Michael Bloomberg leads $88 million donation to Israel’s emergency medical service

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an $88 million donation to Israel’s emergency medical service after matching donations raised by tens of thousands of people in the days since Hamas’ terror attack on Israel.

Bloomberg first posted an appeal on Oct. 9 – two days after Hamas terrorists killed at least 1,400 Israeli civilians and soldiers and 35 Americans – saying that he would match contributions to the Magen David Adom (MDA), known as the Israeli Red Cross, through Oct. 20 to support its “lifesaving work.” Bloomberg said Monday that he is donating $44 million to the American Friends of the Magen David Adom, matching the funds from tens of thousands of other donors to provide $88 million, which is reportedly the largest gift in the group’s history.

“America has always been a friend to Israel and I am encouraged that so many of us are stepping up to help our ally during these challenging times,” Bloomberg said in a statement reported by the New York Times. “It is important to show the world that we are united in our condemnation of Hamas and committed to protecting the health and safety of all Israelis.”

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The Times reported that Catherine Reed, chief executive of American Friends of Magen David Adom, said that nearly 34,000 donors contributed to the effort and indicated that the donations will go to the purchase of ambulances and medical equipment in addition to protective equipment for emergency responders, such as ballistic helmets and vests.

The American Friends of Magen David Adom was founded in 1940 to facilitate U.S. fundraising efforts to support the MDA with medical supplies and blood services. The MDA was founded by Israeli doctors in 1930 during the British Mandate to provide first-aid services to those injured in anti-Jewish pogroms carried out by Arabs.

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After starting as several local medical facilities – first in Tel Aviv, then in Haifa and Jerusalem – MDA-affiliated groups formed a national emergency organization in 1935 to provide medical services as well as first aid training. At that point, the group had several dozen volunteers and a makeshift ambulance.

After Israel’s independence in 1948, the MDA became the country’s official Red Cross Society and provided all emergency medical, ambulance and blood services two years later – relying on donations through AFMDA as the government didn’t provide funding for those services.

Bloomberg noted in his Oct. 9 appeal that he has supported the MDA since the 1990s and “in 2011 helped dedicate a state-of-the-art EMS station in Jerusalem, which includes a modern blood donation center, in honor of my father, William, a special moment for our family.”