At the tender age of 6, Eli Beer witnessed the bombing of the No. 12 Jerusalem bus. Struck by the chaos of the incident and the lack of emergency rescue resources, the traumatic experience inspired Beer to become an ambulance volunteer at the age of 15. It was then that he realized that it took longer to get to emergencies in an ambulance than it took to deliver a pizza on a motorcycle! One of the worst days of his life, he recalls, was “… the day we got a call to save a young boy who was choking on a hot dog. In the ambulance trying to push through Jerusalem traffic, it took us over 10 minutes to get to the boy. By the time we got there, it was too late.
“I knew we had a huge problem: Ambulances were not fast enough. At the age of 17, I started a more flexible system needed to improve emergency response time. We needed to be as fast as a pizza delivery on a motorcycle.” Beer created the system that is today the fastest in the world, and gets to emergencies in three minutes or less with those flagship “ambucycles.” The ambucycles can zip through and around traffic while their walkie talkies and GPS system alerts the closest volunteer. What could be simpler or more direct?
“We would love to be able to expand our resources to have an even faster response time,” he continued. “We would also love to bring our models to other countries, so that every country can learn from this fast model.” Inspired by the Talmud Sanhedrin 37a, “Whoever saves even a single life, it is as if they saved an entire world,” Beer said, “Our vision is a 90-second response time, anywhere in Israel.”
Hence, the title of the new book, “90 Seconds: The Epic Story of Eli Beer and United Hatzalah” written by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer. Beer recently visited Judaica House in Teaneck for a book signing. For some at the event Beer also recorded a short video with a bracha and a personal message of chizuk or encouragement on the person’s cell phone for loved ones back home. Beer also spoke and appeared in local shuls and numerous locations around the area on Shabbat and during the past week.
Also notable is the fact that United Hatzalah is a 100% volunteer organization. And, as many are aware, United Hatzalah volunteers also are amongst the first who arrive to assist with global emergencies, not just emergencies that occur in Israel. Many are familiar with the video that went viral as they assisted with the rescue of a child from the rubble in Turkey following the recent earthquake.
For those who are unfamiliar with Beer’s brush with serious illness, he shared some perspectives on his encounter with COVID-19 in Florida during the early days of the pandemic. “My experience with COVID showed me the importance of chesed. Before I went into intubation, I begged everyone to do chesed for me. I [was told that I] had a 5% chance of survival. Coming out of the coma, I was so depressed; I wasn’t even sure I would make it back to Israel.
“When I woke up, my dear friend Eli Polack called me, and said, ‘Eli you must come back to Israel.’ I said to him, ‘Tell me one reason why.’ It was then he told me an amazing story of humanitarian and lifesaving acts United Hatzalah volunteers were doing while I was under. These stories of chesed and community while I was gone showed me that United Hatzalah has inspired a sense of community and purpose for anyone.
“My family is so important to me. My wife, Gitty, is amazing. She is finishing now to get her highest possible degree in paramedic training. I have five amazing kids and many beautiful grandchildren. My family is so special to me. My kids also volunteer with United Hatzalah.”
“90 Seconds” is suitable for readers of all ages and has inspired numerous bar and bat mitzvah celebrants to include fundraising activities in their celebrations.
“90 Seconds,” with a 20% discount, is still available at Judaica House in Teaneck through June 18, in honor of Beer’s visit to the New Jersey area.
To donate much-needed funds to United Hatzalah, Israel’s all volunteer emergency response team, visit their website: https://israelrescue.org/donate. Tax ID# 11-3533002.
By Ellie Wolf
