20 | SEPTEMBER 7 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

I

n the ever-changing 
medical industry, 
Israel stands out as a 
frontrunner in making 
significant technological 
strides in 
the field. 
Leading this 
advancement is 
Magen David 
Adom, an 
organization 
founded almost 
100 years 
ago that has 
harnessed Israel’s advanced 
technology to develop 
faster ways of saving lives 
throughout the country. 
On a recent visit to Metro 
Detroit, MDA leaders spoke 
about the tech innovations 
that are helping the 
organization respond quicker 
to medical emergencies, 
both large and small. This 
tech innovation is also being 
shared with other emergency 
response organizations 
throughout North America.
Yoni Yagodovsky, senior 
paramedic and director of 
international relations, along 
with his colleague, Raphael 

Herbst, senior paramedic and 
trainer, visited Midwestern 
U.S. cities to conduct life-
saving training sessions 
called “First 7 Minutes.” The 
program’s name is derived 
from the first seven minutes 
it typically takes for first 
responders to arrive on the 
scene of an emergency. 
Yagodovsky and Herbst 
taught participants at local 
Metro Detroit synagogues 
how to remain safe and offer 
critical first-aid assistance 
during the hectic time 
following an attack. Rather 
than focusing on specific 
protocols, the training 
covered seven principles 
for the first seven minutes: 
safety, call for help, saving 
lives together, organizing 
the scene, bleeding control, 
reporting and assisting EMS.

 At the heart of MDA’s 
groundbreaking initiatives 
is an innovative app that 
empowers people across 
Israel to swiftly request 
assistance during medical 
emergencies. Yagodovsky 
and Herbst provided a 
demonstration of the app, 

showing that with only a few 
taps on a smartphone, users 
can instantly notify MDA for 
life-saving help. The app uses 
location-based technology 
to ensure that medics in 
the vicinity are promptly 
alerted. Calls are answered 
within two seconds, and this 
guarantees an ambulance will 
arrive in under four and a 
half minutes.
What sets this app apart, 
the MDA leaders explained, 
is its seamless integration 
with emergency services 
beyond Israel’s borders. 
In the event a user presses 
the help button while in 
the United States, the app 
automatically notifies 911, 
providing them with the 
user’s precise location. 
Additionally, users can 
upload their medical 
history and a baseline 

ECG for paramedics to 
compare should that user 
ever experience a medical 
emergency.

CUTTING-EDGE 
INNOVATION
Magen David Adom’s 
commitment to direct 
communication is another 
key aspect of its service. 
Unlike traditional emergency 
hotlines where calls are 
directed to operators, MDA 
ensures that when you call, 
you speak directly to a 
paramedic. This approach 
facilitates a speedier 
assessment of the situation 
and enables immediate 
guidance and instructions.
With such cutting-edge 
innovation, MDA has helped 
other organizations outside 
of Israel adopt its advanced 
medical technology. 

Magen David 
Adom Saves 
Lives in Israel 
with Advanced 
Technology

Rabbi 
Jason Miller
Contributing 
Writer

JEWS IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Richard D. Zelin, American Friends of Magen David Adom in Chicago, 
Yoni Yagodovsky, Raphael Herbst, Rabbi Jason Miller, Jonah Miller and 
Robert Rosenthal, American Friends of Magen David Adom in New 
York

