Last October, Beverly Hills residents Barak Raviv and his wife, Indre, had just finished saying the Kiddush prayer for Sukkot when they began receiving alerts that Israel was under attack.
Even before the extent of Hamas’ assault became clear the following day, on Oct. 7, Barak and Indre knew they had to help, and they made “an instantaneous decision” to raise funds to buy an ambulance for Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical services system, Barak said.
During a May 23 ceremony at Community Shul on West Pico Boulevard, the Raviv family celebrated the fruits of their labor, posing in front of the new ambulance and thanking their supporters and donors for helping keep Israelis safe.
“When we thought about doing an ambulance, we could not have imagined the outpouring of support that would come from the community,” Barak told the Courier.
“And I think we all know that the ambulance that’s standing outside is really going to be the margin between life and death for the people of Israel today.”
The ceremony, which included a musical performance and videos highlighting the work of Magen David Adom, drew both laughter and tears from the crowd of over 150.
Janet Morgan, Director of Philanthropy for American Friends of Magen David Adom, said that supporters like Raviv are the lifeblood of the organization, which plays a critical role in Israeli security. The nonprofit operates Israel’s largest blood bank, flies medivac helicopters and delivers babies, services that are especially important during times of crisis, she said.
On Oct. 7, Magen David Adom “immediately activated all ambulances, mobilized all employees and volunteers,” Morgan said. “They received over 21,000 calls that day.”
Beverly Hills California Synagogue Rabbi Pini Dunner said at the event that support from abroad has been a source of hope for active-duty soldiers like his son, who recently lost five friends during an operation in the Palestinian city of Jabalia.
For Don Klein, one of the biggest donors to Raviv’s campaign, the ambulance, which is dedicated to his parents, has personal significance beyond the lives it will help save.
“My love of Israel was really imbued by the love that my mother and father have for Israel,” Klein said. “And I can just tell you that rather than see my father’s name … and my mother’s name on a tombstone, how much better it is for me to feel that we’ve done something worthy here, something more pragmatic, that would actually maybe save some lives.”
Barak Raviv said philanthropy is a trait that runs in his family, and his family was at the heart of his campaign. Raising the money would not have been possible without Indre’s support and his children’s love to keep them going, and he dedicated the ambulance to his grandmother—Sara Mostysser—who has both supported and benefited from Magen David Adom’s mission.
Years ago, after falling and breaking her hip, Mostysser was transported to the hospital in a Magen David Adom ambulance that she had donated and was bearing her name.
“I’m very happy to have her name today on one more lifesaving vehicle,” Raviv said.
