Boca Pointe couple donates seventh ambulance to Israel

Published March 28th, 2008

FROM STAFF REPORTS

A large crowd gathered at the Boca Pointe Country Club March 23 to witness the dedication of the seventh fully equipped Mobile Intensive Care Unit donated by Boca Pointe residents Audrey and Leonard Goodfriend to Magen David Adom.

American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) supports the life saving efforts of Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s only government-mandated ambulance and emergency medical responders, serving as the nation’s second line of defense with medical, disaster, ambulance and blood services. 

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, Burt Goodman, chairman of the Boca Pointe Chapter, presented the theme of AFMDA, which comes from the Talmud, “Whoever saves a single life is said to have saved the entire world.” 

Joel Silberman, in presenting the award said, “There is no greater mitzvah or blessing than what the Goodfriends have done.”  He went on to talk about Israel’s need for medical equipment and blood services.

The event concluded with a message from U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton.  “There will be people walking the streets in Israel that are alive today because of the good deeds of this wonderful couple.  This is the seventh ambulance that was donated by the residents of Boca Pointe since the chapter was organized three years ago.” 

He then spoke about the situation in Israel and the work being done in Congress to support peace. 

The next fundraising project is to raise money for the Emergency Medical Station in Sderot which is located only one kilometer from the Gaza Strip and has been a constant target for Qassam rockets and mortars fired by Hamas terrorists.  The constant shelling has resulted in a need to increase the emergency medical and rescue service teams.  The present facilities are outdated and an appeal has been made to AFMDA to build a new station, which would help save lives in Sderot as well as the Northern Negev.