American Friends of Magen David Adom (MDA) held its annual MDA New York gala on Thursday, November 30. The event drew more than 500 guests and featured a variety of multimedia exhibits showcasing MDA’s lifesaving work. MDA is Israel’s national ambulance, blood-services, emergency medical first-responders, and disaster-relief organization.
The event, held at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers, recognized MDA’s first responders in Israel and honored Kent. M. Swig, a leading commercial and residential real estate investor and developer in New York, with AFMDA’s Visionary Award. Elie Y. and Esther Katz received the Young Professional Leadership Award. Elie is the former mayor and current deputy mayor of Teaneck, New Jersey. Ambassador Dani Dayan, Consul General of Israel in New York, made opening remarks. TV journalist and social entrepreneur Jessica Abo hosted.
“We all cherish life, we cling to it, and we’ll do anything to preserve it,” Swig told guests. “And MDA are the miracle workers of the modern age and there’s no worthier cause than this.” Elie and Esther Katz, who rallied their Teaneck community to sponsor an MDA ambulance in honor of Esther’s late father, called on fellow guests to support MDA.
“There is no greater gift than being part of the mitzvah of saving a life,” said Elie upon receiving the award. “If you are in a position to send an ambulance to Israel, just do it!”
A host of MDA officials also attended, including Director-General Eli Bin, Chief of Staff Uri Shacham and Chief Information Officer Ido Rosenblat. Paramedic Yair Schussheim, whose heroic rescue of an Israel Defense Forces soldier was featured in a short film at the event, thanked guests for the donations that help him perform his lifesaving work.
Proceeds from the event will go toward MDA ambulances, emergency medical supplies and the construction of its new Marcus National Blood Services Center. This state-of-the-art underground facility—the world’s first—will protect Israel’s entire blood supply from terror attacks and natural disasters while continuing to provide 100 percent of all the blood for the Israel Defense Forces and 97 percent of the blood used by Israel’s hospitals.
The event featured several interactive installations designed to immerse guests in the MDA “experience.” An enclosed 360-degree virtual reality movie theater allowed people to watch a video of MDA’s response to a simulated terrorist attack in Israel. And MDA’s revolutionary command-and-control center—“The Mamlam”—was reconstructed and allowed guests to track any MDA ambulance or Medicycle in Israel in real-time.
“I’ve been fortunate to be with MDA for many years, and yet it never ceases to amaze me how impactful this organization truly is in Israel,” said AFMDA Chairman Mark D. Lebow. “The technology is constantly improving, the innovations always evolving. Whether it’s the critical blood services, the paramedic training, or vehicles and equipment—every facet of MDA’s work helps save lives every day.”
