Chapters

London

Fran Scolnik, member of the London chapter of CMDA presents a certificate of appreciation to Asher Frydman, head student at the London Community Hebrew Day School for their tsedakkah donation.

 

CANADIAN MDA MISSION TO ISRAEL – IN CELEBRATION OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM’S  80TH ANNIVERSARY

by Lorna Brooke

For first time visitors, for frequent visitors and for those like Eleanor Keating, Ralph and me who had last visited the country over 20 years ago, the Mission to Israel with Canadian Magen David Adom in October was a truly memorable visit.

What will Israel be like after all this time away, the three of us wondered?
The reality exceeded all our expectations as we encountered the many changes that had taken place since our last visit.

Every day was a new experience - even the places we had been to before had changed - the ancient sites now have wonderful visitor centres and are much more user friendly!
We couldn't get over how much the towns and cities have grown – the national bird is now said to be the crane!

There were so many highlights on the tour that it would be hard to single one out - space will only allow the choice of a small number. 

Where to start?  Definitely all aspects of Jerusalem - the timelessness of the Old City and the Jewish Quarter, the modernity of the new Jerusalem and the panoramic views of the entire city from Mount Scopus, the excitement of Tel Aviv, the tranquility of Lake Tiberias, the seaside pleasures of Eilat, the artists’ colony in Safad, the sobering reminders of past wars at the Golan Heights or the remarkable area of the Dead Sea at Ein Bokek, - and those lavish buffet breakfasts! - to name but a few.

The same can said for the many other sites we visited – each one unique in its own way – bringing in Shabbat at the Western Wall, the awe and sadness of Yad Vashem, a meeting at the Canadian Embassy with Paul Hunt, Canada’s new ambassador to Israel, the ingenious depiction of the creation of the State at the Palmach Museum, the Ayalon Institute - an extraordinary underground, historical top secret bullet factory at Kibbutz Hill in Rehovot, the majesty of Massada, the magnificent Baha’i Gardens in Haifa, “The Night Spectacular” – an impressive outdoor Sound and Light show at the Tower of David, the geological wonderland of Timna Park on the way to Eilat, or the moonlight cruise on the Sea of Galilee – again to name but a few.

The visit to Petra, aptly described as ‘A rose-red city half as old as time’ on the last day was a perfect way to end our trip.

From an MDA perspective, it was wonderful to visit an MDA station in Tel Aviv and to learn about the equipment and supplies that we help to purchase, to see demonstrations of them, to be inside an ambulance dispatch centre and to learn first hand of the day to day operations of the paramedics and staff who work there. 

We were made very aware of the importance of the Organization and of the vital role that MDA plays in the lives of all Israelis.  We came away believing, more than ever, that we here in London must continue in our efforts to support MDA in Israel.

We were all impressed with the 'new' Israel - the building boom, neat & pleasant landscaping – we loved the creative artistry on the roundabouts, - the high tech ambience together with those things that will never change, the abundance of the Arts, the emphasis on water conservation and protection of natural areas - and the overall vibrancy of the country.

All of this made us feel very proud of what has been achieved in the Land of Israel


London, Ontario