US students in Israel respond to call for blood donations
Yeshiva University in Israel organizes three blood donation events enabling residents, tourists to make meaningful contribution to Israel
Yeshiva University in Israel has issued a press release announcing that it has responded immediately to the urgent appeal made this week by Magen David Adom for blood donations.
The press release stated that the University will be sponsoring three blood donation opportunities in Jerusalem and Haifa for YU students and faculty in cooperation with the MDA. Scores of people are expected to participate.
A blood drive will be held in downtown Jerusalem for hundreds of Yeshiva University students visiting Israel while on winter vacation. The event will take place this Friday, January 5, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Zion Square.
Twenty three Yeshiva University students visiting Israel on a leadership and social action mission, entitled Lmaan Achai, immediately responded to the urgent call for blood donations and will donate blood at Haifa’s Rambam Hospital on Sunday, January 7, 2007 at 12 p.m.
Dedication to Israel and Israeli society
The goal of the Lmaan Achai mission is to learn about the aftermath of the recent Lebanon War and to acquire skills to run social action programs in American Jewish communities. The opportunity to donate blood allows students to implement what they are learning on the mission.
A third blood drive is being held on the Yeshiva University in Israel campus in Jerusalem on January 30 from 1 to 5 p.m. in order to allow faculty and students to donate blood.
As reported widely in the news earlier this week, due to a severe blood shortage the Blood Bank at Magen David Adom was forced to stop delivering blood to hospitals with the exception of blood needed for crucial and life-saving surgeries. The Blood Bank reported that it doesn’t even have reserves adequate for a single day.
Prof. Eilat Shinar, Director of the Magen David Adom National Blood Services Center, has informed Israel’s hospital network that MDA can only supply units for life saving emergencies.
“As the lifespan of a blood unit is 35 days, we can’t accumulate an adequate inventory and we need regular donors,” stated Dr. Shinar. The MDA has launched a nationwide blood drive to collect these badly needed units.
The enthusiastic response of Yeshiva University students to help out fellow Israelis by donating blood demonstrates the dedication that these young Americans have to Israel and Israeli society. Not only will they take valuable memories with them back to the States, but they are literally leaving a part of themselves in Israel behind.
