“The reason we donated the ambulance is precisely for moments like this!”
Holocaust survivors Simon Lipczyc and Augusta Suzanna Lipczyz-Brand made Aliya to Israel from Belgium just 8 months ago. They looked for a good cause in Israel to which they would like to make a large donation. After some time and thought, they decided to donate an ambulance to Magen David Adom. Their grandson, Senior EMT and MDA volunteer Avraham Applebaum, drives the ambulance donated by his grandparents.
During a routine shift on the ambulance, Avraham was sent on a call along with MDA volunteer Yael Malka to a woman in advanced stages of labor at the Eli Junction. The labor continued to progress, until a healthy baby girl was born to happy parents Avraham and Meital Miara.
When the excited parents heard the special story of Holocaust survivors who donated an ambulance, and the fact that the ambulance is driven by their grandson, they decided to name their seventh daughter Neta – a name alluding to “planting roots” – as a gesture to the Holocaust survivors who were determined to plant strong roots and to perform good deeds in the Land of Israel.
A meeting took place between the newborn baby’s parents, the MDA EMT who delivered her, and his grandparents who donated the ambulance where Neta was born.
Avraham Applebaum, grandson of the donors and MDA Senior EMT: “My grandparents debated for some time about which good cause they could donate to. After a great deal of thought, my grandfather called me and showed me his yellow star, told me about the Nazis who tried to kill us in the Holocaust, and as an exact opposite he wants to save lives in Israel and donate an ambulance to MDA. After the delivery that took place in the ambulance, I told my grandfather the story and he was very emotional. ‘The reason we donated this ambulance, was precisely for moments like this.’ It was a very special moment.”
Avraham Miara, the excited father: “We asked to meet the grandparents and their grandson – just to show our appreciation to this special family. We called the baby Neta, to mark the deep roots that have been planted in the State of Israel, and as a thank you to the family. It was a very special and emotional meeting.”