could zip through the Tel Aviv area’s evening rush-hour traffic and save lives.
They arrived quickly to the scene of the unfolding tragedy not by 4-wheel ambulances but 2-wheel medical motorcycles – known as Medi-cycles.
Lives were saved!
MDA today operates over 400 rescue Medi-cycles equipped with the most advanced medical equipment, including ICU Medi-cycles carrying kits like those found on mobile intensive care units. The MDA motorcycle unit is of vital importance in reaching scenes and saving lives.
First on the Scene. A Medi-cycle in action.
Joining those around the world in wanting to ‘SAVE LIVES’ by sponsoring more Medi-Cycles in Israel is the Christian support in South Africa.
Saddle Support
The Bike Run that took place on Sunday the 1 October 2017 in the Western Cape organized to raise funds for a Medi-cycle for Israel was the first in South Africa and only the second in the world.
Co-hosted by Michael Bagraim MP, Patrick Rolleston from ‘Israel on our Minds’ and the Desire of all Nations Church in Ottery Cape Town under Pastor Russel van Wyk, “It was the culmination of months of hard work to organize,” Julie Berman told Israel Link. Julie is the Executive Director of the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) in Cape Town, who participated in the ride.
Revving Up. The sendoff from the Desire of all Nations Church in Ottery, Cape Town.
Michael Bagraim is well remembered as the tenacious lawyer who helped release Cape Town Jewish paediatric oncologist, Cyril Karabus who had been held on trumped up charges in the UAE for nine months in 2013. On arriving at Cape Town International airport, to a large crowd of well-wishers, Prof. Karabus, who had helped save the lives of black cancer victims during the apartheid era and pioneered treatment for cancer and blood disorders at the Red Cross hospital in Cape Town, expressed to his suporters: “It’s wonderful to be out of that bloody place.”
MP Bagraim who helped him get out of that “bloody” place in the Gulf, is now in partnership with Christians helping save lives in Jerusalem ‘whether they be Jews, Muslims or Christians. All lives matter.”
Proud Passenger. SAZF (Cape Town) Executive Director, Julie Berman holding up the flag for Israel with Table Mountain in the background
“The theme of our South African campaign, “Time Saves Lives”, says Bagrain “was to raise sufficient funds for a Medi-cycle – fully equipped with all medical equipment used by qualified and trained medical personnel – to easily navigate the narrow streets of Jerusalem to reach the scene of accidents, terror attacks or other medical emergencies. In other words, to shorten the waiting period for medical assistance.”
Said Mark Hyman from Magen David Adom SA, “We embarked upon this ‘Israel on our Mind’ campaign to fulfill the biblical mandate to love and support the Jewish nation. The purchase of a Medi-cycle for Jerusalem demonstrates that love and support.”
MDA SA plays a vital support role for MDA in Israel. Since its founding in South Africa in 1946, it has helped to fund a range of life-saving medical projects in Israel. “We operate,” says Hyman, “in accordance with the Talmudic saying, “Whoever has saved one life has saved and entire world.”
Tunnel Vision. Passing through a tunnel towards Worcester and beyond.
Sights from the Saddle
Displaying the blue and while Israeli flags, Jewish bikers from Free Chapter Cape Town and Christian bikers from Chariots of Fire Biking Ministry rode out from Ottery in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs to Aquilla Private Game Reserve near Touwsriver. “There we were hosted by Searl Derman to a wonderful lunch and a “Save the Rhino” tour.”
It was more than the beauty of the Western Cape from the saddle but also “having “our ‘sights’ set on a good cause in saving lives in Israel,” says Julie who spent six hours on the saddle ridding pillion – three hours there and three hour back. Laughing after the event, she says she had a lot to show for it including “a numb bum and sore kidneys.”
Visionaries. Taking in the magnificent view from the top of Du Toits Kloof Pass during a “stretch break”, these participants were seeing far more that the eye could see.
“Over R250,000 was raised for the Medi-cycle. It was a wonderful venture of partnership – Jews and Christians – in supporting the Jewish nation and saving lives,” said Berman.
A “num bumb” was a small price to pay!
