Jul 20, 2011

Yerucham to Receive Much-Needed Ambulance

At the dedication ceremony, children from Temple Sinai of North Dade surround Irene Baros and the ambulance she is donating to Yerucham, Israel.

Working every day with organizations, communities and individuals throughout the Jewish world, the volunteers and professionals at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation often become aware of specific needs for assistance – and of philanthropically minded people who are able to meet those needs. It is through this kind of connection that Miami’s partnership city of Yerucham, Israel, is able to receive a fully equipped ambulance from a longtime Federation donor.

Yerucham, a 13-square-mile city in Israel’s Negev region, is home to approximately 9,400 residents, representing a microcosm of Israel’s many cultural and ethnic populations. Since a long-term partnership was established in 2006 between residents of Miami and Yerucham, numerous projects have been launched to promote people-to-people interaction and increased understanding between the two communities.

When Miami resident Irene Baros came to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation with the desire to underwrite the cost of a Magen David Adom ambulance – supporting Israel’s national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service – the Federation professionals knew where to turn. With a location far from major hospitals and with only one ambulance to serve all of its residents, Yerucham was in need of assistance.

In July, Baros dedicated a fully equipped ambulance in memory of her late husband at a special ceremony at Temple Sinai of North Dade. Upon the vehicle’s arrival in Yerucham, the city will have doubled its emergency services to its citizens.

“My husband was very active in the Miami Jewish community and my children and I wanted to honor his memory,” said Baros. “We wanted to do something for Israel that they needed. This is something that Yerucham will benefit from greatly.”

While the Annual Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign remains the primary instrument by which donors can provide support for the wide-ranging needs of the Jewish community in Miami, in Israel and worldwide, Federation also helps match philanthropists with specific funding opportunities. If you are interested in such opportunities, please contact Federation at 305.576.4000.