Actress and Israel advocate Debra Messing hosted the American Friends of Magen David Adom’s sold-out New York Gala at Cipriani 42. The evening began with a cocktail reception followed by the program. The gala featured Debra Messing, Nate Buzz, Noa Cochva and Ambassador Gilad Erdan. Philanthropist and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was honored for his monumental contribution of $44 million earlier this year, and Bank of America was recognized for its major contribution to the cause. Buzz, Christian actor and pro-Israel advocate, was also honored. Erdan, who recently assumed the role of MDA global president after four years as Israel’s ambassador to the UN, spoke to the guests. The Shvesters, a popular singing duo performed in Yiddish, Hebrew and English. A video about Amit Man, a 22 year old paramedic who was killed on October 7 while treating patients at a clinic in Kibbutz Be’eri, was screened.

Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency services system, is based in Israel, has 32,000 volunteers and 1,700 ambulances; the national organization is mandated by law to cover the entire country, and the national blood bank for the State of Israel, and the national human breast milk bank. Magen David Adom treats and transports more than 1 million people to hospitals every year; collects, safety tests and distributes nearly all the blood to Israel’s hospitals, and, through its affiliation with the Red Cross movement, responds to disasters around the world. The evening raised significant funds to support Magen David Adom and funds will go to augmenting the fleet of rescue vehicles, training and equipment for Israel’s paramedics and EMTs, and protecting the nation’s blood supply through the Marcus Blood Center.

Messing spoke of her personal journey in the wake of the attacks: “I’ve spent the past year trying to gather as much truth as possible and share it with the world,” said Messing. “This is a new role for me, and I’ve never been prouder of my work.”

The Jewish Link spoke with Catherine Reed, CEO of American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA), about AFMDA and the gala. Reed noted one of the things that was encouraging to them about the benefit was they had so many new friends and people who came out specifically because their work is in Israel. Reed further noted that with so much disinformation in various media about Israel today, what is so important about Magen David Adom is it is reflective of the real Israel. Magen David Adom is all about saving lives; it is about helping people and it helps everyone from every religious or ethnic creed. If you are in need of help they are there for you. And at the same time, the 32,000 volunteers of Magen David Adom represent that same group: Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, Bedouin. Everyone volunteers for Magen David Adom. It is the largest volunteer organization in Israel and it is so because it has such an extraordinary mission. There is nothing more important or gratifying than being able to help another human being and that is one of the things about Magen David Adom that is so important and so beautifully reflects the real Israel.

On October 7, Reed was in Israel and after the Hamas attack on Israel, Magen David Adom didn’t know what they were facing other than that they had already lost paramedics and ambulances in that first 24 hours. They reached out and did a matching gift with former Mayor Bloomberg to get as many people as possible to support Magen David Adom. Bloomberg matched $43.6 million raised.