Amid a wave of terrorism that has killed 11 Israelis and injured more than 100 in just the past month, Erez Geller, a regional paramedic supervisor from Magen David Adom, Israel’s national EMS service, will brief Teaneck-area residents about the current crisis and how the organization’s renowned paramedics are responding to daily terrorism attacks, many of them involving stabbings.
The briefing will take place on Monday, November 16, at 7:15 p.m. at Dougie’s BBQ, 184 West Englewood Ave., Teaneck. The event is organized by Jan Meyer and Elie Y. Katz, members of the Northeast Advisory Leadership Council for American Friends of Magen David Adom, MDA’s U.S.-based fundraising affiliate. Former Teaneck mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin will serve as a host.
The recent outbreak of terrorism, most of them attributed to “lone wolf” attacks, comes at a particularly tense time for Israelis, who have recently faced multiple attacks each day, fueling fears of a third intifada. Adding to anxieties there, Israel’s northern border is rife with instability while Hezbollah is rearming in southern Lebanon, there’s a raging civil war in Syria, and the threat of ISIS have all contributed to an atmosphere in which people fear that the violence could escalate into a wider conflict at any moment.
Geller has helped Israel through these and other dire crises, from the rocket attacks on the north during the 2006 Lebanon War to the forest fire that ripped through Carmel in 2010. As supervisor for the Carmel region since 1995, he directs his team to respond with skill and speed to emergencies of all kinds, from terror attacks and national disasters to heart attacks, car accidents, women in labor and more.
Geller began working for MDA as a volunteer in 1991. After completing his army service, he worked for MDA as an instructor, EMT and dispatcher before becoming a paramedic and ascending the ranks to supervisor. MDA’s mandate is to save as many Israeli lives as possible. For Geller and all MDA paramedics, that means putting their own safety on the line every day.
There is no admission charge for the event, but reservations are required. To respond, contact [email protected].
ABOUT Magen David Adom (MDA) is Israel’s national emergency medical response organization, providing skilled disaster relief, ambulance and blood services to Israel’s more than 8 million people. MDA is the only organization mandated by the Israeli government to serve in this role, but its operations are not funded by the government. Instead, MDA relies on funding from donors around the world. American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) is the largest supporter of MDA worldwide. For more information please visit www.afmda.org.
